Kolla
KÖLLA is a family-owned B2B fruit and vegetable trading group founded in 1921, sourcing 300+ varieties from producers across Europe, South America, and Africa to supply European food retailers, wholesale markets, and import traders through 10 wholly-owned offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1921
- HeadquartersKaarst, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kolla does
KÖLLA is a family-owned B2B fruit and vegetable trading group founded in 1921 in Gümligen, Switzerland, now operating through 10 wholly-owned subsidiaries across Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Turkey, France, the UK, and the Netherlands under the holding company KÖLLA Global Management GmbH. The company sources 300+ varieties of fresh produce directly from selected producers across Europe, South America, North and South Africa, controls quality through on-site producer engagement, and supplies European food retailers, traditional import traders, and wholesale markets with year-round fresh fruit and vegetable offerings. KÖLLA operates its own consumer-facing brands (Otello for table grapes, Alinda for table grapes, Emilie for stone fruit, KÖLLA Natura for organic produce, and KÖLLA Grain oilseed pulses for grains/oilseeds/pulses), and offers value-added services including custom cultivation planning ("Anbau nach Wunsch") and sustainable packaging design.
Revenue is generated through transaction-based B2B trading of fresh produce, with no public pricing disclosed and a quote-based model typical of the industry. The go-to-market motion is sales-led, leveraging direct producer relationships in origin countries and direct relationships with retail and wholesale buyers in destination markets. KÖLLA holds organic certifications in seven jurisdictions (BIO SUISSE, DE-ÖKO-013/001, CH-BIO-006, IT-BIO-013, TR-BIO-132-R74K, FR-BIO-01, ES-ECO-020-CV), enabling it to market certified BIO products across all major European markets. There is no evidence of a proprietary technology platform; the company's competitive positioning rests on its century-long producer network, geographic breadth, regulatory certifications, and integrated sourcing-quality-logistics capability rather than on software or AI/ML assets.
Kolla firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kolla
- Legal name
- KÖLLA Global Management GmbH
- Website
- https://koella.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1921
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- KÖLLA is a family-owned B2B fruit and vegetable trading group founded in 1921, sourcing 300+ varieties from producers across Europe, South America, and Africa to supply European food retailers, wholesale markets, and import traders through 10 wholly-owned offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kolla industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fresh Produce Trading
- NAICS
- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fresh Produce Wholesale (Fruit & Vegetables) (AFAIABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB), Foodservice / HORECA Produce Wholesale (AFAIACAI), Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAI)
Keywords
Where Kolla is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kaarst
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices10 records
Markets served
Kolla business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fresh Produce Trading: KÖLLA generates revenue through the trading and distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables. The company works directly with producers globally, controlling quality and logistics to deliver produce to retail customers in Europe and international markets.
- Own Brand Products: Sale of proprietary branded produce including Otello, Alinda, Emilie, and KÖLLA Natura product lines, as well as grains, oilseeds, and pulses.
- Cultivation Services: Custom cultivation services (Anbau nach Wunsch) where KÖLLA grows specific produce according to customer requirements with selected producers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Kolla product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KÖLLA is a B2B trader and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables, sourcing produce directly from producers across Europe, South America, North and South Africa, and delivering it to European retailers, traditional importers, and wholesalers through a network of ten wholly-owned subsidiaries. Its offering includes proprietary own-brand lines (Otello, Alinda, Emilie, KÖLLA Natura), grains/oilseeds/pulses, custom cultivation planning (Anbau nach Wunsch), and sustainable packaging design services. Quality is managed via on-site producer visits, daily logistics coordination, and country-specific organic certifications.
