The short answer: Italian food and wine sells in the UK and US when it stops selling “Italy” and starts selling a specific place, a specific person and a specific use. Every shelf abroad already says Italian. What buyers can’t find is a reason to choose you over the other forty bottles with a flag on the label.
I’m Mark Chambers, a British–Italian brand and marketing consultant based in Lombardy. I grew up between both food cultures, and I’ve spent 25 years explaining one to the other. Here is how I’d position an Italian producer for British and American buyers.
Why isn’t “Made in Italy” enough?
Because it is the category, not the differentiator. In a London deli or a New York wine shop, “Made in Italy” is the entry ticket. It tells the buyer what you are, not why you are better.
The producers who win abroad narrow the story: one valley, one family, one method, one occasion. I wrote more on this in storytelling for export.
How do British and American buyers differ?
| Question | UK buyer | US buyer |
|---|---|---|
| What earns trust? | Understatement, provenance, a credible stockist | Confidence, a clear story, visible reviews |
| Tone that works | Dry, specific, a little self-aware | Warm, direct, benefit-led |
| Typical route | Importer, independent retail, online specialists | Importer plus distributor, often state by state |
| Common mistake | Over-claiming in grand language | Assuming one national launch fits every state |
Same product, two different sentences. That is the corridor problem in one table, and it’s why a single translated site rarely works for both.
What should an Italian producer’s English website do?
- Answer trade buyers first. Importers want specs, formats, certifications, minimum orders and a named contact. Put them on one page.
- Answer consumers second. How to serve it, what to pair it with, where to buy it in their country.
- Write native English. “Typical product of our territory” means nothing to an English reader. Name the place and say what it changes in the glass or on the plate.
- Be findable for real questions. “Best Franciacorta for a wedding” or “Italian olive oil for cooking vs finishing” are searches, and AI prompts, you can own.
Italian producers
Does your English site read like a translation? I’ll tell you honestly, page by page.
Ask for my view →Which channels matter most?
- Search and AI answers for the questions above. They work while you sleep and pre-qualify buyers.
- LinkedIn for importers, distributors and buyers. The founder’s voice beats a company page.
- Trade fairs, but only with a plan for the 30 days after. See how to turn a trade show into leads.
- Instagram for consumers and chefs: the place, the people, the table.
What about labels, rules and shipping?
Labelling, import and alcohol rules are strict and different in each market, and they change. Agree them with your importer and a specialist before you design packaging or sell direct. My job is the brand, the site and the demand, built so it sits cleanly inside those rules. If you plan to sell online direct to UK customers, read selling to UK customers from the EU first.
Frequently asked questions
Should I launch in the UK or the US first?
For most smaller Italian producers the UK is the faster first test: one market, one language variant, shorter supply chain. The US is bigger but usually needs a state-by-state route.
Do I need a separate website for each country?
Not always. One site with separate British and American English sections and correct hreflang often works. The copy should still be adapted for each audience.
Talk to Mark
Taking an Italian food or wine brand abroad?
Tell me the product, the market and where you sell today. I’ll come back with what I’d say to a British or American buyer, and what I’d change first.