Sant'Orsola

What Sant'Orsola does

Sant'Orsola Società Cooperativa Agricola is a private Italian agricultural cooperative founded in 1979 in Pergine Valsugana (Trentino), operating as a producer organization under EU Reg. (CE) 2200/96. It aggregates the entire harvest of 800+ producer members — smallholders cultivating across six Italian regions (Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, Lombardia Sud-Est, Marche, Calabria, and Sicily) — into a single supply chain for fresh small fruits and processed products. Its core offering covers ten product lines: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, red currants, cherries, and baby kiwi, each anchored in standard and premium 'Residuo Zero' CSQA-certified tiers (DTP 021, Cert. N. 57433) where pesticide residues are below 0.01 mg/kg. Distribution is predominantly B2B through Italian large-scale retail (GDO) and produce shops, complemented by two company-owned retail points (Cirè and Zivignago), an 'Ordina e Ritira' e-commerce storefront, three online marketplaces (InTrentino.com, Contadino Online, Cortilia), themed Berrybox subscription gift boxes, processed jams/syrups/juices, and a 500-seat rentable auditorium at its 2019-built Il Villaggio dei Piccoli Frutti campus.

The cooperative's central technical asset is an integrated agricultural system rather than a software platform: a dedicated experimental field and R&D center drive cultivation, breeding, and integrated pest management protocols (the Disciplinare di Lotta Integrata Sant'Orsola) that restrict phytosanitary treatments to >70% below legal limits; an in-house team of agronomists works directly in producer fields providing continuous technical support, plant procurement, and cultivation guidance; specialized refrigerated storage cells preserve product freshness across the cold chain. Quality and regulatory scaffolding — Global GAP, GRASP, ISO 14001, and IFS Food across both the Cirè and Susà production facilities — underwrites eligibility with EU-wide retailers, while the Eletto Prodotto dell'Anno 2022 win in blueberries (12,000-consumer IRI survey) signals trade-grade brand equity.

Commercially, Sant'Orsola operates a hybrid B2B2C/D2C model. Producer members subscribe to the cooperative via a €25.82 social quota and an admission fee set by the Board, in exchange for guaranteed offtake, negotiated best-price commitments, and access to agronomic services. Revenue is generated primarily through volume sales of fresh berries to Italian GDO, supplemented by processed-goods sales (jams, syrups, juices) through InTrentino.com and seasonal D2C platforms, gift-box subscriptions, retail sales at two owned points, and venue rental at the auditorium. Marketing is content-led via the Berryness blog, an active Facebook/Instagram presence, a newsletter, food-blogger collaborations, and events such as the 2021 TEDx Trento 'Respira' partnership. Ownership and governance remain collective: members elect the President and Board through the Assembly of Members, with no external parent or institutional investor disclosed.

Name

Sant'Orsola

Legal name

Sant'Orsola Società Cooperativa Agricola

Website

https://santorsola.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sant'Orsola is an Italian agricultural cooperative founded in 1979 that aggregates 800+ small-fruit producers across six regions to supply fresh and processed berries — including CSQA-certified Residuo Zero blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries — to Italian supermarkets, two owned retail stores, and online marketplaces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Berries / Small Fruit Production

NAICS

Berry (except Strawberry) Farming (111334), Strawberry Farming (111333)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Member-Owned Food Cooperatives (CRAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fresh Fruit Wholesale (AFAIACAA)

Keywords

• Fresh berry production
• Agricultural cooperative
• Small fruit cultivation
• Zero-residue berries
• Fresh produce distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Pergine Valsugana

