La Quercia Cured Meats

What La Quercia Cured Meats does

La Quercia Cured Meats is an artisan dry-cured meat producer founded in 2005 by Herb and Kathy Eckhouse in Norwalk, Iowa, and pioneering American-made prosciutto using traditional Italian curing methods learned during 3.5 years in Parma, Italy. The company operates a USDA-regulated aging facility at 400 Hakes Dr, Norwalk, Iowa, and sources Berkshire heritage breed pork from suppliers within roughly 200 miles of the facility that adhere to no-antibiotic, no-hormone, humane husbandry standards. The energy-efficient facility uses ozone-safe refrigerants, heat recovery from compressors, high-density insulation, and eco-conscious packaging with recycled content.

The product portfolio centers on a 10–12 month aged Prosciutto Americano launched in 2005, with supporting SKUs including Guanciale Americano (cured pork jowl, ~6 oz at promotional $6.99), Pancetta Americana (dry-cured belly aged 2 months), 'Nduja Spicy Salami Spread ($5.99 promotional), Speck Americano, Prosciutto Piccante, and 2026 launch extensions into flavored prosciutto variants — Hot Honey (Spanish Pimentón, New Mexican chilies, honey), Black Pepper & Cherry, and Honey & Herb. Bundles such as 'Our Big Three' ($29.99) and accessories (bamboo charcuterie board) target gifting and entertaining occasions.

Revenue is generated through three channels: a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront at laquerciashop.com shipping shelf-stable product nationwide with a $75 free-shipping threshold; wholesale distribution to national and regional grocery chains including HyVee, Albertsons, Fresh Thyme, Giant Eagle Market District, Giant Landover, Andronico's, Balducci's, King's Food Market, and specialty retailers such as Murray's Cheese Shop; and foodservice supply to restaurants and specialty food shops. In January 2026, Charcuterie Artisans — parent of Creminelli, Daniele, and Del Duca, PE-backed by Industrial Opportunity Partners — acquired La Quercia, making the combined entity the largest U.S. charcuterie manufacturer with over 700 employees, 660,000+ sqft of production space across Rhode Island, Iowa, and Utah, and 54 million lbs of annualized capacity projected by year-end 2026.

Name

La Quercia Cured Meats

Legal name

La Quercia Cured Meats

Website

https://laquerciashop.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Quercia Cured Meats, founded in 2005 in Norwalk, Iowa, produces artisan American-made dry-cured pork products including prosciutto, guanciale, pancetta, and 'nduja using traditional Italian curing methods applied to Berkshire heritage breed pork, sold via direct-to-consumer e-commerce and national grocery and specialty retailers; acquired by Charcuterie Artisans in January 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Cured Meats

NAICS

Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116), Meat Processed from Carcasses (311612), Animal Slaughtering and Processing (31161)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Meat Packing Plants (2011)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Cured Meats (Dry-Cured, Wet-Cured, Hams, Bacon) (AFANAEAA), Pork Further Processing (Cured, Smoked, Ham, Bacon) (AFANABAE), Charcuterie & Cured Meats Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAE)

Keywords

• Dry-cured meats
• Artisan charcuterie
• American prosciutto
• Heritage pork curing
• Italian-style salumi

Headquarters

HQ city

Norwalk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-Commerce: La Quercia sells directly to consumers through its Shopify-powered online storefront at laquerciashop.com. Products are shipped directly to consumers across the U.S., with free shipping on orders over $75 to the 48 contiguous states, $12 flat-rate shipping below that threshold, and $25 flat-rate shipping to Alaska and Hawaii.
2. Retail Grocery Distribution: La Quercia generates wholesale revenue through distribution to national and regional grocery retailers including HyVee, Fresh Thyme, Albertsons, Giant Eagle, and independent specialty retailers. This is the primary B2B revenue channel representing the bulk of sales volume.
3. Foodservice Distribution: La Quercia products are supplied to foodservice operators including restaurants and specialty food shops such as Murray's Cheese Shop in NYC, serving professional kitchens alongside retail consumers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

La Quercia Cured Meats produces handcrafted, dry-cured Italian-style charcuterie — including prosciutto, guanciale, pancetta, and 'nduja — using traditional curing methods applied to humanely raised Berkshire heritage breed pork. Products are sold through direct-to-consumer e-commerce (laquerciashop.com), grocery retail, and foodservice distribution.

