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Costa Group

Full company profile

uuid0004pmj

Namestring
Costa Group
Legal namestring
Costa Group Holdings Limited
Websiteurl
costagroup.com.au
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
1888
Descriptiontext

Costa Group is Australia's largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetables, headquartered in Melbourne and operating as a vertically integrated fresh-produce platform across growing, packaging, and distribution. Founded in 1888, the company historically traded on the ASX under the ticker CGC and employs more than 10,000 people across multiple produce categories.

The company's core portfolio centers on premium berries — blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries — alongside mushrooms, citrus, avocados, tomatoes, and other fresh fruit and vegetables. Operations span the full horticultural value chain: propagation and growing, harvest and post-harvest processing, packing, and distribution to retail and wholesale customers in Australia and select international markets. Recent strategic capital partnerships with Paine Schwartz Partners, BC Investment Management Corporation, and Driscoll's indicate institutional underwriting of a premium-berries growth thesis, alongside historical category expansion through acquisitions such as Adelaide Mushrooms (2013) and Lankester Avocado Orchards and Packing Operations (2017).

Costa Group makes money primarily through the production and sale of fresh produce — berries, mushrooms, avocados, citrus, and other categories — to retail, foodservice, and wholesale channels. The business model is B2B fresh-produce supply at scale, with vertical integration in cold-chain logistics and post-harvest handling that supports premium pricing. Following acquisition by Paine Schwartz Partners and BC Investment Management Corporation, Costa Group has transitioned from a public ASX-listed entity to a privately held portfolio company; specific current revenue, pricing, and customer details are not disclosed in the available source material.

Short descriptiontext

Costa Group is Australia's largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetables, headquartered in Melbourne. It operates a vertically integrated growing, packing, and distribution platform centered on premium berries, mushrooms, citrus, avocados, and other fresh produce for retail and wholesale customers.

Operating statusenum
Acquired
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
5,001–10,000
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
HQ citystring
Melbourne
HQ countrystring
Australia
HQ regionstring
Oceania
Markets served

Serves global market

Keyword5 values
fresh produce production, premium berry farming, horticulture products, fruit and vegetables, agricultural production
Industry3 codes
1Tropical & Subtropical Fruit Orchards (Avocados, Mangoes, Bananas/Plantains, Pineapples, Papayas)
CodeAFAGACAFPrimaryYes
2Import / Export Produce Wholesale (Cross-Border Trading)
CodeAFAIACAHPrimaryNo
3Fresh Produce Distribution
CodeCRAOABABPrimaryNo
NAICS code3 codes
  • Berry (except Strawberry) Farming111334
  • Fruit and Tree Nut Combination Farming111336
  • Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers424480
SIC code1 code
  • Agricultural Production-Crops100
Product category
Fresh Produce and Horticulture
Cost components5 values
Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
GTM typeB2B
B2B
Offering typeHardware or Manufacturing
Hardware or Manufacturing
Core offering1 text field

Costa Group is an Australian agricultural company that produces and supplies premium fresh produce, with a core focus on berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries). The company operates across growing operations, packaging, and distribution to deliver fresh produce to domestic and global markets, positioning itself as Australia's largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product overview1 text field

Costa Group is an Australian agricultural company operating as a leading producer and supplier of premium fresh produce, with a focus on berries. The company operates across growing operations, packaging, and distribution to deliver fresh produce to markets.

Product and service1 record
1Premium Berries
Scale indicator2 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Recent move5 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight4 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
1Driscoll's
TypeDirect peer
Description

Driscoll's is the world's largest berry marketer, specializing in strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries — directly comparable to Costa Group's premium berry focus and category leadership positioning.

2Naturipe Farms
TypeDirect peer
Description

Naturipe is a large grower-owned berry producer with global sourcing across the Americas, comparable to Costa's premium berry strategy and integrated grower-marketer model.

3Wish Farms
TypeDirect peer
Description

Wish Farms is a US-based family-owned grower and marketer of berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) with vertical integration, directly comparable to Costa's berries segment.

