Empire Foods Limited

What Empire Foods Limited does

Empire Foods Limited is a B2B frozen and chilled food importer and distributor operating across India, serving the institutional hospitality sector including 5-star and 4-star hotels, caterers, restaurants, retail chains, and regional distributors. The company is a division of Empire Industries Limited, a 126-year-old public limited company listed on the Mumbai Stock Exchange with consolidated business assets exceeding one billion US dollars. Empire Foods distributes a diversified product portfolio organized into six categories — seafood (Basa, salmon, prawns, lobster, caviar, crab sticks), meat (pork, lamb, mutton, duck, turkey, processed meats), dairy (imported cheeses including Parmesan, Brie, Blue Cheese, and Feta variants), bakery (whipping cream, butter, spring roll and puff pastry), vegetables (edamame, avocado, sweet corn), and new launches (frozen fruits, cream cheese, purees) — sourced from suppliers in 11+ countries including Vietnam, Scotland, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Uganda, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, France, and Thailand.

The company's underlying technology and operational platform is a pan-India cold-chain distribution system comprising strategically located refrigeration facilities, dedicated logistics teams, and 12 office locations spanning Mumbai (corporate headquarters), Bangalore, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kochi, New Delhi, Pune, Vizag, and Zirakpur. Empire Foods operates under ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System certification and was among the first recipients of a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) license in 2013. The company pioneered the introduction of Vietnamese Basa to the Indian market in November 2008 and has subsequently been first-to-market with multiple premium imported categories.

Empire Foods operates as a B2B supplier on a transactional distribution model with direct enterprise field sales to hospitality accounts, supported by distributor and wholesale channels to retail chains and smaller operators. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Its go-to-market is anchored by named-account relationships with major hotel groups (multiple Marriott-affiliated properties, Four Points by Sheraton, Ramada Plaza, Pallazio Hotel, Beatle Hotel) and established caterers (Fountain Caterers, Catering & Allied). Marketing channels are limited to organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) and a product-catalog website. No app, API, or proprietary digital platform is in evidence.

Name

Empire Foods Limited

Legal name

Empire Foods Limited

Website

https://empirefoods.co.in

Company type

Public

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Empire Foods Limited is an India-focused B2B importer and distributor of premium frozen and chilled foods, serving 5-star hotels, caterers, restaurants, and retail chains via a pan-India cold-chain distribution network spanning 12 cities. It is a division of Empire Industries Limited.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Frozen and Chilled Food Distribution

NAICS

Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (42442), Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (424420), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAIAHAF

Frozen Meat, Poultry & Seafood Wholesale

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Wholesale

SECONDARYAFAIAHAL

Temperature-Controlled Import/Export & Cross-Border Wholesale

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Wholesale

SECONDARYAFAIAHAB

Refrigerated/Chilled Foods Wholesale (Deli, Prepared, Fresh Pasta, etc.)

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Wholesale

SECONDARYCRAOAAAF

Frozen Foods Wholesale Distribution

Consumer Products & Retail/Wholesale, Distribution & Category Management/Food & Beverage Wholesale Distribution

Keywords

• Frozen food distribution
• Cold chain logistics
• Seafood import
• Frozen meat supply
• Premium dairy imports

Headquarters

HQ city

Mumbai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Frozen and Chilled Food Import and Distribution: Import and distribute a wide range of frozen and chilled food products including seafood, meat, dairy, bakery, and vegetables from global partners to customers across India

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Empire Foods Limited imports and distributes a wide range of premium frozen and chilled food products (seafood, meat, dairy, bakery, and vegetables) sourced from global partners across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania, and delivers them through a pan-India cold-chain distribution network to institutional B2B customers. The company's core service is the cold-chain logistics operation that ensures product freshness and integrity during transit to hotels, caterers, restaurants, retail chains, and regional distributors across India.

