What Waterman Onions does

Waterman Onions B.V. is a Dutch, third-generation family-owned onion processor headquartered in Emmeloord, in the Noordoostpolder region described as the heart of Europe's largest onion cultivation area. Founded in its current form in 1998 by brothers Erik and Wim Waterman, the company specializes in the storage, drying, sorting, and packaging of onions, processing approximately 150,000 tonnes annually and serving customers in nearly 80 countries. Its core product portfolio comprises yellow, red, and pink onions plus shallots, supported by a flexible packaging range from 500 g retail units (with custom logos and barcodes) to bulk big bags of 1,000+ kg. Technology investments include batch-specific drying processes, millimeter-precision sorting systems tailored to each customer's destination, a camera-equipped spotsprayer that cuts pesticide use by up to 95%, and a new Telersportaal digital portal that digitizes cultivation data exchange with connected growers.

The company generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of processed and packaged onions to four customer segments — retail chains, foodservice operators, wholesale and peeling/processing customers, and international export markets — with pricing custom-quoted by volume, specification, and destination rather than published on a fixed schedule. Go-to-market is sales-led, with a dedicated team of account managers covering distinct regions and customer types, supplemented by LinkedIn and content marketing, regional event sponsorship, and direct logistics execution that prioritizes inland shipping to reduce CO2. In January 2025, Waterman Onions launched the Waterman Food Group, a holding structure that groups it with sister companies Faiafood, Sawari Fresh, JAWA Food, BioQrops, Holland Cambridge Farms, Uienzaad Online, and Roussel Onions, extending the commercial footprint beyond onions into garlic, ginger, and other flavor products. The company holds a comprehensive certification stack (BRC Higher Level, Global-GAP, GRASP, Skal, QS, Planet Proof, RIK) and operates climate-neutral processes supported by 90% renewable energy and a stated 55% CO2 reduction target by 2030.

Name

Waterman Onions

Legal name

Waterman Onions B.V.

Website

https://waterman-onions.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Waterman Onions is a Dutch, third-generation family-owned processor that dries, sorts, and packages approximately 150,000 tonnes of onions annually, serving retail, foodservice, wholesale, and export customers in nearly 80 countries from its Emmeloord facility within the Waterman Food Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Onion Processing and Distribution

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Canning, Pickling, and Drying (31142), Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing (311423)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Aromatic Alliums & Dehydrated Vegetables (Garlic, Onion, Shallot, Celery) (AFAJANAH)

Keywords

• Onion processing services
• Fresh produce export
• Onion sorting packaging
• Vegetable distribution wholesale
• Retail foodservice supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Emmeloord

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Onion Processing and Export: Core business: drying, packaging, and exporting approximately 150,000 tonnes of onions annually on a climate-neutral and sustainable basis. Serves retail, wholesale, packaging companies, and peeling operations worldwide.
2. Farmer Portal Services: Digital portal services for connected onion growers for cultivation data and communication management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Waterman Onions specializes in the storage, sorting, drying, and packaging of onions for global B2B customers. The company processes approximately 150,000 tonnes annually of yellow onions, red onions, pink onions, and shallots, with custom packaging from 500g retail units to bulk bags exceeding 1,000kg. Products are supplied year-round to retail chains, foodservice operators, wholesalers, and peeling operations across nearly 80 countries worldwide.

