What Bart does

Bart Ingredients Co. Ltd. is a UK-based, privately-held supplier of dried herbs, spices, spice blends, seasonings, pastes, and cooking ingredients headquartered in Bristol and founded in 1963 (some sources cite 1964). The company sells an extensive catalogue of single-origin spices, regionally-inspired blends (Baharat, Cajun, Harissa, Jollof, Katsu, Shawarma, Tandoori, etc.), finished seasonings, refill cartons, bulk packs, and bundled discovery sets. Bart sources products from partners along what it characterises as ancient spice routes, and several SKUs carry Rainforest Alliance certification.

The business operates a hybrid wholesale-plus-DTC model. Bart distributes through major UK grocery retailers — Waitrose (24 essential SKUs in 250+ stores plus waitrose.com), Ocado, Morrisons, Booths, Midcounties Co-operative, and Amazon UK — while also running its own direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at bart.co.uk with free delivery over £25. Individual jars are priced £1–£6, bulk packs £6–£8, and bundles £12–£18. Marketing combines an extensive recipe blog spanning global cuisines with Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok channels. The company employs 101–250 people, is led by CEO David Collard, and remains independent with no disclosed parent, PE backing, or institutional investors.

Bart does not disclose proprietary technology; the offer is positioned on 60+ years of brand heritage, responsibly-sourced ingredient quality, and category breadth across global cuisines. The company underwent a notable brand rebrand in 2024 with new packaging and visual identity, and continues to broaden its product line into format extensions such as "Final Flourish" finishing sprinkles, small pinch pots, and curated regional bundles.

Name

Bart

Legal name

The Bart Ingredients Company

Website

https://bart.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bart Ingredients is a privately-held UK supplier of dried herbs, spices, regional spice blends, seasonings, and pastes, founded in 1963 in Bristol. It serves home cooks and UK grocery shoppers through Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons, Booths, Co-op, Amazon UK, and its own DTC e-commerce site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spices, Herbs and Seasonings

NAICS

Spice and Extract Manufacturing (311942), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Spice Blends & Seasoning Mixes (Dry Rubs, Marinade Mixes) (AFAJANAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whole Spices (Seeds, Pods, Bark, Roots) (AFAJANAA), Wet Seasonings & Pastes (Curry Pastes, Harissa, Gochujang, Spice Pastes) (AFAJANAI), Ethnic Spices, Herbs & Seasonings Wholesale (AFAIAIAF)

Keywords

• Dried herbs and spices
• Spice blends
• Culinary seasonings
• Cooking ingredients
• Spice pastes

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Bart generates revenue through direct sales of herbs, spices, blends, seasonings, pastes, and cooking ingredients to consumers and retailers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bart Ingredients supplies a wide range of premium dried herbs, single-origin and ground spices, regionally-inspired spice blends, herb-based seasonings, pastes, finishing sprinkles, and cooking ingredients for home cooks. Products are sold in standard jars, bulk packs, refill cartons, small pinch pots, and curated regional bundles across multiple world cuisines. Bart distributes directly to UK consumers via bart.co.uk and through major UK supermarket chains.

