Salvo 1968: Toasting to Ten Years of Italian Heritage Online

In ‘swinging sixties’ London, there had been an explosion of new fashion, music, and food. Italian restaurants were springing up across the capital and Salvatore Cumbo, a recent immigrant himself, had noticed that many of his friends who had opened pizzerias and trattorias were having trouble sourcing authentic ingredients. Salvatore saw an opportunity and started Britain's first fine Italian food importing company. Salvo 1968 was born.

It’s no surprise that the business was started from his kitchen table – the central hub of every Italian family. Sharing stories, celebrations, and milestones over food is what binds generations of Italian families together. "Tutti a tavola a mangiare" - Everyone come to the table and eat - is a phrase that can be heard thousands of times a day in homes across Italy.

Salvatore carried those same deep-seated values to his new business forging close personal relationships with suppliers of the finest flours, tomatoes, and other authentic Italian ingredients. Business was conducted face-to-face and sealed with a handshake.

Salvo 1968's homepage 10 years ago today.

Fast forward to 2014, Salvo 1968 became the first Italian food wholesaler to have an online presence, showcasing its authentic heritage and quality ingredients to its customers online. Salvo 1968 has since grown exponentially, opening new warehouses up and down the country and building strong relationships with restaurant chains and independent chefs. 

We're raising a glass to a remarkable milestone at Salvo 1968 – a decade of serving the finest Italian cuisine through our online presence. This journey has been filled with passion, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of bringing authentic Italian cuisine to the UK, connecting us with a community that shares our love for authentic Italian cuisine. 

Today, Salvatore’s original kitchen table has pride of place in the Salvo 1968 Head Office. This is symbolic of how we will always keep a seat open – to welcome new ideas, embrace new ways to enjoy pizza and pasta, share our knowledge and expertise, listen to the needs of our customers and suppliers, and add a personal touch to all that we do.

Salvo 1968 continues to innovate while staying true to its roots. We embrace change and growth at every step to exceed the needs of our customers - from expanding our product range to launching innovative logistics solutions. Each achievement reflects our commitment to quality and service for our customers. 

A big thank you to our customers who drive us to do better.