About Us

When it all started

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In 1960, George Skoulikas arrived in the UK from Kalamata, Southern Greece. What began with selling Kalamata olives from his family’s groves soon grew into a much bigger vision. George Skoulikas Ltd was founded, importing authentic Greek olives, olive oil and speciality products under the Sunita and Hellenic Sun brands.

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As the company grew, George moved into a larger warehouse in 1987, allowing the business to expand its product range and customer base. In 1991, Colin Morrison joined the company, helping introduce new products from Italy and France, many of which remain part of the range today.

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After more than 30 years of building the business, George retired in 2010. Today, George Skoulikas Ltd continues to supply high-quality Mediterranean foods across the UK, built on heritage, authenticity and trusted relationships.

 

Bedford Continental Wholesale Ltd

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In 1954, Giuseppe Ciampa arrived in the UK from Campania, Southern Italy, bringing with him the hopes of building a better life. By 1956, he had started a mobile shop, supplying Italian families with everyday favourites such as pasta, olive oil, bread and tomatoes. As the Italian community grew, so did the business. In 1960, Bedford Continental Stores & Bakery opened in Bedford, later expanding into wholesale supply for Italian retailers and caterers across the UK.

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By 1970, the business had moved to Harrowden Road and became Bedford Continental Wholesale Ltd. With more space and a strong location, the company expanded further, adding coffee roasting, blending and packing as Mediterranean food became increasingly popular in the UK.

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After more than 40 years in the family business, we saw the opportunity to merge with George Skoulikas Ltd in 2014, bringing together decades of Italian and Greek fine food expertise.

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Two companies came together

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As demand grew, the business expanded into Bedford, opening Bedford Continental Stores & Bakery in 1960 and later supplying Italian retailers and caterers across the UK. By 1970, the company moved to Harrowden Road and became Bedford Continental Wholesale Ltd, allowing the business to grow further and introduce coffee roasting, blending and packing. In the 1980s, we expanded further with leading Italian brands. In 2015, after more than 40 years in the family business, we brought together decades of Italian and Greek fine food expertise.

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How we have evolved since

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Since 2015, our business has evolved significantly. Innovation has improved our customer service by making us more efficient, responsive, and adaptable to our customers’ needs. Through investment in improved systems, streamlined processes, enhanced stock management, a modern vehicle fleet, and most importantly, our people, we have been able to provide greater product availability, faster order processing, and more reliable deliveries. We have also expanded our product portfolio to include innovative and specialist ranges, giving customers access to a wider choice of products that reflect evolving consumer trends.

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Furthermore, achieving Organic Certification and BRCGS Accreditation has strengthened customer confidence by ensuring consistently high standards of food safety, quality, traceability, and regulatory compliance. Together, these investments and innovations have enabled us to deliver a superior level of service while building stronger, long-term partnerships with our customers.