Papalino Ltd came to London in 2010 with a single product – Fennel Pollen. Having grown up in Calabria with this ingredient an integral part of his region’s diet, he was interested in taking the Fennel Pollen to different cultures.

 

Timing is always important. The flourishing food industry was spreading to new areas, finding different customers. Fellow Italians played an important role when I first arrived. They knew about my ingredients, & language was not a problem.

 

Meeting Francesco Mazzei, a fellow Calabrian, so soon after coming to London really helped me to establish our business as a Calabrian specialist supplier.  Francesco Mazzei has been such a fantastic ambassador for Calabrian cuisine and culture, and we have been privileged to work with Francesco Mazzei throughout his varied and esteemed career. He was fundamental in our decision to start importing Black Anise Seeds to the UK. We are the only UK-based producer of this rare and precious ingredient

 

Working in an industry that is driven by people and their passion for food really opens your eyes to the sheer scale of creativity that happens every day. What you quickly learn to love is how important the quality of the ingredients are to the people involved. This is where we fit in. This is our role as a supplier, and we take great pride in fulfilling this need for our customers.