GRAN CAFFE L'AQUILA LP

What GRAN CAFFE L'AQUILA LP does

Gran Caffe L'Aquila LP operates a single-location Italian specialty food market, restaurant, and gelateria in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with an 8-person team. The company sells award-winning gelato (produced daily by Italian Gelato Champion Stefano Biasini), five proprietary regional Italian coffee blends (Torino, L'Aquila, Roma, Napoli, Venezia 1580), premium cheeses and salumi sold by weight, extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars from various Italian DOP/IGP regions, artisanal chocolates, cookies, pasta, pantry staples, and a Wine Spectator Award-winning wine shop featuring hundreds of labels from all 20 Italian regions. Beyond the physical storefront, the company runs a national e-commerce platform (powered by Shopify) shipping gelato in insulated coolers and specialty products across the United States, offers recurring monthly subscriptions for gelato/coffee/olive oil, and operates catering and family-meal services.

The business monetizes through six primary streams: dine-in and takeout restaurant service; e-commerce retail of Italian specialty foods with national shipping; recurring subscription boxes; catering trays and family-style meals; a curated local-pickup wine shop; and Italian culture classes plus the Italian Ambassador Program. Distribution is hybrid: an owned e-commerce website, third-party delivery partnerships (Caviar for prepared food, Mercato.com for groceries), proprietary local delivery, and in-store pickup. The customer base is consumer-facing across five segments — Italian food enthusiasts, gift buyers, Philadelphia diners, events/groups, and wine enthusiasts — with no enterprise anchor accounts disclosed.

The company's competitive positioning rests on talent (Biasini's gelato championships, Riccardo Longo's 8 consecutive Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence), third-party endorsements (G8 Summit representation for Italian coffee culture, Gambero Rosso's highest rating), and authentic regional Italian sourcing. There is no proprietary technology platform, no disclosed AI/ML capability, no patents, no outside funding, and no M&A activity. Operations rely on standard e-commerce infrastructure (Shopify) and conventional restaurant logistics.

Name

GRAN CAFFE L'AQUILA LP

Legal name

Gran Caffe L'Aquila

Website

https://grancaffelaquila.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gran Caffe L'Aquila LP is a Philadelphia-based Italian restaurant, gelateria, and specialty food market offering award-winning gelato, regional Italian coffee blends, and curated Italian pantry and wine products to consumers via dine-in, national e-commerce shipping, subscriptions, catering, and culture classes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Italian Foods & Restaurant

NAICS

Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Dessert Cafes (Coffee + Desserts) (THAFADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mediterranean/Greek/Italian/Spanish Grocery Stores (CRAHAFAJ), Gelato Manufacturing (AFAHAEAD)

Keywords

• Italian specialty foods
• Artisanal gelato retail
• Italian coffee blends
• Italian wine retail
• Restaurant catering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales (Italian Market): Online sales of Italian specialty products including coffee, gelato, cheese, salumi, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chocolates, cookies, snacks, pasta, beverages, and kitchen accessories through their e-commerce platform with national shipping capabilities.
2. Restaurant and Dine-In Services: Traditional restaurant operations offering Italian signature entrees, gelato, and full restaurant menu for dine-in, takeout, and local delivery in Philadelphia.
3. Subscription Services: Monthly subscription boxes delivering Italian coffee, gelato, and olive oil products on a recurring basis. Also offered as gift subscriptions.
4. Catering and Family Meals: Catering trays and family-style prepared meals for pickup and delivery, including salumi, formaggi, bruschette, antipasti, zuppe, insalata, panini, pasta, carne, pesce caldo, and dolci.
5. Wine Shop: Wine Spectator Award-winning wine shop featuring hundreds of Italian wine labels from all 20 regions of Italy, available for local pickup.
6. Italian Culture Classes: Educational programs teaching Italian culture, language, food, and wine from their Italian staff, including the Italian Ambassador Program for international cultural immersion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gran Caffe L'Aquila operates a hybrid Italian specialty market and full-service restaurant in Philadelphia offering award-winning gelato produced daily by Italian Gelato Champion Stefano Biasini, five regional Italian coffee blends (Torino, L'Aquila, Roma, Napoli, Venezia 1580), premium cheeses and salumi, extra virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegars, wines from all 20 Italian regions, gift boxes, monthly subscription deliveries, catering trays, family-style dinners, and Italian culture classes. The business combines a physical restaurant/showroom with a national e-commerce shipping operation.

