Cibo co-founder Roberto Cardone launches new plant-based food range
After severing ties with the Cibo coffee franchise he co-founded two decades ago, Roberto Cardone has launched a new plant-based food range in Australia.
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Adelaide hospitality entrepreneur Roberto Cardone has launched a new plant-based food range after severing ties with the Cibo Espresso coffee shop chain he co-founded more than two decades ago.
Under an agreement with Canadian plant-based food company Modern Meat, Mr Cardone’s Cucina Classica will have exclusive rights to produce and distribute Modern Meat products in Australia and New Zealand.
A range of plant-based meatballs, burger patties, Thai crab cakes and a mince product known as “crumble” will hit local supermarket shelves early next year.
Cucina Classica will produce the new food range at its Windsor Gardens facility, using recipes developed by Modern Meat while maximising the use of local ingredients.
The agreement with Modern Meat comes weeks after Mr Cardone’s SPQR Holdings had its supply agreement with Cibo coffee shops terminated.
SPQR had been the exclusive supplier of gelati, cakes, sandwiches, salads, pastries and other food products to Cibo coffee shops since 2012, when the retail franchise - co-founded by Mr Cardone, Salvatore Pepe, Angelo Inglese and Claudio Ferraro in 2000 - was sold to Retail Zoo.
Mr Cardone said the new plant-based partnership with Modern Meat would go a long way to rebuilding the business.
“Overnight we went from 45 employees to 21 so it was not a nice thing to happen to us but in another way it’s starting to really open up new opportunities,” he said.
“Since then we’ve launched the Great South Aussie pizza using 100 per cent South Australian producers – Coles took it up and put it into 18 stores as of last week and next week it goes into Foodlands and then after that IGAs.
“And also now with the vegan food with Modern Meat that’s another one that is going to help us grow our business back again and get those employees all back.
“I’m pretty confident we’ll get back up to 45 because the Cucina Classica range has been going really well in supermarkets – we rebranded, relaunched and have come up with some new products in that range and that's been growing in the last five months or so.”
Cucina Classica produces ready-made meals, pasta, cakes, gelati, coffee, sauces and pizzas, which are sold through IGA, Coles, Woolworths, Foodland and Drakes supermarkets across the state.
Mr Cardone, who bought out Mr Ferraro and Mr Inglese last December to take full control of the business, described the move into plant-based food as a “natural evolution” of the business.
And like the Cucina Classica range, there would be a strong focus on local ingredients.
“Currently a staggering 80 per cent of frozen vegan meals in supermarkets are imported,” he said.
“A focus on local produce creates an exciting opportunity to partner with local growers to ensure that our products are sustainable and not imported where possible.
“With increasingly more Australians moving towards meat free eating and exploring meat-free eating days, we anticipate the Modern Meat offerings to be popular beyond the vegan and vegetarian markets.”
Mr Cardone expects the Modern Meat products to initially be stocked in independent supermarkets across South Australia before a potential expansion into the larger chains and interstate.
They will also be distributed to restaurants, cafes, burger bars and other eateries.
Vancouver-based Modern Meats is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange, and its products are currently sold across Canada and the US.
Founder Tara Haddad said the partnership with Cucina Classica formed part of her company’s vision of making plant-based eating more accessible to consumers around the world.
“When entering a new geographic region, it is key to align with a trusted, reputable and purpose-driven brand with great products and a great leadership team,” she said.
“We have found that with Cucina Classica and we think we have tremendous opportunity for growth through our collaboration.”
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