What Spice Catering Co. does

Spice Catering Co. is a Cleveland, Ohio-based full-service catering and event company founded in 2004 by Chef Ben Bebenroth. The company serves weddings, corporate functions, social gatherings, and fundraisers across Northeast Ohio, and operates the signature Plated Landscapes farm-to-table dinner series. Supply is anchored by Spice Acres, a 13-acre farm acquired in 2014 that produces ingredients for events, and the company has expanded into adjacent branded ventures including Spice Field Kitchen (a 501c3 non-profit founded in 2016) and Boom's Pizza (launched in 2020). The company holds an exclusive catering agreement with the Cleveland Botanical Garden, making it the venue's sole in-house caterer for hosted events.

The business model is project-based event revenue. Pricing is structured per event around guest count, menu design, and scope for weddings and corporate engagements, with no disclosed subscription or recurring SaaS component. Go-to-market combines direct bookings for weddings and private events with a corporate channel via partnership with EZCater, which routes office and meeting catering demand. The Cleveland Botanical Garden exclusivity functions as both a venue revenue stream and a brand association asset.

The team is led by Chef Bebenroth and includes culinary staff with Michelin-star experience. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range on LinkedIn. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds. Brand visibility is supported by twenty years of operation and coverage in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CBS, and Food Network. There is no evidence of AI, ML, or proprietary technology in the operating stack.

Name

Spice Catering Co.

Legal name

Spice Catering Co.

Website

https://spicecaters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spice Catering Co. is a Cleveland-based full-service catering company serving weddings, corporate events, fundraisers, and social gatherings in Northeast Ohio, anchored by its Spice Acres farm, exclusive Cleveland Botanical Garden partnership, and adjacent Boom's Pizza and Spice Field Kitchen ventures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Catering Services

NAICS

Caterers (72232), Food Service Contractors (722310), Special Food Services (7223)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties) (THAFAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty & Dietary Catering (Vegan, Kosher, Halal, Allergy-Friendly) (HSACAGAH)

Keywords

• Event catering services
• Wedding catering
• Corporate catering
• Farm-to-table cuisine
• Event planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wedding Catering Services: Full-service wedding catering including custom menus, bar offerings, rentals, vendor coordination, and event curation. Offers buffet, plated, and family-style dinner packages.
2. Corporate Catering: Breakfast, lunch, and snack catering for corporate strategy sessions and team appreciation events. Offers salads, sandwiches, grain bowls, and refreshment packages.
3. Plated Landscapes Dinner Series: Ticketed dinner events featuring multi-course seasonal menus with wine pairings. Events held at Spice Acres farm and various Northeast Ohio scenic venues.
4. Fundraiser and Social Event Catering: Custom catering for fundraisers and social gatherings with immersive dining experiences tailored to client causes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Spice Catering Co. is a full-service catering and events company based in Cleveland, Ohio, that prepares and serves meals for weddings, corporate events, fundraisers, and social gatherings. The company integrates a 13-acre working farm (Spice Acres) in Cuyahoga Valley National Park to supply hours-picked produce for ultra-seasonal, scratch-made menus. Complementary offerings include the trademarked Plated Landscapes earth-to-table dinner series, Spice Supper Clubs, and an exclusive venue partnership with Cleveland Botanical Garden.

Product overview

Spice Catering Co. is a Cleveland-based full-service catering and events company founded in 2004. The company operates a portfolio of food service ventures including core catering services (weddings, corporate events, social gatherings, fundraisers), the Plated Landscapes™ earth-to-table dinner series, Spice Supper Clubs at the Tasting Room, and a 13-acre farm (Spice Acres) supplying seasonal ingredients. Additional ventures include Boom's Pizza (award-winning pizza restaurant), Spice Field Kitchen (501c3 non-profit culinary education), and corporate breakfast/lunch catering packages. The company is the exclusive caterer for Cleveland Botanical Garden.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spice Acres: 13-acre farm in Cuyahoga Valley National Park supplying produce for catering operations and ultra seasonal menus.
• Spice Field Kitchen
• Boom's Pizza

