What CDS does

CDS S.p.A. (Centro Distribuzione Supermercati) is a privately held, family-owned Sicilian retail group founded by Umberto Romano in Caltanissetta in 1953 and now in its third generation of family ownership under Sole Director Angelo Agliata. The company operates a multi-format grocery retail network of approximately 152 points of sale (52 directly managed plus 100 affiliated franchisees) across all seven provinces of Sicily, with plans to reach roughly 260 stores. The portfolio spans five banners: Famila (medium-to-large format, national brand operated in Sicily since 2021), Max Supermercati (neighborhood supermarkets), Il Centesimo (everyday low-price format), Zero 1, and C+C Cash & Carry (launched September 2023 for B2B foodservice professionals). The company also manages two distribution centers (Sommatino, 20,000 sqm; Carini, 15,000 sqm), an e-commerce and home delivery service (CiaoSpesa), and a loyalty program (Spicciolo d'Oro for Il Centesimo, Mizzica for Famila).

CDS's core technology stack consists of retail management systems, CRM, point-of-sale infrastructure, and mobile applications managed by technology partner Konvergence. The assortment includes nearly 50,000 product references, of which approximately 6,000 are exclusive private label SKUs under proprietary brands (Nonna Tita, I Gustaioli, Mr. Spike, Idea Natura, Primalizie, Romano), representing roughly 25% of Il Centesimo's assortment. The company monetizes through direct retail sales, recurring franchise fees and supply services, private label product margins, and C+C wholesale transactions.

Since October 2020, CDS has been a member of Selex Gruppo Commerciale, Italy's third-largest modern retail group, gaining collective purchasing leverage through ESD Italia and the European network EMD. Reported revenue was €310M in 2019 and €330M in 2020 (+8.9% growth, substantially outpacing the Italian GDO market's 2.23%). The company holds Cribis Prime Company and CR Awards recognitions for financial reliability and is expanding aggressively through new store openings, brand additions, and B2B channel development.

Name

CDS

Legal name

Gruppo C.D.S. S.p.A.

Website

https://cdsspa.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

CDS S.p.A. is a family-owned Sicilian retail group operating approximately 152 grocery stores across Sicily under five banners (Famila, Max Supermercati, Il Centesimo, Zero 1, and C+C Cash & Carry), serving end consumers, franchisees, and HoReCa professionals with a Selex-backed supply chain and 6,000 private label SKUs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grocery Retail and Distribution

NAICS

Grocery and Convenience Retailers (4451), Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters (455211), Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers (42449)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Hypermarkets / Supercenters (GM + Grocery) (CRAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Shelf-Stable Packaged Foods Wholesale (Canned, Dry, Snacks) (AFAIABAB)

Keywords

• Supermarket retail operations
• Grocery distribution network
• Private label products
• Retail franchising services
• Cash and carry wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Caltanissetta

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales (Direct): Revenue from directly operated retail stores selling grocery and consumer products to end consumers across Sicily under various banners.
2. Franchising Fees and Support Services: Revenue from franchise partner network including fees, supply chain services, marketing support, and operational consulting to affiliated store owners.
3. Private Label Products: Revenue from proprietary brand products (6,000 exclusive references under brands like Nonna Tita, I Gustaioli, Mr. Spike, Idea Natura) sold through owned and franchised stores.
4. Wholesale/Cash & Carry: Revenue from C+C Cash & Carry format serving professional customers (restaurateurs, hoteliers, retailers) with bulk purchasing options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CDS S.p.A. (Centro Distribuzione Supermercati) operates a multi-format grocery retail and distribution network across Sicily through directly managed stores, franchised locations, and a cash & carry format for professional buyers. The group sells approximately 50,000 product references, including 6,000 exclusive private label items under proprietary brands (Nonna Tita, I Gustaioli, Mr. Spike, Idea Natura, Primalizie, Romano), distributed through its five retail banners (Famila, Max Supermercati, Il Centesimo, Zero 1, and C+C Cash & Carry) supported by two company-owned distribution centers.

Product overview

CDS S.p.A. is a large-scale retail distribution group operating in Sicily with a network of approximately 150+ retail points (directly managed and franchised). The company offers a multi-brand portfolio consisting of four core retail chains: Il Centesimo (everyday low-price format), Max Supermercati (neighborhood supermarkets), Famila (national brand since 2021), and Zero 1, plus C+C Cash & Carry for professional customers. The portfolio is supported by approximately 6,000 exclusive private label products under brands including Nonna Tita, I Gustaioli, Mr. Spike, Idea Natura, and Romano. CDS provides complementary services including franchise programs, digital loyalty solutions (Spicciolo d'Oro, Mizzica), e-commerce with home delivery (Ciao Spesa), and operates two logistics centers (Sommatino and Carini) covering all of Sicily.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nonna Tita: Private label brand for Il Centesimo offering quality products at competitive prices
• I Gustaioli
• Mr. Spike
• Idea Natura
• Spicciolo d'Oro
• Mizzica
• Romano