Product overview

Gran Caffe L'Aquila is an Italian market and restaurant featuring a comprehensive portfolio of authentic Italian specialty products. The offering includes award-winning gelato (produced daily by World Champion Chef Stefano Biasini), five regional Italian coffee blends (Torino, L'Aquila, Roma, Napoli, Venezia), premium cheeses and salumi sold by weight, extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars from various Italian regions, luxury chocolates and sweets, artisanal cookies, dried pasta, rice and grains, Italian snacks, beverages, honey and jams, and specialty pantry items. The company operates as both a physical restaurant with full menu (Italian entrees, panini, pasta, carne, pesce) and an online Italian market offering nationwide delivery. Additional offerings include curated gift boxes and bundles, monthly subscription services for gelato/coffee/olive oil, a Wine Spectator Award-winning wine shop, cocktail and wine to-go service, and Italian culture educational classes. Customers can order for pickup, local Philadelphia delivery via Mercato and Caviar platforms, or national mail order.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Gran Market: Italian specialty market featuring products of Italian excellence for cooking, luxury Italian chocolates and sweets, traditional Italian snacks, specialty desserts, as well as basic groceries such as fruits and vegetables.

Products and services

• Gelato Artisanal gelato produced daily by Italian Gelato Champion Stefano Biasini, available in multiple flavors (Caramello Salato, Frutti di Bosco, Amaretto, Stracciatella, Valentino, Desire, Pistacchio, Bacio, Fondente, Caffe, Vaniglia, Pescamango) for pickup, local delivery, and national shipping in insulated coolers.
• Coffee - Regional Italian Blends Five award-winning coffee blends representing distinctive regional Italian roasts: Torino (medium roast, 90% Arabica), L'Aquila (medium-dark roast, 70% Arabica), Roma (medium-dark decaf), Napoli (dark roast, 60% Arabica, very high caffeine), and Venezia 1580. Recognized by Gambero Rosso with its highest rating.
• Cheese and Salumi by Weight Premium Italian cheeses and cured meats sold by weight including Fiore di Latte Mozzarella, Mortadella Bologna IGP, Gorgonzola Dolce DOP, Caciocavallo Silano DOP, Speck Alto Adige IGP, Prosciutto di Parma DOP 24 months, Mozzarella di Bufala Campania DOP, Pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano Reggiano in various aging levels.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil Premium Italian extra virgin olive oils sourced from multiple DOP/PDO regions including Mont Iblei (Sicilia), Riviera Ligure (Liguria), Lametia (Calabria), Terra di Bari (Puglia), Tuscia and Sabina (Lazio), Sardegna, Umbria, Valli Trapanesi, Chianti Classico, and Laudemio Frescobaldi.
• Balsamic Vinegar Fine Italian balsamic vinegars including Condimento Balsamico Rosato, Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI (Red and Platinum labels), Aceto Balsamico IGP 4 years, Aceto Balsamico di Modena Platinum 10 years, Aceto di Barolo DOCG, Balsamic Caviar Pearls, Aceto Balsamico DOP Affinato 12 years, and Aceto Balsamico DOP Extravecchio 25 years.
• Luxury Chocolates and Italian Sweets Selection of luxurious chocolates and classic Italian sweets including Torrone, Perugina Baci chocolates, Majani chocolate bars (Roma, Milano, Firenze, Venezia varieties), Ferrero Nutella, specialty chocolate spreads, and artisanal pralines from Vergani.
• Wine Shop Wine Spectator Award-winning wine shop featuring hundreds of labels and thousands of bottles from all 20 regions of Italy, including sparkling wines, Vino Arancioni, Vino Bianco, Vino Rosato, Vino Rosso, and Dessert wines available for local pickup.
• Restaurant and Takeout Italian signature entrees, gelato, and restaurant menu items available for dine-in, pickup, and delivery in Philadelphia. Menu includes Salumi e Formaggi, Mozzarella, Bruschette, Antipasti, Zuppe e Insalata, Panini, Verdure, Pasta, Carne, Pesce Caldo, Pastries, and Dolci.
• Family Style Dinners and Catering Family-style prepared meals and catering trays ready to heat at home, bringing restaurant-quality Italian dishes to customers' homes. Available for pickup and delivery, suitable for group events, corporate catering, and family gatherings.
• Gift Boxes and Bundles Curated Italian gift sets including Gran Festa Gift Box, History of Italian Chocolate Gift Box, Italian Coffee & Chocolate Experience Gift Box, Italian Coffee Experience Gift Set, Italian Artisanal Decaf Experience Gift Box, Napoli Pasta Experience Gift Box, Taste of Calabria Gift Box, and Olive Oil DOP Gift Box.
• Subscription Service Monthly subscription deliveries of award-winning gelato, Italian coffee, and extra virgin olive oil. Options include 4-pack and 6-pack gelato subscriptions, Kilo Coffee subscription (1 kilo / 2.2 lb), Italian Olive Oil Monthly Subscription, and Chef Biasini Gelato Tasting subscriptions.
• Italian Culture School Educational classes taught by Italian staff covering Italian culture, language, food, and wine. Includes the Italian Ambassador Program for international cultural immersion experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 consecutive Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence for Wine Director Riccardo Longo
• +5 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CaviarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership through Caviar for Philadelphia-area restaurant and gelato delivery services. Allows local customers to order through the Caviar platform for convenient delivery of prepared Italian foods and gelato.
• Mercato.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party grocery delivery partnership through Mercato.com for Philadelphia-area Italian market and specialty product delivery. Enables local customers to access Gran Caffe L'Aquila's Italian grocery offerings through the Mercato platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Illy Caffè: Italian premium coffee brand with cafe concepts, espresso retail, and global distribution. Comparable Italian coffee identity and cafe-plus-retail hybrid model, though at substantially larger scale and via licensed operations.
• Caffè Nero: Italian-style coffee chain with espresso-forward cafes across multiple geographies. Comparable Italian caffe identity and cafe format, though at chain scale and with a narrower assortment than Gran Caffe L'Aquila's gelato/market/wine operations.
• Talenti Gelato: Mass-market premium gelato brand owned by Unilever with national grocery distribution. Comparable product category and brand-led gelato positioning, but at far larger scale and via retail rather than direct e-commerce.
• Eataly: Multi-location Italian marketplace and cafe concept combining restaurants, retail Italian groceries, gelato, coffee, wine, and educational programming. Highly comparable in product breadth and cafe-plus-gelato-plus-market model, but operates at national/international scale rather than a single Philadelphia site.

