The Speciality & Fine Food Fair’s visit to East Sheen’s Valentina Deli was a long time coming. While making our initial plans to visit the deli back in March 2025, a devastating fire broke out, destroying all stock and damaging the building.  

Fast forward just four months, and Valentina Deli made a triumphant return, improving the layout of the shop for an enhanced customer journey and enjoying a renewed connection with their local community through regular live tastings and daily lunch deals.  

We sat down with Valentina’s Owner Bruno Zoccola to discuss balancing tradition, community, and adaptation in a challenging retail landscape. From expanding their fine food offerings to navigating the fire damage and shifting customer habits, Bruno shared insights into what makes Valentina a cornerstone of the local high street and a destination for authentic Italian flavours. 

The past ten years have been turbulent for Valentina Deli, Owner Bruno Zoccola (pictured above) tells Speciality & Fine Food Fair. Having previously run 10 sites, a mix of delis and restaurants, the business closed or downsized several and decided to keep East Sheen and Weybridge as they were performing well.  

Then, just as the team were balancing the ship, the pandemic arrived.  

“Just as you get up, something knocks you back down again,” Bruno comments.  

The business pivoted; the restaurant element was removed in favour of a dark kitchen for takeaways, and the deli side was expanded. Coming out the other side of lockdown, customers clamoured to keep the larger deli, which had become a hit in the local community.  

“We took the opportunity to create two large stores of about 3,000 square feet each – one in Weybridge and one in Sheen, right next to Waitrose,” explains Bruno. “We moved the deli element into these bigger spaces and developed it into more of a fine food store. We introduced many new products, including Spanish, French, and extended UK ranges.” 

While Spanish, French and UK brands feature, the heart of Valentina is its range of authentic, quality Italian products and produce. Something which Bruno is clearly extremely passionate about.  

“Tastings are essential to our business,” he comments. “You can’t describe the flavour of buffalo mozzarella – you have to give it to someone to try, ideally alongside a comparison. For example, we’ve offered buffalo mozzarella (buffalo milk) alongside fior di latte (cow’s milk). People often think mozzarella is just that plasticky stuff on a pizza, but, in Italy, buffalo mozzarella shouldn’t even see the inside of a fridge. It should be eaten within 24–36 hours of being made. Serve it with Parma ham, tomatoes, olive oil – you’re in heaven. Italian food is simple: less is more, and more than five ingredients is too many.” 

At Valentina Deli & Kitchen, the shelves are filled with the flavours of Italy and beyond, offering everything from cupboard staples to artisanal delicacies. Pasta lovers can choose from Rummo’s beautifully crafted shapes such as radiatori, orecchiette, mafaldine and spaghetti, perfect for pairing with rich Le Conserve della Nonna sauces or sundried tomato pesto.  

Traditional Sardinian carasau flatbread, olive and rosemary grissini from Le Arti Italiane, and San Carlo’s rustic crisps bring authentic Italian snacking to the table, while Bartolini’s Umbrian lentils and extra virgin olive oil showcase the best of regional produce. 

We move onto discussing the fire, which ignited due to a power surge in the deli’s ice cream freezers.   

“When I got the call, I was away on holiday,” recalls Bruno. “The manager was in tears: the business was gone. Loss adjusters said it was a total write-off and would take 12 months to reopen. I told them: keep the money flowing and I’ll reopen in four months – and we did.” 

Bruno and his team used the rebuild to fix pinch points in the layout, making it easier for customers to shop. They extended the food-to-go range, hired David Mari (formerly Head of Food to Go at Partridges, with Michelin star experience at Assaggi in Notting Hill) and expanded the cheese range to 120 varieties from Italy, France, Spain and the UK. 

Valentina now offers home delivery and catering for events, and stocks artisan ice cream from Cremoloso, an award-winning Wandsworth producer with Italian owners. They’ve also introduced the “pit stop” – open from 8am for coffee, pastries, and paninis, serving pasta or a savoury dish of the day at lunchtime, and also open for customers in the evening. 

Changing consumer behaviour 

As a business that has largely transitioned from a restaurant focus to retail, Valentina is now providing opportunities for consumers to have restaurant quality food at home.  

“Dining habits have shifted,” comments Bruno. “A regular customer pre-COVID might visit twice a month, then once, then occasionally, then not at all. Many now reserve restaurants for special occasions. 

“The London dining scene is younger, with the bigger-spending older crowd visiting less often. It’s the new norm for the next two or three years: people are prioritising essentials over dining out.” 

Independent retail remains at the heart of Valentina’s story. The response from the East Sheen community following the fire was overwhelming, and the team accepted all the well wishes that came their way (“We even had the local priest bless the store after the fire”), with countless customers sharing how much they had missed having the deli on their doorstep. Beyond the produce itself, Valentina has become established as a place where people meet, talk and connect. 

That sense of community is reinforced by the knowledge and service customers receive. Supermarkets may stock similar items, but they cannot offer the same personal touch (or advice on how to cook the perfect carbonara). At Valentina, tastings, stories from producers, and direct recommendations build loyalty and help shoppers appreciate the true value of what they are buying. 

Challenges remain. Shoplifting has hit the business hard, a story seen throughout the UK in recent times, with thieves clearing shelves of high-value items such as gin and wine. While spirits are still sold, the range has been scaled back, and the team has had to strike a balance between making products visible and minimising losses. For wine, a “good, better, best” approach has been introduced, keeping premium bottles less accessible while ensuring customers can still enjoy a considered shopping experience. 

Despite this, Valentina Deli continues to thrive by adapting to new consumer habits and strengthening ties with its community. The team has rebuilt the business with care, turning setbacks into opportunities to rethink the layout, extend ranges and improve the customer experience. Their focus on quality and authenticity runs through everything they do, from carefully sourced Italian products to daily tastings and knowledgeable service at the counter.  

The deli is now much more than a place to shop. It is a hub where customers can discover new flavours, learn from specialists and feel part of a community. With a combination of dedication, adaptability and passion for good food, the team is ensuring Valentina remains a fixture of the local high street and a destination for those seeking genuine Italian flavours. Their efforts have also been recognised more widely, with Valentina Deli shortlisted for the Speciality & Fine Food Fair’s own Large Retailer of the Year award, reflecting not only the quality of their produce but also the resilience, commitment and community engagement that have defined the deli’s journey in recent years. 

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