What The Greenery BV does

The Greenery BV is a Netherlands-based, cooperative-owned international fresh produce company that supplies a full year-round assortment of fresh fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms to (international) supermarkets, wholesalers, caterers, and the food processing industry. The company is wholly owned by Coöperatie The Greenery U.A. (formerly Coöperatie Coforta U.A.), a cooperative of more than 362 Dutch fruit and vegetable growers, and operates from its headquarters and retail distribution center in Barendrecht with additional facilities in Bleiswijk and Breda (the latter a 13,400 m² soft fruit center). Its product portfolio centers on proprietary premium cultivars — most notably the Inspire strawberry (co-developed with Plant Science and launched in 2020) and the Sweet Sensation red pear (a club variety cultivated globally for year-round supply) — alongside consumer brands such as Sweet and Sunny berries and the Naturelle organic line.

The company's operations are underpinned by an integrated SAP ERP system with EDI communication, providing 24/7 inventory, transport, and customer POS visibility across the chain, and a fully automated logistics infrastructure that delivered approximately 61% of Dutch volume directly from grower to customer by 2017 (up from 40% in 2013). It runs multiple wholly-owned subsidiaries covering specialized trading (Hollander Barendrecht, Hoogsteder, E. van den Berg, J.H. Wagenaar, Hagé International), logistics (Dijco, Disselkoen Airfreight, Blue Sky Cargo), and real estate (Greenery Vastgoed), and holds a broad stack of food safety and sustainability certifications (GlobalG.A.P., PlanetProof, IFS Food, BRC Food, BIO/SKAL, QS, GRASP, Nurture, Leaf) across its sites.

The Greenery generates revenue primarily through the trading and distribution of fresh produce to retail chains and B2B customers (transaction-fee model), supplemented by managed logistics and supply-chain services. The GTM is enterprise sales-led: direct key-account relationships with retail chains in core markets (Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom), backed by category planning, trade marketing via the VerseOogst consumer platform, and presence at major industry events (Fruit Logistica, Fruit Attraction). Recent strategic moves include the 2024 FreshAlliance TUPO joint venture with Belgian cooperative BelOrta, a minority stake in UK tomato market leader APS (2018), completion of a multi-year logistics optimization that reduced distribution floor space from 105,000 m² to ~60,000 m² by 2019, and the announcement of a Growth Strategy 2030. Reported revenue was approximately EUR 1.0 billion in 2017 and EUR 991.9 million in 2018, with EUR 22.1 million of profit in 2024 marking the fifth consecutive year of grower profit distributions.

Name

The Greenery BV

Legal name

The Greenery B.V.

Website

https://thegreenery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Greenery BV is a cooperative-owned Dutch international fresh produce company, supplying supermarkets, wholesalers, caterers, and food processors with a year-round assortment of fruits and vegetables from 362+ grower-members via its integrated SAP ERP and automated logistics network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce Distribution

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic Produce & Specialty Vegetables Wholesale (AFAIAIAD)

Keywords

• Fresh produce distribution
• Fruit and vegetables supply
• Cooperative produce trading
• Fresh logistics services
• Retail produce wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Barendrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Trading: The company generates revenue through the trading and distribution of fresh vegetables and fruit to (international) supermarkets, wholesalers, caterers, and the processing industry. The cooperative structure means growers receive fair, optimal prices while The Greenery manages the commercial relationship with customers.
2. Logistics and Supply Chain Services: Through The Greenery Logistics, the company offers logistics and supply chain solutions for fresh distribution including storage, inspection, packaging, and refrigerated transport. The company operates its own distribution centers and works with logistics partners Dijco and Blue Sky Cargo.
3. Third-Party Logistics Integration: The company integrates freight flows from third parties with their own logistics operations, enabling efficient consolidated deliveries and reducing delivery touchpoints at customers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Greenery BV is an international fresh produce trading and distribution company that supplies a year-round, complete day-fresh assortment of vegetables, fruit, and mushrooms to (international) supermarkets, wholesalers, caterers, and the processing industry. The company is owned by a cooperative of more than 362 fruit and vegetable growers and operates an integrated value chain spanning cultivation, packaging, storage, logistics, category management, and marketing services. It also runs proprietary fresh distribution logistics and digital platforms (My Greenery, Verse Oogst) to connect growers, retail customers, and consumers.

Product overview

The Greenery BV is an international fresh produce organization owned by Coöperatie The Greenery U.A. that provides a complete year-round assortment of fresh fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms to supermarkets, wholesalers, caterers, and the processing industry. The company's product portfolio includes proprietary premium cultivars (Inspire strawberry, Sweet Sensation red pear), consumer brands (Sweet and Sunny berries), and organic offerings under the Naturelle trading name. The company operates through multiple subsidiaries (Hagé International, Hollander Barendrecht, Hoogsteder, E. van den Berg, J.H. Wagenaar, Dijco) and offers integrated services including logistics (The Greenery Logistics with storage, inspection, packaging, refrigerated transport), category planning, sales support, and digital platforms (My Greenery customer portal, Verse Oogst consumer platform, Digital Grower Portal).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Inspire: Premium strawberry variety developed by The Greenery in collaboration with Plant Science, launched commercially in 2020. Features superior taste, consistent quality, and sustainable cultivation.
• Sweet and Sunny
• Sweet Sensation