Direct peers

• Di Bruno Bros. Philadelphia-based Italian specialty market and cheesemonger offering imported cheeses, salumi, pantry items, and curated gift assortments both in-store and via national e-commerce. Direct geographic peer with overlapping Italian specialty assortment and gift/subscription offerings.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator with Philadelphia-area locations plus national retail distribution and DTC subscriptions. Comparable cafe-plus-e-commerce-plus-subscription model in the specialty coffee category.
• Amorino Gelato: Italian-origin artisanal gelato chain with retail scoop shops worldwide and direct pastry/confection retail. Directly comparable artisanal gelato identity, retail format, and Italian sourcing narrative.
• Murray's Cheese Shop: Specialty cheese retailer offering Italian and European cheeses via retail shops and national e-commerce, with curated subscriptions and educational programming. Comparable specialty import retailer with cafe-adjacent and education-led customer engagement.
• Van Leeuwen Ice Cream: Premium ice cream and gelato brand with retail scoop shops and national e-commerce, including pint shipping and gift/subscription programs. Directly comparable gelato-product positioning and direct-to-consumer subscription model.

Others

• Baldor Specialty Foods: Northeast-based specialty food importer and distributor with a broad Italian and European assortment. Comparable Italian specialty product sourcing and category breadth, though serves restaurants and wholesale rather than direct-to-consumer cafes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gcaffelaquila
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjX6InKGm3XTyKpuD2LxHzA
• Facebookfacebook.com/grancaffelaquila
• Instagraminstagram.com/grancaffelaquila
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gran-caffe-l'aquila-lp

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 GRAN CAFFE L'AQUILA LP