Product overview

Bart Ingredients is a UK-based provider of premium dried herbs, spices, spice blends, seasonings, pastes, and cooking ingredients. The product portfolio is organized into several product lines: individual spices (single-origin and ground spices including peppers, curry powders, chillies, cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, fennel, cardamom, and vanilla); spice blends (regionally-inspired blends such as Baharat, Cajun, Harissa, Jerk, Shawarma, Tandoori, Katsu, Piri Piri, Ras El Hanout, Berbere, Biriyani, Jollof, Barbacoa, Chimichurri, Pilau, and Fajita); seasonings (chicken, fish, steak, Mediterranean, smoky BBQ); pastes (chilli paste); final flourishes (Chipotle Crunch and Masala Crisp finishing sprinkles); herbs (basil, parsley, chives, sage, thyme, dill tops, lemongrass, mint, oregano, smoked garlic granules, garlic granules); and bundled offerings (regional bundles for Mediterranean, Latin American, East Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian cuisines, plus spice blend explorer pack and small pots bundle). Products are sold as standard jars, bulk packs, cartons, and small pinch pots. The company sources herbs and spices from carefully selected partners along ancient spice routes and sells direct-to-consumer via their e-commerce website and through major UK retailers including Waitrose, Ocado, Morrisons, Booths, and Co-operative stores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Baharat Spice Blend Aromatic and peppery spice blend used in Middle Eastern inspired cooking; targeted at home cooks preparing regional Middle Eastern dishes.
• Barbacoa Spice Blend Traditional slow cooked spice blend for meat, believed to originate in Latin America; ideal for tacos and slow-cooked meat dishes.
• Berbere Spice Blend A hot and fiery blend used in Ethiopian inspired cooking, for home cooks preparing East African dishes.
• Biriyani Spice Blend Traditional spice blend for Biriyani rice dishes, an integral part of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi cuisine.
• Cajun Spice Blend A spicy Cajun style blend inspired by Southern USA cuisine, for home cooks seeking bold, smoky heat.
• Chimichurri Spice Blend Traditional spice blend originating in Argentina and Uruguay, used as a sauce or marinade for grilled meats.
• Fajita Spice Blend A hot and spicy blend inspired by Latin American cuisine, for fajitas and Tex-Mex home cooking.
• Harissa Spice Blend A warm aromatic spice blend used in North African and Middle Eastern cuisine.
• Jerk Spice Blend Aromatic and hot blend inspired by cuisines of the Caribbean, suitable for chicken, pork, and grilled meats.
• Jollof Spice Blend Spice blend for Jollof rice, a popular dish in West African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and Cameroon.
• Katsu Spice Blend Essential spice blend for Katsu curry sauce, used in Japanese breaded and deep-fried meat dishes.
• Pilau Spice Blend A blend of herbs and spices to create perfectly seasoned rice to accompany Indian dishes.
• Piri Piri Spice Blend A hot Portuguese style blend, essential for cooking Piri Piri chicken.
• Ras El Hanout Spice Blend Moroccan style spice blend, used widely in Moroccan cuisine and ideal for lamb tagines.
• Shawarma Spice Blend Middle Eastern spice blend perfect as a marinade for meat, originating from the Levant region.
• Tandoori Spice Blend Spice blend for marinating meat in Tandoori cuisine, traditionally cooked in a clay oven called a 'tandoor'.
• Chicken Seasoning A sweet, herby blend that can be used as a dry rub or mixed with olive oil and lemon for rubbing onto chicken.
• Fish Seasoning A lemon and herb seasoning that can be sprinkled onto fish fillets before cooking.
• Steak Seasoning A warming peppery blend to rub onto steaks before cooking; also suitable for burgers and ribs.
• Mediterranean Seasoning A fragrant, herby seasoning blend that brings out the flavours of the Mediterranean.
• Smoky BBQ Seasoning A sweet and smoky blend perfect for all meat but especially good on pork ribs and chicken wings.
• Mild Curry Powder A mild blend of aromatic spices, perfect for a chicken korma.
• Medium Curry Powder A warming and aromatic blend to bring out the flavours of India; suitable for balti or bhuna dishes.
• Hot Curry Powder Hot and aromatic curry blend for adding a kick to Indian dishes.
• Garam Masala Fragrant and aromatic spice blend with hints of coriander and cumin; best added towards the end of cooking.
• Tellicherry Peppercorns Mill Premium black peppercorns from the Malabar Coast of India, specifically the Tellicherry (Thalassery) region of Kerala, regarded as one of the finest varieties for flavour, aroma, and size.
• Wayanad Peppercorns Mill High quality black peppercorns cultivated in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India, with fruity notes suited to finishing dishes.
• Oregano Robust, peppery, herby and lemony dried oregano; essential in Italian pizzas, pasta sauces, kebab and fish marinades.
• Mint Dried mint leaves with sweet, cool, menthol flavour; suitable for traditional mint sauce, Middle Eastern kebab dressing, or Indian raita.
• Parsley Dried parsley with grassy aroma and peppery, buttery flavour; essential in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.
• Chives Finely chopped dried chives with a delicate, onion-like taste; best added towards the end of cooking.
• Sage Dried sage with warm, bitter, medicinal flavour; used in stuffings with apples, homemade sausages, and sage butter for pasta.
• Thyme Dried thyme with sweet, bitter, aromatic flavour; essential in bouquet garni, stuffings, marinades, and baked goods.
• Chilli Paste A hot chilli paste in sunflower oil for adding spicy kick to Indian curries and Mexican stews.
• Chipotle Crunch Final Flourish A vibrant finishing sprinkle with satisfying crunch; suitable for tacos, grilled corn, or avocado on toast.
• Masala Crisp Final Flourish A fragrant finishing sprinkle with satisfying crunch; suitable for curries, roasted cauliflower, or loaded fries.
• Small Pots Bundle Bundle of 9 herbs, spices, and powders in handy pinch pots, including Ground Cardamom, Ancho Chilli, Ground Fennel, Guajillo Chilli, Green Jalapeño Chilli, Kashmiri Chilli, Bird's Eye Chilli, Pul Biber Chilli, and Porcini Mushroom Powder.
• Mediterranean Bundle Curated bundle of Mediterranean herbs and seasonings that brings the taste of the Med into home cooking.
• Indian Bundle Curated bundle of Indian spices and blends that brings the taste of India into home cooking.
• Middle Eastern Bundle Curated bundle of Middle Eastern spices and blends for home cooks seeking authentic Levantine flavours.
• Latin American Bundle Curated bundle of Latin American spices and blends for home cooking of Mexican and South American dishes.
• East Asian Bundle Curated bundle of East Asian spices and blends bringing the tastes of East Asia to home kitchens.
• Spice Blend Bundle Explorer Pack Globally-inspired spice blend collection including Biriyani, Chimichurri, Barbacoa, Shawarma, Katsu, and Jollof spice blends.
• Cajun Spice Blend Bulk Pack Bulk pack of spicy Cajun style spice blend inspired by Southern USA cuisine, for higher-volume home use.
• Chicken Seasoning Bulk Pack Bulk pack of sweet, herby chicken seasoning blend for higher-volume home use.

