Sunny & Luna CEO Giulia Berretti on carbs, networking and gnocchi

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Giulia Berretti Sunny & Luna

Name: Giulia Berretti

Job title: Founder & CEO

Company: Sunny & Luna

What was your first job? Does babysitting count?! If not, then definitely modelling.

My first modelling job was when I was 16, which seems crazy looking back now. I went on to model in Milan, London and New York, where I saw first-hand the damaging attitudes towards food in the fashion industry, especially carbs, which jarred with my innate love for Italian food and culture. It’s what inspired me to create a brand that celebrates the joy of Italian comfort food, while also providing the nutrients your body needs to thrive.

What’s been your worst job interview? One where the interviewer clearly hadn’t read my CV and kept asking me questions about experience I didn’t have. We both knew within five minutes it wasn’t going to work but had to sit through another 25 minutes of painful small talk.

“I went on to model in Milan, London and New York, where I saw firsthand the damaging attitudes towards food in the fashion industry”

What was the first music single you bought? Spice Girls for sure.

How do you describe your job to your friends? I’m still making that cauliflower gnocchi I made them try so many test batches of! All my friends have followed Sunny & Luna’s journey from the beginning, and they are so proud of our mission to get people eating better with the food they love to eat every day.

They are my biggest cheerleaders, and probably our top customers to be honest!

What is the most rewarding part of your job? Working on the products – it’s always been the part I am most passionate about. From sourcing the best ingredients, to working with incredible manufacturers in Italy. Transforming convenience food into something genuinely clean, high-quality and nutritious. I’m always working on new things…

What is the least rewarding part? In a way it’s what’s also rewarding… the uncertainty that comes with running a challenger brand. You never quite know what is around the corner, it’s exciting but also challenging.

Sunny & Luna Spinach Gnocchi Lifestyle Pack Shot

What is your motto in life? Per aspera ad astra! My grandfather was a Latinist and used to tell me this all the time – no pain no gain! He passed away before seeing Sunny & Luna come to life, I would have loved him to see how I am living that motto every day as a founder.

If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? Never having to go to a networking event ever again… but still somehow knowing all the amazing people I know in food & drink.

Do you have any phobias? Networking events, clearly…

If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? There are so many, but number one would be making it easier for small challenger brands to compete fairly with established players – less emphasis on huge promotional budgets and more on innovation and quality.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? A fully stocked Italian kitchen with fresh pasta and a never-ending supply of good wine… maybe more than just one luxury but it’s the truth.

What animal most reflects your personality? Cats – after all, Sunny & Luna is named after mine.

What’s your favourite film and why? Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola – it’s about feeling lost between cultures and finding unexpected connections.

As someone who’s both Italian and British, that feeling of not quite belonging anywhere, but at the same time everywhere, resonates deeply.

What has been the most embarrassing moment in your life? Pitching to a major retailer with spinach visibly stuck in my teeth the entire meeting. No one told me until after…

Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? Massimo Bottura – his approach to transforming traditional Italian cuisine while respecting its roots mirrors what we’re trying to do with fresh pasta.

What would your death row meal be? Pasta (of course) with tomatoes and lots of capers and anchovies, with a nice glass of franciacorta.