4T&G Global
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

T&G Global is a New Zealand-listed fresh produce company with global operations across apples, citrus, berries, and tomatoes — broadly comparable diversified produce business model and geographic profile to Costa.

5Fresh Del Monte Produce
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Fresh Del Monte is a global producer, distributor, and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables including berries, melons, bananas, and avocados — comparable diversified fresh-produce global operator at greater scale.

6Dole plc
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Dole is a global fresh produce leader with diversified fruit and vegetable operations across multiple geographies — comparable diversified produce business with broader category and geographic mix than Costa.

7Mission Produce
TypeDirect peer
Description

Mission Produce is the world's largest avocado grower, packer, and distributor — directly comparable to Costa's avocado vertical built around the Lankester acquisition, addressing the same global retail and foodservice customers.

8Calavo Growers
TypeEmerging player
Description

Calavo Growers is a US-based avocado marketer and emerging fresh-produce player — adjacent peer relevant to Costa's avocado segment, though narrower in category breadth.

9Bonduelle
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Bonduelle is a global fresh and processed vegetable producer with significant horticulture operations — comparable vertically-integrated fresh-produce model and category overlap with Costa's vegetable business.

10SunOpta
TypeEmerging player
Description

SunOpta is a North American plant-based and fruit ingredient company with growing operations in fruit-based ingredients — partially overlapping with Costa's fruit sourcing and processing activities.

Market position
Strengths5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat4 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Segment1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile1 record

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles1 record

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds3 records

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors3 records

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Costa Group

Fresh Produce and Horticulturecostagroup.com.au

Costa Group is Australia's largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetables, headquartered in Melbourne. It operates a vertically integrated growing, packing, and distribution platform centered on premium berries, mushrooms, citrus, avocados, and other fresh produce for retail and wholesale customers.

What Costa Group does

Costa Group is Australia's largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetables, headquartered in Melbourne and operating as a vertically integrated fresh-produce platform across growing, packaging, and distribution. Founded in 1888, the company historically traded on the ASX under the ticker CGC and employs more than 10,000 people across multiple produce categories.

The company's core portfolio centers on premium berries — blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries — alongside mushrooms, citrus, avocados, tomatoes, and other fresh fruit and vegetables. Operations span the full horticultural value chain: propagation and growing, harvest and post-harvest processing, packing, and distribution to retail and wholesale customers in Australia and select international markets. Recent strategic capital partnerships with Paine Schwartz Partners, BC Investment Management Corporation, and Driscoll's indicate institutional underwriting of a premium-berries growth thesis, alongside historical category expansion through acquisitions such as Adelaide Mushrooms (2013) and Lankester Avocado Orchards and Packing Operations (2017).

Costa Group makes money primarily through the production and sale of fresh produce — berries, mushrooms, avocados, citrus, and other categories — to retail, foodservice, and wholesale channels. The business model is B2B fresh-produce supply at scale, with vertical integration in cold-chain logistics and post-harvest handling that supports premium pricing. Following acquisition by Paine Schwartz Partners and BC Investment Management Corporation, Costa Group has transitioned from a public ASX-listed entity to a privately held portfolio company; specific current revenue, pricing, and customer details are not disclosed in the available source material.

Costa Group firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Costa Group
Legal name
Costa Group Holdings Limited
Website
https://costagroup.com.au
Company type
Private
Founded year
1888
Operating status
Acquired
Headcount range
5,001–10,000 employees
Short description
Costa Group is Australia's largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetables, headquartered in Melbourne. It operates a vertically integrated growing, packing, and distribution platform centered on premium berries, mushrooms, citrus, avocados, and other fresh produce for retail and wholesale customers.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Costa Group industry classification

Industry
Product category
Fresh Produce and Horticulture
NAICS
Berry (except Strawberry) Farming (111334), Fruit and Tree Nut Combination Farming (111336), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480)
SIC
Agricultural Production-Crops (100)
akta.pro primary industry
Tropical & Subtropical Fruit Orchards (Avocados, Mangoes, Bananas/Plantains, Pineapples, Papayas) (AFAGACAF)
akta.pro secondary industries
Import / Export Produce Wholesale (Cross-Border Trading) (AFAIACAH), Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB)