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WaitrosecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor UK supermarket chain stocking 24 essential Bart herbs and spices in 250+ stores plus online delivery through waitrose.com
• OcadocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK's largest online-only supermarket selling full range of Bart ingredients including herbs, spices, pastes, seasonings, and cooking ingredients
• MorrisonsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK supermarket chain stocking Bart refill cartons, selection of pastes and chopped ingredients in Morrisons stores across the country
• BoothsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium UK supermarket chain stocking full range of Bart ingredients in Booths stores
• Midcounties CooperativesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative stores in the mid-counties region stocking a range of Bart herbs, spices, and seasonings
• Amazon UKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline marketplace partnership for selling Bart pack bundles and single ingredient wholesale case packs
• Rainforest AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeveral Bart products are Rainforest Alliance certified, indicating partnership in sustainable and responsible sourcing initiatives

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• TRS (Asian Food): UK distributor of South Asian flours, lentils, spices, and cooking ingredients to retail and foodservice. Comparable to Bart as a heritage UK spice brand serving home-cook demand for international cuisines.
• Natco: UK-based ethnic food brand (rice, lentils, spices, poppadoms) with strong presence in South Asian grocery and major UK supermarkets. Comparable to Bart in UK dried-spice retail distribution and ethnic cuisine specialism.

Broad incumbents

• Tesco (Own Label Spices): Tesco's own-label dried herbs and spice ranges compete head-to-head with Bart on UK supermarket shelves at lower price points. Comparable as the dominant private-label competitor within Bart's core retail channel.
• McCormick & Company: Global flavour and spice manufacturer owning the Schwartz brand plus many international spice brands. Comparable as the global incumbent whose scale, sourcing, and retailer relationships set the competitive ceiling for Bart in the UK.
• Sainsbury's (Own Label Spices): Sainsbury's own-brand spice and seasoning ranges occupy the same UK supermarket fixture space as Bart and compete on price. Comparable as a major retailer-owned alternative to branded spice players.

Direct peers

• Schwartz (McCormick): Schwartz is the UK's most established dried herb and spice brand, now owned by global flavour leader McCormick. Directly comparable to Bart in product category, UK supermarket distribution, and target home-cook consumer.
• Seasoned Pioneers: UK-based spice blend specialist focused on world-cuisine seasonings (Ras El Hanout, Harissa, Baharat) sold through independent retail, farm shops, and online. Closely comparable to Bart's regional blend strategy and DTC orientation.
• Steenbergs: UK-based specialist in organic and Fairtrade spices, herbs, and baking ingredients with strong direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels. Directly comparable to Bart in product mix, UK market focus, and emphasis on responsible sourcing.

Emerging players

• Belazu Ingredient Company: UK-based premium Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredient brand (olive oils, pastes, vinegars, herbs) sold through Waitrose, Ocado, and DTC. Comparable to Bart in Waitrose/Ocado distribution and premium UK positioning on world-cuisine ingredients.
• Spice Kitchen: UK-based artisan spice tin and gift-set brand specialising in regional Indian and world-cuisine blends, sold primarily DTC and through independents. Comparable to Bart in world-cuisine positioning but focused on premium gifting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheBartIngredientsCompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/bartingredients/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@bartingredients?lang=en
• Xx.com/bartingredients

Compliance1 record

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 Bart