Key Points
- Putia Italian Food Box is an online Italian delicatessen based in Cardiff, which was founded by the Italian couple Giuseppe and Sabrina in April 2026.
- The company received a £15,000 Start Up Loan through the partnership with BizBritain, a partner of the British Business Bank Start Up Loans programme.
- The majority of the loan amount went into the purchasing of initial inventory from Italy, with the remaining money helping with early stage cash flow.
- Sabrina is Sicilian and Giuseppe is Neapolitan; they met at a Cardiff café nearly 15 years ago after moving to the UK in order to improve their English.
- Both founders have experience in hospitality and in dealing with customers and they used to work in Italian restaurants.
- Putia specializes in selling traditional Italian foods as well as commercial brands that the owners describe as hard to find in the UK.
- They want to help the Italians living in Britain reconnect with their products as well as introduce Italian groceries to a broader UK audience.
- Giuseppe and Sabrina work full time despite running Putia and caring for their little girl.
- Putia has started attending local events and markets, such as the recent Italian Food Festival in Cardiff.
Cardiff (Wales Times) October 01, 2026 – It has launched Putia Italian Food Box, an online delicatessen intended to bring authentic Italian groceries to customers across the United Kingdom. As reported by Rhys Gregory of Wales247, the business was founded in April 2026 after Giuseppe and Sabrina secured a £15,000 Start Up Loan with support from BizBritain.
Putia is described by its founders as “our little piece of Italy here in Wales”. The company sells Italian food products, including traditional items and established commercial brands that Giuseppe and Sabrina say are difficult for many customers to source in the UK.
According to Wales247, the couple moved to Britain nearly 15 years ago to improve their English and met in a Cardiff café. Sabrina comes from Sicily, while Giuseppe is from Naples. Both have worked in customer service and hospitality, including in Italian restaurants, and combined that experience with their interest in Italian food to establish the business.
What does Putia Italian Food Box sell?
Putia offers a range of authentic Italian groceries, from everyday foods sold in regular Italian supermarkets to products chosen by Italian families. The founders say the range includes traditional products and well-known commercial brands that can be difficult to find in Britain.
Among the products referenced in the Wales247 report are Mellin and Plasmon baby foods, with the couple’s young daughter described as the “chief taste tester” of Putia stock. The business also intends to serve both Italian customers living in the UK and a wider group of food lovers seeking Italian ingredients.
Giuseppe said, as quoted by Wales247: “Our range of everyday foods are items we genuinely grew up with; products you find in regular Italian supermarkets; the brands chosen by Italian families every week.”
How was the Cardiff business funded?
The £15,000 Start Up Loan provided the initial financial backing needed to launch Putia. Wales247 reported that most of the money was used to purchase initial stock from Italy, while the remaining funding gave the business working capital to manage cash flow during its early stages.
Giuseppe and Sabrina found the Start Up Loans programme while researching funding options online. Giuseppe said the loan allowed them to begin with “a stronger foundation rather than trying to build everything very slowly from our own savings”.
The British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme supports people starting or growing a business. Successful applicants can receive a government-backed personal loan of between £500 and £25,000, alongside 12 months of free mentoring.
What have the founders said about Putia?
Giuseppe said Putia represents the couple’s personal connection to Italy and their ambition to build a recognisable Italian-food business while remaining family-run. As quoted by Wales247, he said: “Putia is our little piece of Italy here in Wales. Our long-term goal is to become a well-known destination for Italian food in the UK, while keeping it personal and family-run.”
The business is being run alongside the couple’s full-time jobs and their responsibilities as parents. Wales247 reported that both Giuseppe and Sabrina continue to work full time while developing Putia as a sideline and passion project.
Putia has also started building a local presence through events and markets. The company attended Cardiff Bay’s recent Italian Food Festival, which Wales247 identified as part of its expanding community engagement.
What did BizBritain say about the loan?
Kirat Singh, Loan Proposer at BizBritain, said the organisation was pleased to support Giuseppe and Sabrina through the Start Up Loans process. As reported by Wales247, Singh said the couple had “a really clear sense of what they wanted Putia to be” and a genuine understanding of the customers they wanted to serve.
Singh said Putia’s authenticity stood out because the business was built around products the founders knew, loved and had grown up with. He added that BizBritain looked forward to seeing the business develop after helping the couple access the funding needed to turn their idea into a trading business.
Background of the development
The Start Up Loans programme is delivered through the British Business Bank and provides finance and support for entrepreneurs establishing or expanding a new business. It offers government-backed personal loans between £500 and £25,000, with successful applicants also receiving 12 months of free mentoring.
BizBritain acted as the delivery partner that supported Giuseppe and Sabrina through the application process. In Cardiff, public business-support information also points entrepreneurs towards organisations such as Business in Focus, the Development Bank of Wales and Cardiff Credit Union for advice, mentoring and finance options.
Putia’s launch reflects a broader pattern of small food businesses using online retail to reach customers beyond their immediate area. Rather than relying solely on a physical shop, the couple have established an online delicatessen while using local festivals and markets to raise awareness in Cardiff.
Prediction: How can this affect Cardiff shoppers and small businesses?
For Cardiff shoppers and Italian-food customers across the UK, Putia may make certain Italian brands and everyday grocery items easier to find online. If the business expands its stock and delivery coverage as planned, it could appeal particularly to Italian households seeking familiar products, as well as to food enthusiasts looking for authentic Italian ingredients.
For small businesses in Cardiff and Wales, the launch illustrates how targeted start-up finance can help founders buy stock and manage early cash flow without relying entirely on personal savings. The case may also encourage other part-time founders to explore Start Up Loans and community events as low-cost ways to test demand, build visibility and develop a customer base.
