Where is Italian food in the UK right now? 
It has always held a special place here but what we’re seeing now is a real step change. Consumers are moving beyond familiar classics and leaning into the depth of Italy’s regional cooking – from the simplicity of Roman pasta dishes to the richness of northern sauces and freshness of southern produce.

It remains one of our most resilient and best performing categories. Trends come and go but Italian cuisine carries an inherent trust: people believe in the craft, ingredients and culture behind it. That confidence keeps customers coming back and gives operators a platform to innovate without losing the essence of what makes it so loved. 

Tell us about the Authentic Italian range in Ireland and the decision to bring it to the UK.
One of the advantages of being a global business is that we can learn from what works elsewhere. Our colleagues in Ireland spotted a clear opportunity: operators wanted a genuine, quality Italian range, alongside staples that every kitchen relies on.

The key to its success was authenticity. We spent months sourcing, tasting and validating products that Italian chefs themselves would be proud to use. We worked closely with producers of all sizes to ensure that every item had a clear regional story.

Another contributing factor in Ireland was having dedicated Italian specialists working alongside our sales teams. They brought product knowledge, provenance and culinary expertise. Together, this helped customers build authentic, commercially successful menus, a model we are now sharing across England and Wales.

Sysco Ireland effectively proved the concept. The market here is different, so we carried out extensive research with chefs, operators and buyers to understand how to adapt and expand the range. The result is a portfolio that is authentically Italian but also genuinely relevant to customers.

How do you go about establishing relationships with product suppliers?

Finding suppliers is easy; finding the right suppliers is the real work. We invested significant time meeting producers, understanding their methods and ensuring their standards matched the expectations of a large scale foodservice business.

For some, this was their first experience exporting or working with a company of our size, so we supported them through everything – from technical requirements to labelling, packaging, logistics and the complexities of exporting to a non‑EU country.

We built on the strong foundations laid by Sysco Ireland but broadened the range to reflect the needs of our market. The result is a network of producers who share our commitment to quality, consistency and true Italian craft.

Do you have superhero products that fly off the shelves?
In all honesty, we’ve been pleasantly surprised at how quickly chefs have embraced the range in its entirety. Because of the breadth of the offer, some products are more specialist to cater for that truly Italian experience, along with the mainstream ones. But from the pasta to the pestos and the desserts to the deli, customers have given it a fantastic thumbs up.

If we had to pick a few specific products, the rosticceria – regional street food at its best – is performing strongly and we have a wonderful burrata which is doing phenomenally well, along with some of our cured meat products, including a smoked pancetta which chefs love!

This sector is hugely competitive. How do you stand out?
As an Italian, it was really important to me that the range genuinely respected what our food is actually about – traditions, quality ingredients, regional differences and stories behind them. 

We didn’t want it to look and feel like just another Italian range but something that reflects the culture and passion behind the food. Our point of difference is authenticity backed by scale. Every product has been chosen because it represents the best expression of its category – whether that’s a DOP cheese from its rightful region, pasta made with high-protein Italian wheat and bronze dies or tomatoes grown in volcanic soil.

But authenticity alone isn’t enough. Operators need reliability, availability and value. With Brakes’ distribution strength, we can offer chefs ingredients they trust, at the consistency and volume they need, with the support of a partner who understands their kitchen.

Who have you partnered with and who would you like to work with in the future?
Sysco Ireland also benefitted from a long-established relationship with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), whose support and market expertise helped strengthen connections with producers across Italy. That collaboration played an important role in building both the credibility and depth of the range from the outset.

Here, our initial focus has been on building strong, direct relationships with producers – people who live and breathe Italian food every day. But as the range grows, we’re keen to collaborate more widely with Italy’s generic bodies and regional consortia.

Working with organisations such as the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, the Prosciutto di Parma Consortium or regional groups – for example, from Emilia-Romagna, Campania or Sicily – would allow us to champion the stories, traditions and techniques behind these ingredients. Ultimately, our goal is to help operators understand not just what to buy, but why it matters.