Keywords

  • Fresh produce production
  • Premium berry farming
  • Horticulture products
  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Agricultural production

Where Costa Group is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Melbourne
HQ country
Australia
HQ region
Oceania

Markets served

Costa Group business model

Business model
GTM type
B2B
Offering type
Hardware or Manufacturing
Cost components
Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Costa Group product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Costa Group is an Australian agricultural company that produces and supplies premium fresh produce, with a core focus on berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries). The company operates across growing operations, packaging, and distribution to deliver fresh produce to domestic and global markets, positioning itself as Australia's largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Product overview

Costa Group is an Australian agricultural company operating as a leading producer and supplier of premium fresh produce, with a focus on berries. The company operates across growing operations, packaging, and distribution to deliver fresh produce to markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

  • Premium Berries

Companies that use Costa Group

Customer profile

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Costa Group technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Costa Group partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Costa Group competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

  • Driscoll's: Driscoll's is the world's largest berry marketer, specializing in strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries — directly comparable to Costa Group's premium berry focus and category leadership positioning.
  • Naturipe Farms: Naturipe is a large grower-owned berry producer with global sourcing across the Americas, comparable to Costa's premium berry strategy and integrated grower-marketer model.
  • Wish Farms: Wish Farms is a US-based family-owned grower and marketer of berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) with vertical integration, directly comparable to Costa's berries segment.
  • Mission Produce: Mission Produce is the world's largest avocado grower, packer, and distributor — directly comparable to Costa's avocado vertical built around the Lankester acquisition, addressing the same global retail and foodservice customers.

Broad incumbents

  • T&G Global: T&G Global is a New Zealand-listed fresh produce company with global operations across apples, citrus, berries, and tomatoes — broadly comparable diversified produce business model and geographic profile to Costa.
  • Fresh Del Monte Produce: Fresh Del Monte is a global producer, distributor, and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables including berries, melons, bananas, and avocados — comparable diversified fresh-produce global operator at greater scale.
  • Dole plc: Dole is a global fresh produce leader with diversified fruit and vegetable operations across multiple geographies — comparable diversified produce business with broader category and geographic mix than Costa.
  • Bonduelle: Bonduelle is a global fresh and processed vegetable producer with significant horticulture operations — comparable vertically-integrated fresh-produce model and category overlap with Costa's vegetable business.

Emerging players

  • Calavo Growers: Calavo Growers is a US-based avocado marketer and emerging fresh-produce player — adjacent peer relevant to Costa's avocado segment, though narrower in category breadth.
  • SunOpta: SunOpta is a North American plant-based and fruit ingredient company with growing operations in fruit-based ingredients — partially overlapping with Costa's fruit sourcing and processing activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Costa Group social profiles

Digital presence

Costa Group financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Costa Group leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Costa Group funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Costa Group M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Costa Group

What does Costa Group do?

Costa Group is an Australian agricultural company that produces and supplies premium fresh produce, with a core focus on berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries). The company operates across growing operations, packaging, and distribution to deliver fresh produce to domestic and global markets, positioning itself as Australia's largest producer of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Is Costa Group a public or private company?

Costa Group is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently acquired.

When was Costa Group founded?

Costa Group was founded in 1888. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.

Where is Costa Group based?

Costa Group is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.

Who are Costa Group's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Driscoll's, Naturipe Farms, Wish Farms and Mission Produce. Broad incumbents are T&G Global, Fresh Del Monte Produce, Dole plc and Bonduelle. Emerging players are Calavo Growers and SunOpta.

Does Costa Group have an API?

No public API is recorded for Costa Group.

What industry is Costa Group in?

Costa Group's product category is Fresh Produce and Horticulture. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGACAF, Tropical & Subtropical Fruit Orchards (Avocados, Mangoes, Bananas/Plantains, Pineapples, Papayas), with a secondary code of AFAIACAH, Import / Export Produce Wholesale (Cross-Border Trading). Its NAICS code is 111334 and its SIC code is 100.