Products and services

• Famila National supermarket brand operated by CDS in Sicily since 2021, offering medium-to-large format stores with extensive fresh and ultra-fresh departments, local product sourcing, and high added-value offerings including Famila Superstore and Famila Market formats.
• Max Supermercati Neighborhood supermarket format focused on local communities. Smaller format stores offering convenient shopping for daily needs, positioned as supermarkets 'under house' (sottocasa) with quality fresh products and competitive pricing.
• Il Centesimo
• Zero 1
• C+C Cash & Carry Cash and carry format targeting professional clients including restaurateurs, hoteliers, traders, self-employed professionals, and all VAT-registered business owners. Offers approximately 10,000 articles across food, beverages, fresh products, and cleaning supplies with bulk purchasing advantages.
• Private Label Products (Nonna Tita, I Gustaioli, Mr. Spike, Idea Natura, Primalizie, Romano)
• Franchising Program
• Ciao Spesa Home Delivery Home grocery delivery service enabling customers to order supermarket products for home delivery. Activated and enhanced during COVID-19 pandemic. Available through dedicated app.
• Logistics and Distribution Centers (Ce.Di. Sommatino and Carini)

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue growth of 8.9% in 2020, outperforming national GDO market growth of 2.23%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, minor and core.

• GAL Terre NormannestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2023Partnership with GAL Terre Normanne (Local Action Group) for the 'Sapori Mediterranei' project promoting local Sicilian agri-food products. The initiative enables 13 small local producers to sell products through Famila stores in Palermo under a zero-km approach, supported by European Rural Development Program funding.
• Rotary Distretto 2110 Sicilia e MaltaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 July 2021CDS partnered with Rotary for the SOS API environmental project to protect bees and pollinators. Activities include experiential events at CDS stores across Sicilian provinces featuring local beekeepers, educational materials, and sustainability initiatives.
• Selex Gruppo CommercialecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2020CDS entered Selex Gruppo Commerciale in October 2020 as a member company. Selex is Italy's third-largest modern retail group with 2,300+ stores and 11.15 billion EUR revenue (2019). CDS benefits from collective purchasing through ESD Italia and European network EMD, enabling competitive pricing and market strength. Selex provides national brand presence through Famila banner and commercial support services.
• Mil-tekminorOthers · 7 May 2020CDS collaborated with Mil-tek for cardboard and plastic waste compaction solutions, supporting sustainability and operational efficiency in stores.
• KonvergencecoreTechnology or Integration · 11 November 2019Technology partner managing CDS's store IT infrastructure, CRM systems, and loyalty program technology. Konvergence developed and maintains the Il Centesimo mobile app and manages point-of-sale systems across the store network.
• Secap SrlcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAdministrative services provider handling CDS's accounting, financial, and fiscal management as an external data processor under GDPR requirements.
• ESD ItaliacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItaly's leading purchasing central serving Selex member companies, providing collective buying power, supplier negotiations, and exclusive product access for CDS and other members.
• EMDcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean purchasing central (third in Europe) affiliated with Selex, extending CDS's international purchasing reach and supplier access beyond national boundaries.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Finiper (Gruppo Finiper Canova): Finiper operates Italian hypermarkets (Iper) and supermarkets (Unes) under multiple banners with strong fresh-focused assortment. Comparable multi-banner supermarket/hypermarket operator with differentiated private label offerings and consistent store format strategy.
• MD SpA: MD is one of Italy's largest discount grocery chains competing on everyday low prices with focused assortment and strong private label execution. Comparable to CDS's Il Centesimo value-driven discount format with regional store expansion.
• Tigros: Tigros is a multi-format grocery retailer with strong regional concentration (Sicily, Calabria, Campania and Emilia) operating supermarkets and superstores. Directly comparable regional anchor strategy and multi-format retail execution similar to CDS's Sicilian footprint.
• Conad - Consorzio Nazionale Dettaglianti: Conad is Italy's largest cooperative retail group operating multiple regional banners with diverse store formats (discount, supermarket, hypermarket), mirroring CDS's multi-banner multi-format strategy under Selex. Both compete in Italian grocery retail on price, assortment, and private label depth.
• Coop Italia: Coop Italia is a leading cooperative retailer with extensive supermarket and hypermarket coverage nationwide, multi-banner formats, and strong private label (Coop brand) portfolios. Directly comparable multi-banner grocery retail model and member-driven loyalty approach.
• Bennet: Bennet is an Italian hypermarket chain with multi-department stores combining grocery and general merchandise at scale. Comparable to CDS's Famila Superstore format in offering one-stop large-format grocery + general merchandise retail.
• Eurospin: Eurospin is Italy's leading discount grocery chain with ~1,200 stores nationwide, comparable to CDS's Il Centesimo everyday-low-price format with private label exclusivity. Both compete aggressively on price and value proposition across Italian grocery regions.

Regional players

• Esselunga: Esselunga is a premium supermarket chain dominant in Northern Italy with strong private label, loyalty program (Fidaty), and large-format store concept. Indirect geographic overlap with CDS but highly comparable in multi-banner supermarket leadership, private label depth, and tech-enabled loyalty.

Others

• Selex Gruppo Commerciale: Selex is the third-largest Italian retail buying group that CDS joined in October 2020, providing collective purchasing power via ESD Italia and pan-European sourcing via EMD. Comparable as the parent commercial ecosystem defining CDS's supply chain economics and brand access (Famila).

Broad incumbents

• Carrefour Italia: Carrefour Italia is the Italian arm of the global hypermarket leader with broad multi-format grocery presence; CDS was previously a Carrefour network affiliate before transitioning to Selex/Famila in October 2020. Useful benchmark for what CDS's national-scale partner competitive dynamics look like.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ilCentesimo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cds-spa
• Instagraminstagram.com/ilcentesimosupermercati

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 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 CDS