1.   Who’s behind Mr Organic, and how did it all start?

Our journey began in 2009 when Valerio Simonetti, our founder, envisioned creating an Italian organic brand offering an honest and authentic range of Italian products that are both healthy and organic. He believed that combining organic principles with Italian traditions was the perfect recipe for high-quality food that respects both our health and the planet.

With expertise passed down through three generations of Italian organic producers, Valerio created a range of organic tomato products on his farm in Pontinia, south of Rome. Since then, tomatoes have been at the heart of everything we do. Our range of tomato-based products make up a third of our range and consist of our tinned tomatoes, passata, purees, pasta sauces, and ketchup. The tomatoes are even used in the sauce of our Great Taste Award-winning Baked Beans.

After 17 years, Valerio is still very involved in the business, spending most of his time overlooking the production site in Italy, but the brand has grown at an impressive rate since its inception. He has brought in trustworthy experts to help expand the range. Our Italian organic pasta sauces and pestos are created by our chef, Andrea, and our beans and pulses are lovingly crafted by our very own “Mr. Bean,” Giovanni. The Mr Organic range currently offers over 120 pantry essentials that are always organic, deliciously tasty, and everyday favourites.

2.   What has stayed important to you as Mr Organic has grown and evolved?

Valerio first encountered organic food when he was studying in London at university. When he learned what it was, it really resonated with him and his values which inspired him to launch Mr Organic. For Valerio, organic is a moral commitment, as we need to respect ourselves and everything around us. As a founder who tries to eat as much organic food as possible and follows a plant-based diet, everything offered by Mr Organic must always be 100% organic and plant-based.

3.   What does Sustainability look like at Mr Organic?

As an organic, plant-based brand, sustainability plays a big role at Mr Organic. Whether it is in the office or within our communications, we are always encouraging people to eat more organic, plant-based meals. We also only share recipes that are plant-based, hoping to inspire people to learn how to create healthy, plant-powered meals that are better for themselves and the planet.

When looking at things like packaging, we try to opt for plastic-free options, when possible, but when there are restrictions, we try to make the recyclability of our packaging easier. Plastic accounted for 0.53% of our total packaging purchased by customers in 2025. 0.36% of the plastic packaging falls under the government’s criteria for “green” plastic, meaning it can go into the recycling stream.

We are currently working towards a goal of making all our packaging recyclable by 2030, and by 2035, all our product packaging will be easily recyclable.

4.   What do you think sets Mr Organic apart?

It is not common for brands to produce their own products. Mr Organic is very unique since Valerio plays both sides of the coin; he is the founder of Mr Organic as well as the producer. Valerio produces a majority of our range, including our tomato-based products, tinned beans, soups, and kids pasta sauces.

5.   Do you have a favourite product or one that’s really popular at the moment?

It is hard to pick one single product with such a wide range, but at the moment we are very proud of our Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce which won two Great Taste Award stars this year! Our pasta sauces are packed with our Italian organic tomatoes and are also crafted with Italian organic extra virgin olive oil. Honest ingredients – ready in 15!

We can’t help but mention our range of Italian organic tinned tomatoes too! As we begin to come into the cooler months, we looking forward to making comforting sauces and stews using our tinned tomatoes that are better tomatoes for a better everyday!

6.   Where do you draw inspiration for new products?

As a brand that wants to be recognised as the Italian organic brand, we look at ambient food that makes sense and fits within our range. All new products must be 100% organic and plant-based, just like the rest of our portfolio. If we are looking to launch something that we are not producing ourselves, we want to work together with suppliers that have a similar ethos as us and are specialists at making specific products since provenance plays a key role in Italian food.

7.   What do you hope people feel when they pick up your products at Better Food?

We want people to feel good about buying honest, organic food that tasty and better for their health and the planet. For Better Foods shoppers, we hope that people can see how much we align with the retailer; to shop purposefully in an ethical way. Whether it is a simple swap to try our Italian organic tomatoes, opting for a quick mealtime solution, or stocking up on organic store cupboard staples, we want people to understand our mission of making tasty organic food accessible.