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Small Fruits Sales: Sant'Orsola generates revenue primarily through the production and sale of fresh small fruits — blueberries (including Residuo Zero), raspberries (including Residuo Zero), blackberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, red currants, cherries, and baby kiwi — through major supermarket chains and produce retailers across Italy. Producers sell their entire harvest exclusively to the cooperative, which manages logistics, storage, processing, and relationships with the large-scale retail trade (GDO).
2. Processed Products (Juices, Compotes, Jams): Sant'Orsola sells transformed products including juices, compotes, and jams made from their small fruits, available via the InTrentino.com portal and during seasonal periods through the Contadino Online and Cortilia platforms.
3. Direct-to-Consumer Retail: Two dedicated retail points of sale in Pergine Valsugana (Zivignago and Cirè locations) sell fresh fruits and transformed products directly to consumers. An 'Ordina e ritira' (order and collect) service enables online ordering with in-store pickup.
4. Auditorium Rental: The 500-seat Auditorium at Il Villaggio dei Piccoli Frutti, equipped with advanced audio-video systems, can be rented for conferences, conventions, product launches, seminars, training courses, and assemblies. This represents a venue rental revenue stream from third-party events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sant'Orsola is an Italian agricultural cooperative producing and distributing fresh small fruits (berries) including blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, red currants, cherries, and baby kiwi. The cooperative consolidates production from 800+ member farms across six Italian regions and markets the harvest through major supermarket chains, two dedicated retail stores, and online channels. In addition to fresh fruit, the cooperative sells processed products (juices, jams, compotes), themed Berrybox gift boxes, and rents an auditorium facility.

Product overview

Sant'Orsola is an Italian agricultural cooperative (Società Cooperativa Agricola) specializing in the production and marketing of small fruits (piccoli frutti). The company's product portfolio centers on fresh berries including blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, red currants, cherries, and baby kiwi. The offering is structured around two tiers: standard fresh berries and premium "Residuo Zero" (zero residue) certified berries, the latter representing Sant'Orsola's sustainability differentiation with CSQA certification. Beyond fresh produce, the company offers transformed products (jams, syrups, juices), themed Berrybox subscription boxes, an order-and-pickup service at two retail locations, and an auditorium rental facility. The cooperative operates through a network of over 800 producer-members across Italy (Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, Lombardy, Marche, Calabria, Sicily) and distributes through major retailers and specialty stores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mirtillo (Blueberry) Fresh Italian blueberries of the American giant variety, characterized by blue to purple color shades and crisp, lively flavor. Sold year-round through Italian GDO retailers and Sant'Orsola retail stores.
• Mirtillo Residuo Zero (Zero Residue Blueberry) First CSQA-certified zero residue blueberry in Italy, grown and harvested in Italy with synthetic pesticide residues below 0.01 mg/kg. Available from producers in Calabria, Marche, Sicily, and Trentino.
• Lampone (Raspberry) Fresh Italian raspberries with velvety texture and a distinctly sweet flavor. Available year-round through Italian GDO retailers and Sant'Orsola retail stores.
• Lampone Residuo Zero (Zero Residue Raspberry) CSQA-certified zero residue raspberry with synthetic pesticide residues below 0.01 mg/kg. Produced by selected growers in Calabria, Marche, Sicily, and Trentino.
• Mora (Blackberry) Fresh Italian blackberries with a sour yet delicious taste, providing energy. Available year-round through Italian retailers.
• Mora Residuo Zero (Zero Residue Blackberry) Zero residue certified blackberry with synthetic pesticide residues below 0.01 mg/kg.
• Fragola (Strawberry) Fresh Italian strawberries offering a sweet distinctive flavor profile, sold through Italian retailers.
• Fragolina (Wild Strawberry) Wild strawberries — smaller and more aromatic than cultivated strawberries — grown in mountain regions of Italy.
• Ribes rosso (Red Currant) Fresh Italian red currants known for elegance and versatility in both sweet and savory culinary pairings.
• Ciliegia (Cherry) Fresh Italian cherries from selected producers, available seasonally.
• Baby Kiwi Baby kiwi (Actinidia arguta), a small hairless kiwi variety eaten whole with skin.
• Berrybox Themed Gift Boxes (Insieme, Coccola, Natale) Themed gift boxes of Sant'Orsola berries available in three seasonal varieties (Insieme, Coccola, Natale) for direct-order pickup at Sant'Orsola retail locations in Pergine Valsugana.
• Transformed Products (Confetture, Sciroppi, Succhi) Processed berry products — jams (confetture), syrups (sciroppi), and juices (succhi) — available for purchase through the InTrentino.com portal.
• Auditorium Sant'Orsola 500-seat auditorium at Il Villaggio dei Piccoli Frutti with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, available for rental for conferences, conventions, product launches, seminars, training courses, and assemblies. Located in Cirè di Pergine Valsugana.
• Ordina e Ritira (Order and Pickup) Service Online ordering service for fresh berries, transformed products (juices, jams, compotes), and Berrybox themed selections with pickup at either of the two retail locations in Pergine Valsugana (Cirè and Zivignago).