Product overview

Waterman Onions is a single-product focused company specializing in onions (uien) with a complete value chain from field to customer. The product portfolio includes four main onion varieties: Yellow Onions, Red Onions, Pink Onions, and Shallots, available year-round primarily from the Netherlands with imports from New Zealand and Egypt when needed. Supporting services include custom drying, sorting, and packaging solutions (small packaging from 500g to large bulk packaging and big bags over 1000kg). The company operates as part of Waterman Food Group family which also includes Faiafood, Sawari Fresh, JAWA Food, BioQrops, Holland Cambridge Farms, Uienzaad Online, and Roussel Onions for expanded product offerings. A digital Telersportaal (Grower Portal) enables cultivation data sharing with farmers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yellow Onions (Gele uien) The most requested product in Waterman Onions' assortment, yellow onions offer constant quality and long shelf life. Supplied in various packaging options suitable for wholesalers and supermarkets for both national and international export.
• Red Onions (Rode uien) Red onions distinguished by their deep color and uniform quality. Carefully selected and packaged to meet customer requirements for national and international markets. Popular within retail channels and export due to their visually attractive appearance.
• Pink Onions (Roze uien) Pink onions are a unique cross between red and yellow onions. A high-quality product excelling in hardness and excellent storage capacity. Sweeter and milder in taste, available in various sizes and packaging formats.
• Shallots (Sjalotten) Shallots are an essential product for both supermarkets and wholesale. High-quality shallots available in different sizes and packaging formats, supplied to customers worldwide meeting the strictest requirements.
• Small Packaging Solutions (Kleinverpakkingen) Custom small packaging solutions ranging from 500g to 4kg, fully customizable with customer names, logos, and barcodes. Available in striking colors and sustainable materials for retail-ready presentation.
• Large Packaging Solutions (Grootverpakkingen) Large packaging solutions from 4kg upwards, including blanco poly bales, band bales (brand bags), and big bags of over 1,000kg. Pallets are labeled with batch numbers and order details for traceability.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% reduction in pesticide use with spotsprayer technology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Groente & FruitbrigadecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2025Partnership with Groente & Fruitbrigade and two other Agrofoodcluster companies (Geersing Potato Specialist and Top Fresh) to provide year-round supply of potatoes, onions, and carrots to food banks in Utrecht province. This marks the transition from occasional donations to structural, year-round supply of basic vegetables.
• Geersing Potato SpecialistcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2025Part of the Agrofoodcluster partnership for food bank supply, specialized in high-quality seed potatoes and consumption potatoes, market leader in phytophthora resistant varieties breeding.
• Top FreshcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2025Part of the Agrofoodcluster partnership for food bank supply, leading supplier of fresh carrots with modern processing facilities and focus on quality.
• Uienzaad OnlinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Uienzaad Online to supply high-quality onion seeds to Dutch growers, part of Waterman's integrated approach from seed to final delivery.
• The FellowshipminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with The Fellowship for onion processing during the season, including growing, storage, and packaging operations.
• Waterman Food GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterman Food Group is the parent organization of Waterman Onions, consisting of Faiafood, Sawari Fresh, JAWA Food, BioQrops, Holland Cambridge Farms, Uienzaad Online, and Roussel Onions. The group focuses on flavor, sustainability, and innovation, offering customers a broader range of high-quality flavor enhancers including onions, garlic, and ginger.
• FaiafoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of of Waterman Food Group, provides processed onion products and value-added offerings.
• Sawari FreshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Waterman Food Group, contributing to the family of flavor enhancers.
• JAWA FoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Waterman Food Group, part of the flavor enhancer family.
• BioQropscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Waterman Food Group, contributing to the product portfolio.
• Holland Cambridge FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Waterman Food Group, international operations.
• Roussel OnionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPart of Waterman Food Group, contributing to the onion supply network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Bonduelle: Bonduelle is a French-headquartered global leader in processed vegetables (canned, frozen, and fresh), with major European retail and foodservice penetration. Its vegetable processing and packaging capabilities and European retail footprint make it a relevant broad incumbent comparable to Waterman's onion processing focus.
• Dole plc: Dole plc (formed via the Total Produce merger with Dole) is one of the world's largest fresh produce companies, with a major European fresh produce division serving retail and foodservice. Its diversified fresh produce portfolio and global distribution reach make it a relevant broad incumbent comparable to Waterman's export-driven model.
• Fresh Del Monte Produce: Fresh Del Monte Produce is a vertically integrated global producer, distributor, and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables with significant European retail and foodservice supply. While broader in scope, its global fresh produce sourcing and packing capabilities directly overlap with Waterman's onion and vegetable export operations.
• Greenyard: Greenyard is Belgium's largest fresh, frozen, and prepared fruit and vegetable company, with deep presence across Europe in fresh produce sourcing and packaging. As a broad incumbent with global retailer relationships, it overlaps with Waterman in supplying fresh produce to European retail and foodservice, though across a much wider portfolio.
• Ardo: Ardo is a Belgian family-owned frozen vegetable processor with extensive European production and a strong foodservice and retail presence. Its vegetable processing technology, scale, and European retail/foodservice customer base position it as a broad incumbent comparable to Waterman's value-added vegetable handling model.
• Total Produce (now part of Dole plc): Total Produce was an Irish-headquartered global fresh produce distributor that merged with Dole in 2021 to form Dole plc. Its pre-merger European fresh produce operations (now within Dole plc) directly overlapped with Waterman's onion export and fresh produce distribution to retail and foodservice customers across Europe.

Others

• Agristo: Agristo is a Belgian producer of frozen potato products (french fries, specialties) with major European foodservice and retail customers. While its core product is potatoes rather than onions, its scale of vegetable processing, packaging sophistication, and European retail/foodservice go-to-market make it a thematic / adjacent comparable.
• Tolsma-Grisnich: Tolsma-Grisnich is a Dutch specialist in storage, sorting, and packaging technology for potatoes and onions, supplying equipment across Europe. As a technology supplier and ecosystem participant to the onion processing industry Waterman operates in, it is an adjacent comparator rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• MSP Onions: MSP Onions is one of the largest Dutch onion exporters and packers, headquartered in the same Noordoostpolder / Flevoland onion belt as Waterman. Both companies specialize in sorting, packaging, and exporting Dutch yellow, red, and specialty onions to global retail, wholesale, and foodservice customers, making them the closest head-to-head competitors.
• Wiskerke Onions: Wiskerke Onions is a Dutch onion specialist focused on growing, sorting, packaging, and exporting onions from the same Noordoostpolder region. It mirrors Waterman's core activities—multi-variety onion processing with export to European retail and foodservice—making it a direct comparable.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterman-onions-b.v./?viewAsMember=true
• Xx.com/waterman_onions

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Waterman Onions