La Formaggeria

What La Formaggeria does

La Formaggeria is a direct-to-consumer specialty food retailer based in Rome, Italy, operating under the legal name 'La Formaggeria di Francesco Loreti.' The business sells a curated portfolio of artisanal Italian food products across nine categories: cheeses (the core differentiator, with approximately 140 seasonal varieties from all Italian regions plus select international cheeses), cured meats, pasta, extra virgin olive oil, gift packages, sweets, preserves, coffee, and eggs. Sourcing is positioned around direct personal relationships with small-scale producers, cheesemakers, and artisans, emphasizing organic certification and traditional production methods.

The company operates a hybrid distribution model: a physical retail stall at Mercato Piazza Epiro Box 25/26 in Rome and a proprietary e-commerce storefront at laformaggeriaroma.it offering home delivery across Italy. The technology stack is a standard content-management-based e-commerce site (powered by Snapcom) with no proprietary AI, API, or integration features disclosed. Products are sold at fixed unit prices ranging from approximately €3.30 to €48.00, with no subscription, membership, or contractual pricing structure. Individual SKUs include branded items such as Olio Extravergine di Oliva Antonella Pompili bio (€18.00), Pasta Mancini Paccheri (€3.30), and Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva Oro di Rufolo 3 litri (€48.00).

The revenue model is pure transactional one-off product sales. The customer base consists of individual consumers in Italy seeking authentic, premium artisanal food products for home consumption and gifting. The company is privately held by founder Francesco Loreti, with no disclosed funding rounds, subsidiaries, partnerships, patents, or awards, and an estimated headcount of approximately 10 employees. Operating geographies are limited to Italy, with no global footprint claim.

Name

La Formaggeria

Legal name

La Formaggeria di Francesco Loreti

Website

https://francescoloreti.it

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Formaggeria is a Rome-based, direct-to-consumer specialty food retailer selling approximately 140 artisanal Italian cheeses plus cured meats, pasta, olive oil, and preserves through a market stall at Piazza Epiro and a domestic e-commerce storefront, targeting Italian consumers seeking authentic premium Italian food.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Revenue generated from direct sales of artisanal Italian food products including cheeses, cured meats, pasta, olive oil, preserves, sweets, coffee, eggs, and gift packages. Individual unit pricing is displayed on the e-commerce platform with products sold at fixed prices per unit or weight.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

La Formaggeria is an artisanal Italian food retailer based in Rome that curates and sells premium specialty products directly to consumers through its own e-commerce platform (laformaggeriaroma.it) and a physical stall at Mercato Piazza Epiro. Its core offering is a rotating selection of approximately 140 cheeses from all Italian regions plus select international varieties, complemented by cured meats (salumi), handmade pasta, certified organic extra virgin olive oils, preserves, sweets, coffee, eggs, and curated gift packages.

Product overview

La Formaggeria is an online specialty food e-commerce platform operated by Francesco Loreti from Rome, Italy. The business functions as a unified e-commerce platform offering a curated portfolio of artisanal Italian food products across nine main categories: Formaggi (cheeses), Salumi (cured meats), Pasta, Olio EVO (extra virgin olive oil), Confezioni (gift packages), Dolci (sweets), Conserve (preserves), Caffè (coffee), and Uova (eggs). The core strength lies in its cheese selection, featuring approximately 140 artisan varieties from Italian producers during winter months. All products are sourced from small-scale local farmers, cheesemakers, and artisans who are described as genuine friends of the business. The company emphasizes direct relationships with producers and prioritizes quality, organic certification, and authentic traditional flavors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formaggi (Artisanal Cheeses)
• Salumi (Cured Meats)
• Artisanal Pasta
• Olio EVO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• Confezioni (Gift Packages)
• Dolci (Sweets and Desserts)
• Conserve (Preserves and Jams)
• Caffè (Coffee)
• Uova (Farm Eggs)

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Zingerman's: US specialty food retailer with multiple categories including cheeses, cured meats, and pantry items, focused on artisan and direct-trade products. Comparable curatorial model with broader category footprint.
• Dean & DeLuca: Premium specialty food retailer offering curated gourmet and artisanal products including cheeses, cured meats, and pantry items with online ordering. Comparable premium positioning and curated sourcing.
• La Rinascente: Italian luxury department store chain with curated gourmet food halls featuring Italian cheeses, cured meats, and specialty products. Broader incumbent with adjacent curated food offering.

Direct peers

• Beppe e i suoi Formaggi: Italian cheese specialist retailer offering a curated selection of artisanal Italian cheeses from small producers. Directly comparable as a cheese-led specialty shop with producer-driven sourcing.
• Peck: Historic Milan-based Italian gourmet food emporium offering premium cheeses, cured meats, and specialty items with both physical locations and online ordering. Highly comparable curated Italian specialty model.
• Cortilia: Italian online specialty food marketplace delivering curated artisanal Italian food products directly to consumers. Closely comparable DTC e-commerce model for premium Italian food.
• Salumeria Roscioli: Rome-based Italian specialty food shop and salumeria offering artisanal cheeses, cured meats, and gourmet products with deep producer relationships. Directly comparable as a Rome-rooted specialty retailer.
• Eataly: Italian specialty food retailer operating both physical stores and e-commerce with curated artisanal Italian products including cheeses, cured meats, pasta, and olive oil. Closest comparable in category mix, though materially larger in scale and capital.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-formaggeria

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 La Formaggeria