Product overview

La Quercia Cured Meats is an artisan charcuterie company founded in 2005 by Herb and Kathy Eckhouse, producing American-made dry-cured pork products using traditional Italian curing methods. The company operates from Norwalk, Iowa and sources pork from Midwestern farms with a focus on Berkshire heritage breed pigs. The core product portfolio includes Prosciutto Americano (flagship, launched 2005), Guanciale Americano, Pancetta Americana, and 'Nduja Spicy Salami Spread. La Quercia has expanded its offerings with flavored variants including Hot Honey Prosciutto Americano (2026), Prosciutto Americano Black Pepper & Cherry, and Prosciutto Americano Honey & Herb. The company also offers a Heritage Breed Charcuterie Experience bundle ('Our Big Three') and complementary accessories. Products are available nationwide through retailers including HyVee, Fresh Thyme, Albertsons, Giant Eagle, and specialty retailers. In January 2026, La Quercia was acquired by Charcuterie Artisans, becoming part of the largest US charcuterie manufacturer with over 660,000 square feet of production space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prosciutto Americano
• Guanciale Americano
• Pancetta Americana
• 'Nduja: Spicy Salami Spread
• Hot Honey Prosciutto Americano
• Prosciutto Americano Black Pepper & Cherry
• Prosciutto Americano Honey & Herb
• Our Big Three - Heritage Breed Charcuterie Experience
• La Quercia Pig Bamboo Charcuterie Board

Quantifiable outcome

• Founded in 2005, La Quercia pioneered American-made prosciutto and remains one of the leading producers of artisan American cured meats
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Charcuterie ArtisanscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Charcuterie Artisans, the largest U.S. charcuterie manufacturer and parent company of Creminelli, Daniele, and Del Duca, acquired La Quercia Cured Meats in January 2026. La Quercia's Norwalk, Iowa facility and full product portfolio are now part of the Charcuterie Artisans platform, with plans to invest over $12 million in 2026 to modernize the Iowa facility, expand prosciutto capacity by 50%, and open an Innovation Center on the Rhode Island campus.
• Berkshire Pork SupplierscoreOthersLa Quercia sources Berkshire heritage breed pork from sustainable producers who adhere to strict humane husbandry standards: no antibiotics or hormones, no crates or cages, access to outdoors, varied diet, and no animal byproducts. Most pork is sourced from slaughterhouses within 200 miles of the Iowa facility.
• Local Spice PurveyorsminorOthersLa Quercia uses local spices whenever possible, sourced from spice purveyors who maintain rigorous safety controls to ensure the purity and integrity of their spices for cured meat production.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Applegate Farms: Natural and organic meats brand owned by Hormel offering bacon, sausage, deli meats, and other charcuterie-style products. Comparable to La Quercia as a premium-priced, story-driven cured meats brand in natural/grocery channels.
• Columbus Craft Meats: One of the largest U.S. dry-cured and salami brands (acquired by Hormel), competing with La Quercia in the premium salami and charcuterie category at grocery and club channels. Comparable in product mix, retail distribution, and consumer positioning.
• Daniele (Charcuterie Artisans): Direct sibling brand under Charcuterie Artisans producing Italian-style cured meats such as prosciutto, salami, and sopressata for retail and foodservice. Highly comparable in product portfolio, channel mix, and production approach to La Quercia.
• Fra' Mani Handcrafted Salumi: Artisan Italian-style salumi and cured meats producer with strong foodservice and specialty retail presence, founded by a prominent Berkeley butcher. Highly comparable to La Quercia in craft philosophy and channel mix.
• Olli Salumeria: Wood-fired Italian-style cured meats and salami producer sold in natural and specialty grocers. Comparable product range, artisan positioning, and DTC-plus-retail GTM motion to La Quercia.
• Niman Ranch: Heritage breed pork and cured meats brand distributed through specialty retail and foodservice. Strongly comparable to La Quercia on heritage breed sourcing, humane husbandry story, and premium positioning.
• D'Artagnan: Specialty meat purveyor offering heritage breed pork, charcuterie, and gourmet cured meats to foodservice, retail, and DTC customers. Comparable on heritage breed sourcing and premium story.
• Salumi Artisanal Salumi: Family-run artisan Italian-style salami and cured meats producer in Seattle, selling DTC and at specialty retailers nationwide. Direct comparable to La Quercia in artisan pork curing, DTC, and small-batch premium positioning.
• Creminelli Fine Meats: Direct sibling brand under the Charcuterie Artisans platform alongside La Quercia, producing artisan Italian-style cured meats (salami, coppa, finocchiona) for retail and DTC. Comparable as a premium charcuterie manufacturer in the same go-to-market and customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Hormel Foods (broad portfolio): Major publicly traded meat and foods company with a broad cured meats portfolio (including Skippy, SPAM, and Columbus Craft Meats via Applegate). Comparable as a broad incumbent in cured meats across mainstream and premium tiers, exerting pricing and shelf space pressure on niche brands like La Quercia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LaQuercia

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 La Quercia Cured Meats