Cara Mia

What Cara Mia does

Cara Mia is a U.S. specialty food brand founded in 1955 as an artichoke grower co-op in Castroville, California — historically known as "the artichoke center of the world." The company produces and sells shelf-stable, ready-to-eat marinated vegetable products, anchored by marinated artichoke hearts built around a proprietary spice blend and marinade recipe introduced in 1958 that remains a trade secret and the brand's primary differentiator. The product portfolio extends across four core artichoke formats (Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Artichokes in Water, Artichoke Hearts Natural in a portable liquid-free snack format, and Grilled Artichoke Hearts), a Specialties line (Hand Grilled Piquillo Peppers, Marinated Green Asparagus, Hearts of Palms, Sun Dried Tomatoes), and a Bruschettas line (Artichoke and Tomato Bruschetta), with new categories planned for 2025 including Pesticide Free olive oil and balsamic vinegar and Marinated Olives.

Since 2001, Cara Mia has been owned by Borges International Group, a global healthy foods conglomerate, and is operated through Borges USA, headquartered in Fresno, California (11-50 employees). Revenue is generated through one-time retail sales of shelf-stable packaged food products distributed via Walmart, Kroger, Sprouts, Amazon, and Instacart, targeting health-conscious home cooks and the broader U.S. grocery shopper. Marketing is conducted primarily through an organic Instagram presence, a recipe-driven content blog, and physical retail placement. Cara Mia holds Global G.A.P. certification and several product-level certifications (Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Trans-fat free, Cholesterol-free), and the company cites sustainability practices including reusing up to 100% of production discards.

Name

Cara Mia

Legal name

Borges USA

Website

https://caramiaproducts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cara Mia is a U.S. specialty food brand founded in 1955, producing ready-to-eat marinated artichokes and Mediterranean vegetables. Owned by Borges International Group since 2001, its products are distributed through major U.S. retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Sprouts, and Amazon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Foods

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Canning, Pickling, and Drying (31142)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Shelf-Stable Pantry Staples (Grains, Pasta, Rice, Beans, Canned Foods) (CRADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Better-for-You / Functional Snacks (Low Sugar, Keto, Probiotic, Fortified) (CRADABAM)

Keywords

• Marinated artichokes
• Mediterranean specialty foods
• Shelf-stable vegetables
• Ready-to-eat ingredients
• Artichoke bruschetta

Headquarters

HQ city

Fresno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Food Product Sales: Cara Mia generates revenue through the sale of shelf-stable, ready-to-eat food products including marinated artichokes, bruschettas, specialties, and specialty vegetables. Products are sold through retail grocery stores and e-commerce marketplaces as one-time purchase items.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cara Mia manufactures and sells shelf-stable, ready-to-eat Mediterranean specialty food products centered on artichokes. The portfolio includes marinated artichoke hearts, artichokes in water, grilled artichoke hearts, portable artichoke snacks, bruschettas, and complementary Mediterranean specialties such as piquillo peppers, marinated green asparagus, hearts of palm, and sun-dried tomatoes. Products are distributed nationally through major U.S. retail grocery chains and e-commerce platforms under the Borges USA umbrella.