Product overview

Empire Foods Limited operates as a frozen and chilled food import and distribution company, offering a diversified portfolio of premium food products organized into six main categories: Seafood (fish, shellfish, and premium products like caviar), Meat (pork, lamb, poultry, and processed meats), Dairy (imported cheeses including Parmesan, Brie, and Blue Cheese), Bakery (creams, butter, and pastry products), Vegetables (including plant-based offerings like Edamame and Mukimame), and New Launches (recent additions like Cream Cheese and Frozen Fruits). The company also provides a core cold-chain distribution service that ensures product freshness and quality across India through strategically located refrigeration facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seafood Diversified premium frozen and chilled seafood portfolio including Vietnamese Basa, Indian Basa, Smoked Salmon, Shrimps, Prawns, Chilean Sea Bass, Black Cod, Tuna Saku, Australian Rock Lobsters, Indian Lobsters, Mahi Mahi, Dory fish fillet, Tilapia, Scallops, Fresh Salmon, Barramundi, Crab Sticks, Soft Shell Crab, Squid, Caviar, and Salmon Fillet. Targeted at institutional buyers (hotels, caterers, restaurants) requiring premium seafood ingredients.
• Meat Frozen and chilled meat product line including Pork, Lamb, Mutton, Duck, Whole Turkey, Streaky Bacon, Cold Cuts, Sausages, Ham, Pepperoni, Meatloaf, and Kebab. Targeted at hotels, caterers, and restaurants for menu and banquet applications.
• Dairy High-quality imported dairy products including Parmesan, Gran Roma, Red Cheddar, White Cheddar, Brie, Camembert, White Feta, Greek Feta, Blue Cheese, Emmental, Gouda, and Edam Ball. Targeted at premium hospitality kitchens, caterers, and foodservice operations requiring specialty cheeses and cream products.
• Bakery Bakery ingredients including Whipping Cream, Gourmet Cream, Gourmet Butter, Butter Sheet, Spring Roll Pastry, Puff Pastry, Kataifi Pastry, and Fillo Pastry. Targeted at hotel pastry kitchens, bakeries, and catering operators.
• Vegetables Frozen and processed vegetable products including Avocado, Edamame, Mukimame, Green Peas, Mix Vegetable, and Sweet Corn. Targeted at hotels, caterers, restaurants, and retail buyers seeking plant-based and prep vegetables.
• New Launch Products Latest product additions category featuring Avocados, Frozen Fruits, Cream Cheese (Philadelphia), and Purees, intended to extend the company's premium imported food portfolio for hospitality and foodservice customers.

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• France (Whipping Cream and Butter Sheet Suppliers)coreOthers · 1 January 2024Empire Foods partners with suppliers from France to import Whipping Cream and Butter Sheet to India, expanding their premium dairy product offerings
• Thailand (Crab Stick Suppliers)coreOthers · 1 January 2024Empire Foods imports Crab Sticks from Thailand, adding to their seafood product portfolio
• Indonesia (Edamame and Mukimame Suppliers)coreOthers · 1 January 2023Empire Foods sources Edamame and Mukimame from Indonesia, expanding into premium plant-based offerings
• Malaysia (Spring Roll Pastry Suppliers)coreOthers · 1 January 2021Empire Foods imports Spring Roll Pastry from Malaysia, introducing bakery products from this region to India
• Vietnam (Basa Fish Suppliers)coreOthersEmpire Foods pioneered the introduction of Vietnamese Basa to India in November 2008, becoming the first company to bring this product to the Indian market
• Scotland (Salmon Suppliers)coreOthersEmpire Foods imports Salmon from Scotland, introduced in 2010, and later Fresh Salmon from Scotland in 2019
• Norway (Salmon Suppliers)coreOthersEmpire Foods imports Salmon from Norway, introduced in 2011
• Australia and New Zealand (Lamb Suppliers)coreOthersEmpire Foods imports Lamb from Australia and New Zealand, introduced in 2012
• Uganda (Nile Perch Suppliers)coreOthersEmpire Foods imports Nile Perch fillets from Uganda, introduced in 2019
• Sri Lanka (Chilean Seabass Suppliers)coreOthersEmpire Foods imports Chilean Seabass sourced from Sri Lanka, introduced in 2019

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EmpireFoodsLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empire-foods-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/empire_foods_ltd

Compliance1 record

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 Empire Foods Limited