Salumi Chicago

What Salumi Chicago does

Salumi Chicago is an artisanal Italian cured-meat (salumi) producer headquartered at 4725 S Talman Ave in Chicago, Illinois, operating since 2013. The company produces a portfolio of cured meats including five core salami varieties (Barolo, Finocchiona, Soppressata, Spanish Chorizo, Tartufo with black truffle), specialty charcuterie ('Nduja spreadable salame, Heritage Coppa, Heritage Pancetta Tessa, Cured Duck Breast, Wagyu Beef Bresaola, Bacon Bits All-Natural), and bundled gift-box and variety-pack SKUs. All products are manufactured using traditional Italian curing techniques taught directly to founder Greg Laketek by Master Salumiere Massimo Spigaroli at Antica Corte Pallavicina in Parma, Italy. The formulation architecture emphasizes clean-label inputs: heritage breed Duroc and Berkshire pork from family-owned Pennsylvania and Iowa farms, Trapani Sicilian sea salt, organic celery powder in lieu of synthetic nitrates, no added sugar, and no antibiotics — yielding products positioned as keto, paleo, gluten-free, and lactose-free.

The business operates three revenue streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via a Shopify storefront with nationwide USPS Priority shipping and free shipping over $50; wholesale foodservice distribution through national partners Sysco, US Foods, KeHe, Gourmet Foods International, and European Imports plus regional specialty distributors across the Midwest, Northeast, California, Arizona, Florida, and Nevada; and retail grocery placement at Mariano's, Kroger, King's Soopers, Erewhon Market, Caputo's Markets, and other regional grocers. A corporate gifting motion provides custom gift boxes with bulk and drop-ship fulfillment. The customer base spans health-conscious food enthusiasts, gift buyers, specialty grocery retailers, and fine-dining/foodservice operators.

Pricing ranges from approximately $7 for Bacon Bits to $132.70 for the Award-Winning Charcuterie Box Premium tier, with most salami products priced at $14.50–$14.99 and Wagyu Beef Bresaola commanding $64.99–$80. Distribution reach extends across the United States with no disclosed international markets. Recognition includes 2019 Charcuterie Masters Gold and Silver awards, 2023 Good Food Awards Finalist, 2019 Best of Chicago (Soppressata), and Forbes 30 Under 30 for founder Greg Laketek. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional capital and operates independently following a 2013 separation from Moesle Meat Company.

Name

Salumi Chicago

Legal name

Salumi Chicago

Website

https://salumichicago.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Salumi Chicago is an artisanal Italian cured-meat producer founded in 2013 in Chicago, selling clean-label salami, charcuterie, and gift boxes direct-to-consumer, through national foodservice distributors, and at grocery retailers across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Charcuterie

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Fermented & Air-Dried Charcuterie (Salami, Pepperoni, Prosciutto-Style) (AFANAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Deli Meats & Luncheon Meats (Sliced/Portioned Cold Cuts) (AFANAEAD), Cured Meats (Dry-Cured, Wet-Cured, Hams, Bacon) (AFANAEAA), Shelf-Stable Processed Meats (Canned, Retort Pouches, Jerky/Meat Snacks) (AFANAEAJ)

Keywords

• Artisanal cured meats
• Italian salami products
• Uncured charcuterie
• Heritage pork salumi
• Gourmet meat gifts

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Online sales through salumichicago.com Shopify store. Customers purchase individual products, variety packs, and gift boxes. Shipping is free for orders over $50.
2. Retail Distribution: Wholesale sales through grocery retailers including Mariano's, Kroger, King's Soopers, Erewhon Market, Caputo's Markets, and regional grocers across the US.
3. Wholesale/Foodservice: Wholesale distribution through national distributors (Sysco, US Foods, Gourmet Foods International, KeHe, European Imports) and regional specialty distributors to restaurants and foodservice operators.
4. Corporate Gift Boxes: Special corporate gift packages with custom accoutrements, cheeses, and custom offerings. Drop shipping to customers or bulk delivery available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Salumi Chicago produces and sells artisanal Italian-style cured meats (salumi) including a portfolio of salamis (Barolo, Finocchiona, Soppressata, Spanish Chorizo, Tartufo), specialty cured proteins ('Nduja spreadable salame, Cured Duck Breast, Heritage Coppa, Wagyu Beef Bresaola, Heritage Pancetta, Bacon Bits), and bundled gift boxes for retail, foodservice, and corporate gifting customers. Products are made using traditional Italian curing methods, heritage breed pork, and clean-label ingredients without synthetic nitrates, added sugars, dextrose, hormones, or antibiotics.