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Live signals
Produce ReportCosta Launches BluGenix With 5 Blueberry Varieties Suited to YunnanCosta Group officially launched BluGenix, a new brand for its blueberry breeding program featuring five specific varieties designed for diverse global climates. These varieties are currently cultivated in multiple regions including Australia, the United States, and China, with Yunnan province being the only location where all five can be grown. The launch marks a strategic expansion of Costa's portfolio aimed at delivering premium products to growers and retailers worldwide.ForbesWhy Tech Alone Can’t Fix Broken Food SystemsGlobal AgFoodTech investment exceeded $16 billion in 2025, with capital concentrated in high-margin niches like premium berries through deals such as Paine Schwartz Partners and BC Investment Management Corporation's acquisition of Australia's Costa Group and Oishii's $150 million Series C funding. Experts including Darryn Keiller of WayBeyond argue this hyper-targeted investment fails to address systemic food system vulnerabilities rooted in post-harvest processing, packaging, and inefficient long-haul logistics. Local Dutch, a Netherlands-based AgTech startup, advocates instead for a decentralized, data-driven model that aligns local production directly with neighborhood demand to bypass traditional supply chains.Triangleip20+ Global Food Packaging Innovations That Defined 2025This article reviews over 20 food packaging innovations from 2025, highlighting a shift toward sustainable materials like mono-materials and fiber-based formats, alongside structural improvements for usability. Key examples include Costa Group’s paper grape bags, Nestlé’s recyclable Quality Street cartons, and Ocado’s reusable delivery system, all aiming to reduce plastic waste and improve recycling rates. The report emphasizes that successful innovation balances environmental goals with practical retail operations and consumer convenience.IgrowpreownediGrow Pre-Owned-Indoor Vertical Farming News Archive-iGrow Pre-OwnedNectar Farms has selected LumiGrow as its exclusive lighting partner for a 40-hectare greenhouse development in Victoria, Australia, marking the largest such installation in the southern hemisphere. The facility will utilize LumiGrow's smartPAR LED systems and cloud-based software to optimize crop growth while partnering with Neoen for renewable energy supply to reduce operational costs. Costa Group will serve as the off-take marketing alliance for the produce, supporting Nectar Farms' goal to transform Australian farming through advanced technology.SFADriscoll's Buys Costa GroupDriscoll’s, led by a consortium including Paine Schwartz Partners and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, has completed the acquisition of Costa Group, Australia's leading fresh produce grower. This transaction represents one of Driscoll’s largest equity investments, aiming to deepen collaboration in global berry markets and expand blueberry varieties across regions like China, Australia, and the Americas.ReutersAustralia's Costa backs Paine Schwartz's $963 million buyout offer; shares riseCosta Group Holdings has agreed to be acquired by a consortium led by U.S. private-equity firm Paine Schwartz Partners in a deal valuing the horticulture company at A$1.50 billion. Under the proposal, shareholders will receive A$3.20 per share, representing a 10.3% premium to the last closing price. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals.GlobalaginvestingPaine Schwartz Buys Up Minority Stake in Costa Group for $161MPaine Schwartz has increased its stake in Costa Group to 13.78 percent through a $161 million investment, with plans to potentially raise the holding to 15 percent and secure a board seat subject to regulatory approval. This move occurs as Costa Group seeks to stabilize after a challenging period marked by drought-induced crop losses and profit downgrades. The investment aligns with broader industry consolidation trends as investors target companies with strong fresh produce genetics portfolios.Data Bridge Market Research Private LtdProcessed Mushrooms Market – Global Market Size, Share, and Trends Analysis Report – Industry Overview and Forecast to 2032A market research report on the global processed mushrooms market values the market at USD 18.85 billion in 2024, projecting USD 26.00 billion by 2032 at a 4.10% CAGR, driven by plant-based and health-conscious demand. Europe dominates, while Asia-Pacific is expected to grow fastest. Listed players include The Mushroom Company, OKECHAMP SA, BONDUELLE, Modernmush and Costa Group.