Quantifiable outcome

• Residues of synthetic pesticides below 0.01 mg/kg for Residuo Zero certified products (CSQA DTP 021, Cert. N. 57433)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Cycle4green RecycleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sant'Orsola is a partner of Cycle4green Recycle, a certification program that verifies the company's environmental impact. In 2025, Sant'Orsola was certified to have recycled 8.9 tonnes of paper waste, equivalent to a reduction of 17 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. This partnership supports Sant'Orsola's sustainability reporting and environmental credentials.
• TEDx TrentominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 August 2021Sant'Orsola was a partner of the 9th edition of TEDx Trento 'Respira', held on August 22, 2021, on the Paganella Plateau. The partnership was a brand awareness and values positioning initiative connecting Sant'Orsola's themes of nature, small things of value, and mindfulness with the TEDx audience of innovators and thought leaders.
• Re-CigminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Sant'Orsola joined the Re-Cig project, a Trentino-based initiative that collects, recycles, and transforms cigarette butts into plastic material. Sant'Orsola installed dedicated 'Smokers Point' collection units at Il Villaggio dei Piccoli Frutti. Re-Cig holds a patent for the purification and transformation of cigarette butts into a special plastic polymer.
• Contadino OnlineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSant'Orsola products are available for purchase on the Contadino Online platform, an online marketplace for farm-fresh produce, enabling direct-to-consumer delivery of Sant'Orsola small fruits during seasonal periods.
• CortiliaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSant'Orsola products are available for purchase on the Cortilia online marketplace, enabling direct-to-consumer delivery of fresh small fruits during seasonal periods.
• InTrentino.comminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTransformed products (jams, juices, and compotes) from Sant'Orsola are available for purchase through the InTrentino.com portal, a platform for Trentino region products.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Wish Farms: Wish Farms is a US-based grower and marketer of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Comparable to Sant'Orsola on berry specialization and large-retailer distribution model, though operating in the North American market.
• Sunny Valley Berries (Total Berry UK): Total Berry UK / Sunny Valley is a UK berry producer and packer focused on premium strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Comparable to Sant'Orsola on berry category specialization and quality positioning, though operating primarily in the UK retail market.
• Orogel Fresco: Orogel is a major Italian cooperative specializing in frozen and fresh vegetables and berries. It is comparable to Sant'Orsola on cooperative structure and Italian distribution scale, though its primary focus is frozen rather than fresh berries.

Direct peers

• Apofruit Italia: Apofruit is one of Italy's largest agricultural cooperatives, aggregating fruit and vegetable producers across multiple Italian regions for sale through GDO channels. It is the closest direct structural peer to Sant'Orsola on cooperative scale, multi-region production, GDO distribution, and Italian national footprint.
• Hortifrut: Hortifrut is a Chilean-headquartered global berry producer (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries) supplying year-round through owned and partnered farms in multiple continents. Comparable to Sant'Orsola on berry portfolio, integrated supply, and large-scale retail focus, but with significant geographic diversification.
• BerryWorld Group: BerryWorld is a UK-headquartered global berry specialist producing and marketing premium berries across Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Comparable to Sant'Orsola on category specialization (berries), premium branded positioning, and integrated supply chain — though with broader international reach.
• Agrintesa: Agrintesa is an Italian fruit cooperative producing and marketing berries, stone fruit, and other fresh produce to Italian GDO retailers. Directly comparable to Sant'Orsola on Italian cooperative structure, multi-region sourcing, and GDO distribution model.
• Planasa: Planasa is a Spanish berry specialist with leadership in blueberry and raspberry varietals, breeding, and integrated production. Comparable to Sant'Orsola on berry category focus, varietal R&D, and integrated pest management practices — a relevant Southern European peer.
• Naturipe Farms: Naturipe Farms is a grower-owned US berry producer specializing in strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Highly comparable to Sant'Orsola on cooperative-style grower aggregation model, berry category focus, and large-retailer distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Driscoll's: Driscoll's is the world's largest berry producer, specializing in strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries through a global network of independent growers. It is directly comparable to Sant'Orsola on product category (berries) and grower-aggregator model, though it operates globally and at far larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-XImxvascja2ScXd5Mly5Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/Santorsolapiccolifrutti
• Instagraminstagram.com/sant_orsola

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Sant'Orsola