Product overview

Salumi Chicago is an artisanal charcuterie company offering a portfolio of Italian-style cured meats and salami products. Their core offerings include individual salami varieties (Barolo, Finocchiona, Soppressata, Spanish Chorizo, Tartufo Black Truffle), specialty products ('Nduja spreadable salame, Cured Duck Breast, Heritage Coppa, Wagyu Beef Bresaola, Heritage Pancetta, Bacon Bits), and bundled gift box collections (4-pack and 5-pack variety packs, Award-Winning Charcuterie Box, Small Charcuterie Gift Box, seasonal gift boxes). All products are characterized by their natural curing process using traditional Italian methods without added sugars, nitrates, or nitrites (except naturally occurring), featuring heritage breed proteins and premium ingredients like Sicilian sea salt and Tellicherry black pepper.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Barolo Salami (Uncured)

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple products achieve 4.77-5.0 star ratings with 10+ reviews each
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SyscocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational foodservice distribution partnership for supplying Salumi Chicago products to restaurants and foodservice operators across the United States.
• US FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational foodservice distribution partnership for supplying Salumi Chicago products to restaurants and foodservice operators across the United States.
• Gourmet Foods InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational specialty foodservice distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products nationwide.
• KeHecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational natural and organic foods distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products nationwide.
• European ImportscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialty European food importer and distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products nationwide.
• Greco and SonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Midwest specialty food distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products in the Midwest region.
• Artisan SpecialtycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Midwest specialty food distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products in the Midwest region.
• Chefs Collective NYCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Northeast specialty food distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products in the New York metropolitan area.
• West Coast Prime MeatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional California specialty food distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products in the California market.
• Peddler's SonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Arizona specialty food distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products in the Arizona market.
• Sunshine ProvisionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Florida specialty food distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products in Southern Florida.
• Outwest MeatsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Nevada specialty food distributor partnership for distributing Salumi Chicago products in the Nevada market.
• FairecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDirect wholesale ordering platform partnership allowing independent retailers to purchase Salumi Chicago products for resale.
• Moesle Meat CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical business partnership with Chicago-based Moesle Meat Company that led to the formation of Salumi Chicago. Joel Janecek (Moesle owner) partnered with Greg Laketek to create the new brand. Companies have since separated and Salumi Chicago operates independently.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Columbus Craft Meats: Premium charcuterie and salami brand (now owned by Hormel) selling Italian-style cured meats including salami, prosciutto, and soppressata at retailers nationwide. Directly comparable in product category, clean-label positioning, and retail channel mix.
• La Quercia: Iowa-based producer of prosciutto, salami, and coppa using heritage breed pork and traditional Italian methods, distributed through specialty retail and DTC. Comparable in heritage breed sourcing, artisanal production, and premium cured meat category.
• Olli Salumeria: American-made artisanal Italian salami manufacturer using heritage breed pork and traditional Italian methods, sold through specialty grocery and foodservice. Closely comparable on heritage breed sourcing, Italian curing technique, and premium retail placement.
• Creminelli Fine Meats: Artisanal Italian salumi producer founded by a master salumiere trained in Italy, offering hand-crafted salami and cured meats distributed via DTC, specialty retail, and foodservice. Directly comparable in craft positioning, Italian provenance story, and multi-channel strategy.
• Olympia Provisions: Portland-based artisan salumeria producing Italian-style cured meats including salami, prosciutto, and chorizo using heritage breed pork, distributed nationally via specialty retail, DTC, and foodservice. Directly comparable as a craft American salumeria with multi-channel distribution.
• Fra' Mani: Artisanal handcrafted salumi and cured meats made with heritage breed pork from family farms in Northern California using Old World Italian techniques. Directly comparable in craft production, heritage breed sourcing, and chef/foodservice channel presence.

Broad incumbents

• Applegate Farms: Large-scale natural and organic meats brand offering deli meats, bacon, and sausage with clean-label positioning. Operates broadly across refrigerated natural meats, providing a wider portfolio that overlaps with Salumi Chicago's clean-label cured meat niche at scale.
• Boar's Head: National deli meat and cheese brand with extensive cured meats lineup including salami and soppressata. Competes for the same retail shelf space and foodservice charcuterie programs as Salumi Chicago, but at much greater scale.
• Hormel Foods: Major packaged meats conglomerate owning Columbus Craft Meats and a wide portfolio of cured and prepared meats. Represents the broad incumbent competitive set that Salumi Chicago competes against for distribution and shelf space.

Emerging players

• Esposito's Finest Quality Italian Sausage: NYC-based artisanal Italian sausage and charcuterie maker focused on traditional Italian cured meats for wholesale and foodservice. Comparable in craft Italian production approach and chef-driven foodservice focus, though more sausage-centric.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/salumichicago
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/salumichicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Salumi Chicago