Product overview

Cara Mia is a food products company offering a portfolio of specialty Mediterranean ingredients centered around artichokes and related products. The core product line consists of four artichoke varieties (Marinated Artichoke Hearts with an exclusive proprietary recipe, Artichokes in Water, Artichoke Hearts Natural as an on-the-go snack, and Grilled Artichoke Hearts). The Specialties category includes Hand Grilled Piquillo Peppers, Marinated Green Asparagus, Hearts of Palms, and Sun Dried Tomatoes. The Bruschettas line features Artichoke Bruschetta and Tomato Bruschetta. Upcoming products include a Pesticide Free line (Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar) and Marinated Olives in three flavor varieties. All products are shelf-stable and ready-to-eat, distributed through major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Kroger, Sprouts, and Instacart.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marinated Artichoke Hearts Premium artichoke hearts dressed in Cara Mia's exclusive oil and herbs marinade using a proprietary spice blend unique to the brand. Available in 6.5oz, 14.75oz, and 65oz sizes for retail grocery and foodservice use.
• Artichokes in Water Artichoke hearts packaged in water with a slightly tangy flavor profile, packaged in glass jars. Suitable for recipes or snacking, with a more delicate taste than the marinated variety.
• Artichoke Hearts Natural Ready-to-eat artichoke hearts in a portable, liquid-free format with tangy taste and no preservatives, designed for on-the-go consumption in 2-3.53oz portions.
• Grilled Artichoke Hearts
• Hand Grilled Piquillo Peppers
• Marinated Green Asparagus
• Hearts of Palms
• Sun Dried Tomatoes
• Artichoke Bruschetta Flavorful blend of signature artichokes, onion, garlic, and seasonings, packaged in a 14.8oz glass jar as a ready-to-use condiment for appetizers and everyday dishes.
• Tomato Bruschetta

Quantifiable outcome

• Reusing up to 100% of production discards

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Borges Group (Borges International Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001In 2001, Cara Mia and its proprietary marinade recipe were acquired by the Borges Group, a global leader in healthy foods. The acquisition allowed Cara Mia to build on its heritage while leveraging Borges' expertise in sustainability and innovation. Cara Mia is part of Borges International Group, dedicated to providing healthy and sustainable diet products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mezzetta: Mezzetta is a leading U.S. specialty foods brand best known for marinated Italian/Mediterranean vegetables, sauces, and peppers - directly competing with Cara Mia in marinated artichokes, peppers, and antipasto items across mass and specialty grocery.
• Star Fine Foods: Star Fine Foods specializes in Mediterranean and Spanish-inspired pantry products including marinated vegetables, peppers, and olives - mirroring Cara Mia's specialty vegetables and piquillo-style products in the same retail channels.
• DeLallo: DeLallo produces Italian pantry staples and marinated vegetables (peppers, olives, antipasti) sold through mainstream grocery. It overlaps directly with Cara Mia's Mediterranean vegetable portfolio and bruschetta-adjacent offerings.
• Musco Family Olive Co. Musco Family Olive Co. is a major producer of canned and marinated olives, peppers, and specialty vegetables sold under private label and branded formats, directly comparable to Cara Mia's marinated vegetables and the upcoming marinated olive launch.
• Reese Specialty Foods: Reese markets marinated artichokes and a broad specialty Mediterranean/Italian shelf-stable portfolio, directly competing with Cara Mia on marinated artichoke SKUs in mass and specialty grocery.
• Cento Fine Foods: Cento markets Italian and Mediterranean canned specialty vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, artichokes) in mainstream grocery, directly overlapping with Cara Mia's shelf-stable vegetable assortment.
• Divina: Divina produces gourmet Mediterranean products including marinated vegetables, antipasti, and olives - closely aligned with Cara Mia's specialty vegetable range and sustainability/sourcing positioning.

Broad incumbents

• B&G Foods: B&G Foods is a diversified packaged-foods company that owns several shelf-stable vegetable and condiment brands. It is a broad incumbent in the same category Cara Mia plays in, though its portfolio and scale extend well beyond Mediterranean specialties.
• Goya Foods: Goya is a major Hispanic/Mediterranean-adjacent specialty foods company with extensive shelf-stable vegetables, peppers, and pantry staples. It is a broader incumbent than Cara Mia but competes for similar shelf space at Walmart and Kroger.
• Hain Celestial Group: Hain Celestial is a larger natural and specialty foods platform with brands spanning shelf-stable Mediterranean, plant-based, and organic products - a broad incumbent competing for similar health-conscious consumers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/caramiaproducts
• Xx.com/caramiaproducts
• Facebookfacebook.com/caramiaproducts

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Cara Mia