What Pastificio Carleschi does

Pastificio Carleschi is a UK-based artisan dry pasta producer that operates as Britain's first maker using 100% British-grown organic grains. Founded in 2012 (with grain trialling dating to that period) and commercially launched at Borough Market in 2019, the company is headquartered in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, and produces pasta at Duchess Farms in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, since 2023. Its product portfolio of roughly 17 SKUs spans single-grain spelt, einkorn, rivet and Krivet (a proprietary Khorasan × Rivet cross) pastas, plus a grain-and-pulses range combining stoneground spelt with British-grown fava beans, wrinkled peas or lentils. All products are made to a consistent craft specification: stoneground wholegrain milling, bronze-die extrusion, and slow static drying at ≤46°C for 36+ hours to preserve flavour, colour and nutritional integrity.

The core technology is artisanal rather than digital: it centres on upstream grain selection from ~20 wheat varieties under trial at Duchess Farms, traditional milling and extrusion techniques, and low-temperature drying that produces a distinctive protein-starch matrix. The company is Soil Association organic certified, uses NatureFlex compostable packaging, and has built a content library (The Fibre Series, Grain and Pulses Series, Grain People) to position itself as an authority on grain science and British farming heritage.

Carleschi makes money through two channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via its Shopify storefront carleschi.co.uk (with subscription pricing via Seal Subscriptions at 10% off, scaling to 15% after 10 weeks, on 2/4/6-week cycles) and a B2B Trade Portal for wholesale partners priced at £5.90 per 30 kg delivery. Consumer packs retail at £3.38–£4.80 per 250g bag, with free delivery above £40. Distribution is primarily mainland UK (excluding the Scottish Isles, Isle of Man, parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands), with international delivery available on request. Carleschi is privately held by its founder Giovanni Carleschi, with no disclosed institutional funding.

Name

Pastificio Carleschi

Legal name

Carleschi Ltd

Website

https://carleschi.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pastificio Carleschi is a UK-based artisan dry pasta producer that makes stoneground, bronze-cut, slow-dried pasta from 100% British-grown organic ancient grains and pulses, selling direct-to-consumer via its e-commerce site and a B2B trade portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Individual consumers purchase pasta directly from the Carleschi.co.uk online shop. Standard one-time purchases and subscription options (powered by Seal Subscriptions) provide recurring revenue. Free delivery on orders over £40; £4.95 delivery charge for smaller orders.
2. Trade / B2B Wholesale: Trade partners access dedicated wholesale pricing through the Carleschi Trade Shop. Trade accounts are opened via application. Delivery for trade is calculated by weight at £5.90 per 30 kg, with no free delivery threshold.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pastificio Carleschi is Britain's first artisan dry pasta maker, producing wholegrain dry pasta exclusively from 100% UK-grown organic ancient and heritage grains (spelt, einkorn, emmer, rivet, Krivet) and British-grown pulses. Each pasta is crafted using stoneground wholegrain milling, bronze-die extrusion, and slow static drying at low temperatures (≤46°C for 36+ hours) to preserve flavour, nutrition and al dente bite. The range is sold direct-to-consumer through the company's Shopify e-commerce storefront and a Seal Subscriptions programme, with a dedicated B2B Trade portal for restaurants, delis and retailers.

Product overview

Pastificio Carleschi is Britain's first artisan dry pasta maker, producing a focused portfolio of wholegrain pasta exclusively from UK-grown organic ancient grains (spelt, einkorn, emmer, rivet, krivet) and pulses. The product line is unified by consistent craft principles: stoneground flour, bronze-die extrusion, and slow drying at low temperatures (36-40+ hours). The core range spans single-grain spelt pastas (Conchiglie, Fusilli, Mezzi Rigatoni, Maccheroni, Pipe Rigate, Casarecce), einkorn pastas (Gigli Rigati, Tubetti, Ditalini), rivet and krivet varieties, plus a distinct grain-and-pulses series combining spelt with fava beans, wrinkled peas, or lentils. Tagliatelle and Pizzoccheri (buckwheat) round out the specialty offerings. The British Power Pulses Pasta Bundle packages three pulse-enriched varieties together. All products emphasize wholegrain nutrition, British organic provenance, and artisan Italian craft technique.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organic Spelt Conchiglie

Quantifiable outcome

• Slow-dyed pasta (36+ hours at ≤46°C) produces a compact, coherent matrix that moderates starch accessibility during digestion, resulting in steadier, more sustained energy release compared to rapidly dried pasta.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Duchess FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Duchess Farms has been Carleschi's home since 2023. The farm is where flour is milled and pasta is produced. Oscar Harding farms and mills at Duchess Farms, overseeing grain from field to flour. He manages trial plots where wheat varieties are assessed annually for pasta suitability, directly influencing product development. This is a vertically integrated, co-development partnership covering farming, trialling, milling and production.
• Hodmedod'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHodmedod's supplies British-grown pulses (fava beans, wrinkled peas and lentils) used in Carleschi's grain-and-pulse pasta range. The partnership began around 2020 when Carleschi met Nick and Josiah at Hodmedod's in Beccles. Hodmedod's works closely with British farmers who grow pulses within rotations that rebuild soil rather than exhaust it, aligning with Carleschi's commitment to biodiversity and sustainable farming.
• Oscar HardingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOscar Harding farms and mills at Duchess Farms and oversees the experimental wheat trial plots that decide which wheats deserve to become pasta. He assesses protein, specific weight, Hagberg falling number and pasta-making performance annually. His 'function before form' philosophy guides wheat selection, and his relationship with Carleschi is described as foundational to the company's existence.
• Andy ForbesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndy Forbes runs the wheat trial plots at Duchess Farms and founded Brockwell Bake in South London (2008). He created the Wheat Gateway, a catalogue connecting information on over half a million wheat varieties globally. He helps manage trial plots at Duchess Farms as part of the UK Grain Lab community, contributing expertise in wheat genetics, heritage varieties and grain trialling.
• Gilchesters (Gilchester's Organics)minorOthersGilchesters (Gilchester's Organics) supplies organic flour used in Carleschi's Pizzetta recipe. Specifically, Gilchester's Organic Pizza and Ciabatta flour is referenced in recipe content. This is a supplier relationship for supplementary ingredients beyond the core pasta range.
• Dr. Edward DickinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Edward Dickin bred Krivet wheat — a deliberate cross between Khorasan and British Rivet wheat. This grain variety, named as a shorthand for its two parents, is used in Carleschi's Wholegrain 'Krivet' Spaghettoni. The breeding work created a unique wheat variety suited to British conditions that combines the resilience of rivet with the flavour of Khorasan.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/pastificio_carleschi
• Xx.com/PCarleschi
• Facebookfacebook.com/pastificiocarleschi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Pastificio Carleschi