Products and services

• Wedding Catering Services Full-service wedding catering including custom seasonal menus, bar offerings, rentals, vendor coordination, and event curation. Available in buffet, plated, and family-style dinner packages for couples throughout Northeast Ohio.
• Corporate Catering Services Breakfast, lunch, and snack catering for corporate strategy sessions, meetings, and team appreciation events. Features salads, sandwiches, grain bowls, and refreshment packages. Also available through the EZCater marketplace for online click-order-pay ordering.
• Fundraiser and Social Event Catering Custom catering for nonprofit fundraisers and social gatherings featuring immersive dining experiences tailored to client causes, including hors d'oeuvres, seasonal cocktails, and tablescapes for celebrations of various sizes.
• Plated Landscapes Dinner Series Trademarked earth-to-table dinner series featuring al fresco multi-course wine-paired dinners at Spice Acres farm and other scenic Northeast Ohio locations, with each evening designed as a full sensory immersion showcasing regional seasonal ingredients.
• Spice Supper Clubs Intimate culinary exploration events held in the Spice Tasting Room featuring unique themes with chef-interactive cocktail hours and multi-course locally sourced dishes.
• Cleveland Botanical Garden Exclusive Catering Exclusive catering services for events held at Cleveland Botanical Garden, providing all food, beverage, and event service for this premier venue partnership.
• Wedding Dinner Packages Pre-structured wedding catering packages available in buffet, plated, and family-style dinner formats, including custom menus, bar offerings, rentals, and vendor coordination.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tens of thousands of guests served across Ohio to Napa
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Cleveland Botanical GardenflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpice Catering Co. is the exclusive caterer for Cleveland Botanical Garden, providing all catering services for events held at this premier venue.
• Boom's PizzacoreOthersBoom's Pizza is a related food service concept created by Founder Ben Bebenroth during the 2020 COVID pandemic. The concept won Best New Restaurant 2023 and Best Pizza in Cleveland awards.
• Spice Field KitchencoreOthers501c3 non-profit organization founded by Ben Bebenroth in 2016, teaching students DIY Agriculture, Culinary Skills and Nutrition in a STEM-based curriculum.
• EZCaterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline marketplace partner for corporate catering orders, providing click, order, and pay experience for corporate clients.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Compass Group: Global market leader in contract food services with catering as a core offering. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating across corporate, education, healthcare, and event verticals at significantly larger scale.
• Sodexo: Global food services and facilities management giant with significant event and corporate catering operations. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the food services space, though Sodexo operates at vastly larger scale across institutional, corporate, and event segments.
• Guckenheimer: Corporate dining and event catering provider owned by Compass Group. Comparable for delivering elevated, customized catering for corporate strategy sessions and team events, a segment Spice Catering also serves.
• Aramark: Major food services and uniform provider with substantial catering and event operations across sports, entertainment, and corporate venues. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering catering as part of a much larger services portfolio.
• Bon Appétit Management Company: Premium on-site restaurant and catering company focused on corporate, museum, and specialty venues. Comparable for its emphasis on scratch cooking, local sourcing, and premium positioning within a broader contract food service model.

Emerging players

• Fooda: Chicago-based corporate catering platform connecting local restaurants with workplaces for daily meal programs. Comparable as a player operating in the corporate catering space Spice Catering serves, though Fooda's tech-enabled marketplace model differs from Spice Catering's bespoke full-service approach.

Others

• EZCater: Online corporate catering marketplace that Spice Catering Co. actively partners with to distribute corporate breakfast and lunch offerings. Comparable as a channel partner and ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Blue Plate Catering: Chicago-based premium full-service catering company serving weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings with a focus on seasonal and locally sourced menus. Comparable to Spice Catering for its premium positioning, full-service event model, and similar segment mix.
• Centerplate: Event hospitality and catering company specializing in sports, convention, and entertainment venues. Comparable for delivering premium event catering experiences at flagship venues, similar to Spice Catering's exclusive Cleveland Botanical Garden arrangement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/spicecateringcoCLE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spice-catering-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Spice Catering Co.