Speciality Produce

What Speciality Produce does

Speciality Produce Limited (SPL) is a grower-owned horticultural co-operative formed in 1998 by a group of Kent growers, headquartered in Swineshead, Boston, Lincolnshire. The company operates as a recognised Producer Organisation (PO) and functions as a centralised marketing, distribution, and technical services entity for its member growers across three UK production regions — Kent, Lincolnshire, and Herefordshire — with additional foreign growing partnerships supporting year-round supply. SPL's product portfolio spans fresh produce categories including Herbs (Basil, Mint, Rosemary, Thyme, and others), Leaf Salads (Cos, Iceberg, Oak Leaf varieties, Salanova), Leafy vegetables (Spinach, Chard, Kale, Pak Choi), Brassicas (Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower), Legumes (Peas, Beans), Cucurbits (Courgette, Marrow), Vegetables (Asparagus, Sweetcorn), Organics, and Soft Fruits (Strawberries, Blueberries).

SPL's technical capabilities include state-of-the-art computerised water and irrigation systems, UV treatment for high-care/ready-to-eat produce, and flexible manual and automated packing with customisable pack sizes and packaging materials. The company matches crop selection to production regions based on soil type and microclimate — Lincolnshire's calcareous alluvial gley soil for cooler coastal growing conditions and Kent/Herefordshire's sandy loam for drainage. Members adhere to audited Group Technical and Environmental standards, supported by SPL's access to matched EU Producer Organisation grant funding for capital equipment, technical resources, R&D, and marketing initiatives.

SPL generates revenue through B2B supply of fresh and prepared produce to UK supermarket chains and food service companies on a quote-based pricing model, with an annual turnover of approximately £80m. The company employs approximately 50 permanent staff at its head office and distributes through direct sales channels domestically. Member growers benefit from centralised marketing, technical advisory, market information, and capital project investment facilitated by SPL's PO status.

Name

Speciality Produce

Legal name

Speciality Produce Limited

Website

https://specialityproduce.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Speciality Produce Limited is a grower-owned UK horticultural co-operative and recognised Producer Organisation, supplying fresh vegetables, salads, herbs, soft fruits, and legumes to UK supermarkets and food service companies across Kent, Lincolnshire, and Herefordshire, with ~£80m annual turnover.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce and Horticulture

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448), Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121), Other Vegetable (except Potato) and Melon Farming (111219), Noncitrus Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (11133)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Vegetable Wholesale (AFAIACAB)

Keywords

• Fresh produce supply
• Horticultural cooperative
• Soft fruit production
• Leafy greens supply
• Ready to eat produce

Headquarters

HQ city

Swineshead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Services and Produce Sales: As a grower-owned horticultural co-operative, Speciality Produce Limited provides central marketing services for members' produce. The company benefits its members by creating profitable markets, providing technical resources, marketing initiatives, and capital equipment access through EU Producer Organisation grant funding.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Speciality Produce Limited is a grower-owned horticultural co-operative and recognised Producer Organisation that produces and supplies a portfolio of fresh produce — including herbs, leaf salads, leafy greens, brassicas, cucurbits, legumes, vegetables, organics, and soft fruits — to UK supermarkets and food service companies. It concentrates supply from member growers across Kent, Lincolnshire, and Herefordshire, providing ready-to-eat preparation, UV treatment, and flexible packing services alongside shared marketing, technical, and capital resources for its members.

Product overview

Speciality Produce Limited is a grower-owned horticultural co-operative formed in 1998, offering a unified portfolio of fresh produce across multiple categories including Herbs (Basil, Chervil, Mint, Oregano, etc.), Leaf Salad (Cos, Iceberg, Oak Leaf varieties, Salanova, etc.), Leaf (Spinach, Chard, Kale, Pak Choi), Brassicas (Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale), Legumes (Peas, Beans), Cucurbits (Courgette, Marrow), Vegetables (Asparagus, Sweetcorn, Pumpkins), Organics (Spinach, Green Beans), and Soft Fruits (Strawberries, Blueberries). The company provides integrated services including Technical Resources, Marketing Initiatives, R&D support, and Capital Projects funding access. Operations encompass Environmental Initiatives leveraging geographical strengths across Lincolnshire, Kent, and Herefordshire, alongside advanced Water and Irrigation Systems, UV Treatment capabilities, and Manual and Automated Packing services. The company operates with approximately £80m turnover and 50 permanent staff, serving supermarkets and food service companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Herbs
• Leaf Salad
• Leaf (Leafy Vegetables)
• Brassicas
• Cucurbits
• Legumes
• Vegetables
• Organics
• Soft Fruits
• Ready-to-Eat Produce Preparation

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Barfoots of Botley: UK-based grower and processor of fresh vegetables including sweetcorn, asparagus, and exotic vegetables, supplying UK and European retailers and food-service operators. Comparable in product overlap (asparagus, cucurbits, brassicas), B2B supermarket channel, and value-added processing capabilities.
• Puffin Produce: Welsh potato and fresh-produce supplier to UK retail. Comparable as a regional UK grower-cooperative-style B2B supplier to supermarkets with overlapping product mix (brassicas, root vegetables) and similar scale and customer type.
• REKOLT (formerly Fresh Direct UK): UK supplier of fresh fruit, vegetables, and prepared produce to restaurants, caterers, and food-service operators. Comparable on the food-service segment focus, fresh and prepared-produce offering, and UK B2B distribution model, though more weighted to food service than retail.
• Berry Gardens: UK grower-owned soft-fruit co-operative supplying UK supermarkets with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Highly comparable business model (Producer Organisation, member-grower central marketing, supermarket-led B2B), and overlapping product focus in soft fruit.
• Worldwide Fruit: UK-headquartered apple, pear, citrus, and stone-fruit marketing company supplying UK retailers, with a co-operative-style grower-marketing model. Comparable as a UK fresh-produce marketing company operating between growers and supermarkets with similar year-round sourcing arrangements.
• Nationwide Produce: UK-based fresh-produce packer and wholesaler supplying retailers, food service, and processors with potatoes, root vegetables, and other produce. Comparable as a UK fresh-produce wholesaler with supermarket and food-service customers and overlapping vegetable categories.
• Huntapac Produce: UK root-vegetable and fresh-produce grower-packers supplying UK supermarkets with carrots, parsnips, and other root crops. Comparable as a UK-based grower-led B2B supplier to major retailers with similar produce quality and continuity-of-supply requirements.
• G's Fresh: One of the UK's largest vertically integrated fresh-produce growers, supplying salads, celery, onions, radish, and leafy greens to major UK retailers. Directly comparable on product categories (leaf salads, brassicas), customer base (UK supermarkets), and grower-to-retailer B2B model.

Broad incumbents

• Dole plc (formerly Total Produce): Global fresh-produce giant formed from the merger of Total Produce and Dole, supplying retailers and food-service operators worldwide. Comparable as the largest UK-and-global fresh-produce incumbent with overlapping product categories and supermarket channel, but operating at vastly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Greenyard: Belgian-headquartered global market leader in fresh, frozen, and prepared fruit and vegetables, supplying major European retailers. Comparable as a broad incumbent in fresh and value-added produce with overlapping customer type (large European retailers) and product categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/speciality-produce-limited

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 Speciality Produce