$100M BRAND STORY

Crosta Mollica: Building the UK’s Cleanest Italian Food Platform

Crosta Mollica isn’t just the UK’s cleanest frozen pizza brand - it’s quietly becoming the country’s cleanest Italian food platform. From four ingredient flatbreads to additive free pastas, Dolce (ice creams) with short, honest ingredient lists, and Aperitivo snacks that make clean eating convivial, Crosta Mollica is doing what few scaled CPG brands dare: growing with zero compromise on ingredient integrity.

In a UK grocery landscape crowded with ultra processed shortcuts, Crosta Mollica has carved out a position of rare trust. And now, with private equity firepower and proven scale operators at the helm, they’re about to become Europe’s most trusted Italian food brand.

Are They Funded or Bootstrapped?

Crosta Mollica's funding journey is a case study in preserving founder integrity while unlocking next-level growth. Here's how they evolved:

• Bootstrapped (2009–2022): Founder James Orr built a clean Italian brand from the ground up.

• 2022: PE firm Perwyn invests to accelerate UK growth and export expansion.

• 2024: Perwyn leads a management buyout, installs David Milner (Tyrrells, Lily’s Kitchen) as Executive Chairman. James Orr remains involved. Clean values preserved, commercial execution upgraded.

Their Origin Story

Founder James Orr launched Crosta Mollica in 2009 with a mission to bring authentic, clean label Italian food to UK shelves. That meant real sourdough bases, stone baked pizzas from Italy, and pantry staples made the traditional way. He started small Waitrose, M&S, Ocado and never compromised on quality.

Crosta Mollica ("crust & crumb") isn’t a marketing play. It’s a commitment to food made simply, cleanly, and with Italian sensibility. That origin still powers the brand today.

Core Customer Base

• Demographics: Food conscious adults (30–55), skewing urban, middle-upper income.

• Psychographics: Values transparency, traditional methods, and elevated convenience.

• Behaviour: Will pay a premium for clean label food that feels special and tastes better. Loyal because they trust the label.

How Did They Grow So Sustainably? (P&L View)

1. Clean Ingredient Advantage
   Every product from pizza to flatbreads, pasta to gelato uses minimal, high quality ingredients. This creates repeat purchase and trust.

2. Multi Category Expansion
   Not just pizza. They now span:

   • Bakery (4 ingredient piadina flatbreads)

   • Pizza (stone baked, clean label)

   • Pasta (bronze die, semolina-based)

   • Aperitivo Snacks (crackers, taralli)

   • Dolce (ice creams with clean formulations)

3. Premium to Mass Strategy
   Started in Waitrose, expanded to Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and beyond but never lowered standards.

4. PE Backed Operational Lift

   • Revenue up 41% YoY in 2023 (to £49M)

   • Pizza sales +46%; non pizza +29%

   • Rebrand, new packaging, AI powered imagery to scale cost effectively

5. Export Acceleration
   Now in 10+ markets: Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, USA, Canada, UAE, Australia, NZ

Key Milestones

Influencer Marketing Mix

• Low noise, high trust: No viral stunts. Built loyalty through taste, trust, and on shelf storytelling.

• Retail activations: £1M+ invested in experiential displays and category-first shelf presence.

• Lifestyle storytelling: "Aperitivo" product line ties into communal moments—not just health, but joy.

Their Marketing X-Factor

• Packaging for Shelf Cognition: Post 2025 rebrand optimizes frozen aisle clarity. Typography, color, and imagery make selection intuitive.

• Digital + Operational Efficiency: AI generated Italian lifestyle scenes saved cost while adding aesthetic cohesion.

• Lifestyle Positioning: Crosta sells not just food but a clean living, communal Italian lifestyle.

Takeaways for Wellness Operators

• You can scale without compromise: If your ingredient story is real, protect it.

• Multi category can work when unified by ethos: Clean, Italian, authentic.

• Clean label = brand moat: Ingredient simplicity is hard to replicate.

• Founder + PE + Operator = rocket fuel: Keep the soul, add the scale engine.

• Design for shelf first: Packaging should sell without explanation.

K.LDN: Wellness, Retention, and the Klaviyo Effect

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak at Klaviyo LDN, where I hosted a panel discussion titled Wellness Rituals: What Today’s Customers Want. I was joined by Brina Skof (Loop), Charlotte Hannah (Symprove), and Matt Banks-Crompton (Dose & Co.) - three leaders building real traction in the wellness space.

We covered how retention leaders are leveraging automation to create more relevant, human experiences across the funnel. From welcome flows that educate without overwhelming, to data-driven segmentation that responds to customer needs in real time — the panel was a tactical dive into what it takes to build trust at scale.

Notably, when I asked for a show of hands, ~90% of the room identified as working in wellness. That’s telling. This is no longer a niche vertical — it’s a central force in DTC.

Also had the chance to connect with some standout people shaping this space: Joseph M. McCarthy and Kaila Lawrence (huge thanks for the platform), and many of the Klaviyo Champions I respect and learn from.

Outside the panel, a few standout sessions:

• Jamie Laing (Candy Kittens) shared how passion and identity shape community-led brands

• Rory Sutherland (Ogilvy) reminded us that most consumer decisions are emotional, not rational — and brands that ignore that lose

Finally, I sat down with Philip Jackson (Future Commerce) for an interview that started in CRM and ended in philosophy. We covered consciousness, culture, and how brand-building today requires a different level of self-awareness — both for the company and the customer.

Bottom line: Klaviyo LDN wasn’t just a CRM event. It was a signal of where DTC is going toward smarter systems, deeper loyalty, and more human brand behaviour.