Product overview
KÖLLA is a B2B fruit and vegetable trading company offering a comprehensive portfolio of fresh produce through multiple proprietary brands (Otello, Alinda, Emilie), organic products (KÖLLA Natura), grains and pulses, alongside value-added services including custom cultivation planning and sustainable packaging design. The company operates across 10+ locations in Europe and Turkey, sourcing from global production partners and delivering to retailers and importers throughout Europe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Otello: Private label brand for citrus and other produce
- Alinda
- Emilie
- KÖLLA Natura
- KÖLLA Grain oilseed pulses
Products and services
- Otello
- Alinda
- Emilie
- KÖLLA Natura
- KÖLLA Grain oilseed pulses
- Packaging Services
- Anbau nach Wunsch (Cultivation as Requested)
Quantifiable outcome
- 300+ varieties available from multiple growing regions
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Kolla
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Kolla technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Kolla partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Selected Fruit and Vegetable ProducerscoreKÖLLA maintains direct relationships with selected producers across Europe, South America, North and South Africa. The company is present on site, advises growers, controls quality, and ensures timely delivery. Over 300 different fruit and vegetable varieties are cultivated with these partners under continuous quality control.
- COFREUROPminorKÖLLA operates under COFREUROP conditions for fresh produce trade, which are standard commercial terms for fruit and vegetable trading in international commerce.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kolla competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bonduelle: French-headquartered global fresh and processed vegetable group, a relevant broader incumbent comparable to KÖLLA for European fresh-produce retail distribution and own-brand positioning.
- Bakkavor Group: UK-listed fresh prepared-foods supplier to major grocery retailers; comparable to KÖLLA on the B2B fresh-produce supply side into UK and European retail customers.
- Total Produce (Dole plc): One of the world's largest fresh produce companies with significant European operations following the Dole merger, providing direct comparison for KÖLLA's pan-European produce trading and distribution scale.
Direct peers
- Special Fruit: Belgian specialist fresh-produce importer and packer with a similar niche-positioning strategy in European retail, focusing on exotic and specialty fruit lines comparable to KÖLLA's Otello, Alinda, and Emilie premium offerings.
- Greenyard: Belgian-headquartered global fresh, frozen, and prepared fruit and vegetable company with a similar pan-European B2B trading and distribution model to KÖLLA, serving major retailers across multiple origins.
- Fyffes: Irish-headquartered produce trader (now part of Sumitomo's overseas produce platform) with European supply focus on bananas, pineapples, and melons; directly comparable as a B2B produce distributor serving European retailers.
- The Greenery: Dutch fresh produce company supplying European retailers with a broad fruit and vegetable assortment, comparable to KÖLLA's wholesale model and European retail customer base.
- SanLucar: German/Spanish premium fresh-produce brand and trader with a vertically integrated model, own brands, and direct grower relationships across more than 25 countries, closely matching KÖLLA's premium-trading and own-brand strategy.
Regional players
- Berry Gardens: UK grower-owned berry marketer and packer; comparable to KÖLLA on the producer-aligned supply model and direct supply into UK retail customers.
- Hessing: Dutch fresh-produce processor and packer with retail focus; relevant comparison to KÖLLA for fresh-cut fruit and vegetable processing, packaging, and private-label supply into European retail.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kolla social profiles
Digital presenceKolla compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Kolla financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kolla leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Kolla subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
Kolla funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kolla M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kolla
What does Kolla do?
KÖLLA is a B2B trader and distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables, sourcing produce directly from producers across Europe, South America, North and South Africa, and delivering it to European retailers, traditional importers, and wholesalers through a network of ten wholly-owned subsidiaries. Its offering includes proprietary own-brand lines (Otello, Alinda, Emilie, KÖLLA Natura), grains/oilseeds/pulses, custom cultivation planning (Anbau nach Wunsch), and sustainable packaging design services. Quality is managed via on-site producer visits, daily logistics coordination, and country-specific organic certifications.
Is Kolla a public or private company?
Kolla is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kolla founded?
Kolla was founded in 1921. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Kolla based?
Kolla is headquartered in Kaarst, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Kolla make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fresh Produce Trading is the primary driver. The others are own Brand Products and cultivation Services.
Who are Kolla's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bonduelle, Bakkavor Group and Total Produce (Dole plc). Direct peers are Special Fruit, Greenyard, Fyffes, The Greenery and SanLucar. Regional players are Berry Gardens and Hessing.
Does Kolla have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kolla.
What industry is Kolla in?
Kolla's product category is Fresh Produce Trading. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIABAE, Fresh Produce Wholesale (Fruit & Vegetables), with a secondary code of CRAOABAB, Fresh Produce Distribution. Its NAICS code is 42448 and its SIC code is 5140.