Products and services

• Inspire Strawberry Exclusive premium strawberry variety offering superior taste, deep red color, uniform large fruits, and extended shelf life, developed with Plant Science and supplied to retail customers including Plus retailer in 2023.
• Sweet Sensation Pear Exclusive red pear club variety (Doyenne rouge) cultivated globally across 458 hectares, with year-round availability via Northern and Southern Hemisphere production for retail customers.
• Sweet and Sunny Berry Brand Consumer berry brand offering selected sweet, juicy strawberries, blueberries, currants, raspberries, and blackberries in reclosable Topseal packaging for retail customers.
• The Greenery Logistics Integrated logistics and supply chain services for fresh produce, including storage, inspection, packaging, refrigerated transport, and EDI-enabled order flow between growers, distribution centers, and retail customers.
• Category Planning and Trade Marketing Services Commercial support services for retail customers covering category plans, sales support, innovative concepts, and sustainable packaging development based on data and market research.
• Hagé International (international produce trading) Subsidiary unit of The Greenery Group offering international fresh produce trading to overseas customers and importing exotic and counter-seasonal produce.
• Hollander Barendrecht (fresh produce trading) Wholly-owned subsidiary of The Greenery serving specific fresh produce markets and customers from Barendrecht with BRC SenD and SKAL organic certification.
• Hoogsteder Groenten en Fruit Subsidiary of The Greenery providing fresh produce trading from a new office and logistics facility in Bleiswijk, serving specific market segments.
• E. van den Berg & Zonen Wholly-owned subsidiary of The Greenery Group supplying specialized fruit and vegetable offerings with IFS Broker and BIO certifications.
• Naturelle (organic produce) Trading name of The Greenery B.V. for organic fresh produce offerings.
• Internationaal Transportbedrijf Dijco (logistics) Wholly-owned logistics subsidiary of The Greenery providing local road transport and global air freight services for fresh produce distribution.

Quantifiable outcome

• 61% of products delivered directly from grower to customer (up from 40% in 2013)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• FreshAlliance (BelOrta and The Greenery TUPO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 August 2024The Greenery and BelOrta established FreshAlliance as a TUPO (Trading Purchase Organization). This partnership represents a strategic alliance between two major Belgian and Dutch produce organizations, combining their strengths in grower networks, logistics, and market access to better serve retail customers across Europe.
• Plant SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for The Greenery's exclusive Inspire strawberry variety. Collaboration began in early 2016 with 4-year trial period at The Greenery test location at Botany. Plant Science worked on developing the Low Chill variety concept that led to the Inspire variety being selected as best performing in 2019.
• DijcomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Transportbedrijf Dijco B.V. is a subsidiary and key logistics partner supporting The Greenery in serving customers through both local road transport and global air freight. Part of The Greenery Group.
• Blue Sky CargomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogistics partner supporting The Greenery in serving customers through both local road transport and global air freight operations.
• APS (Albert van der Knaap Systems)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK market leader in tomatoes. In early 2018, The Greenery signed a contract for intensified cooperation with APS for sales of Dutch vegetables to the UK retail market. The Greenery also acquired a minority stake in APS, deepening the strategic partnership for growth in the UK market.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Dole plc: Global fresh produce leader formed via combination of Dole Food Company and Total Produce. Competes with The Greenery in fresh produce distribution globally, but is significantly larger and geographically diversified.
• Bonduelle: French global leader in processed vegetables (canned, frozen, fresh ready-to-eat). Overlaps with The Greenery in fresh produce but operates at greater scale and further downstream in processing, making it a broader incumbent rather than a direct competitor.
• Fresh Del Monte Produce: Global producer, transporter, and distributor of fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables. Comparable in fresh produce distribution but operates at global scale with significant owned production assets.

Regional players

• Naturkost Schramm: German regional wholesale distributor specializing in organic fresh produce for German retail and natural food channels. Overlaps with The Greenery's organic offerings (Naturelle) but is more focused on the German organic wholesale segment.

Direct peers

• Total Produce (now Dole plc): Irish-headquartered fresh produce distributor serving European retailers with similar sourcing, ripening, and distribution operations. Comparable customer base and business model as a fresh produce wholesale and distribution specialist.
• Special Fruit: Belgian specialist importer and distributor of fresh fruits and exotics, serving European retailers and food service. Comparable as a fresh produce wholesaler with a focus on premium and specialty categories.
• BelOrta: Belgian fruit and vegetable cooperative that recently formed the FreshAlliance TUPO joint venture with The Greenery. Closely comparable as a grower-cooperative-driven fresh produce marketer serving European retail.
• Greenyard: Belgian fresh, frozen, and prepared produce company with a similar European retail supply model and broad fruit/vegetable portfolio. Most directly comparable peer given overlap in retail channel, logistics, and fresh produce categories.

Emerging players

• Eosta: Dutch organic and fair-trade fresh produce specialist with Nature & More consumer brand. Comparable in organic/sustainable fresh produce distribution (overlapping with The Greenery's Naturelle line) but focused on a narrower organic niche.
• Berry Gardens: UK grower-owned cooperative marketing berries and cherries to British retailers. Comparable in cooperative-driven soft fruit supply to UK retail, which is one of The Greenery's core markets (e.g., Sweet Sensation pears, Inspire strawberries).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Greenery BV