Helle
Helle (Puutarhaliike Helle Oy) is a Finnish wholesale distributor, founded in 1988, supplying professional growers and hobby gardeners with seeds, seedlings, greenhouse technology, irrigation systems, cultivation supplies, and biological pest control products via e-commerce and direct sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersVanhalinna, Finland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Helle does
Puutarhaliike Helle Oy is a Finnish wholesale distributor of professional horticultural inputs, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Vanhalinna, with a secondary office in the Swedish-speaking Ostrobothnia town of Närpiö. The company operates under the brand Helle and serves professional growers (commercial vegetable, herb, flower, berry, and greenhouse producers) as its primary customer segment, with hobby gardeners as a secondary segment. Its product portfolio is organized into four categories: Seeds and Seedlings; Technology and Automation (irrigation, fertilization, greenhouse construction, lighting, fans, and cultivation automation); Cultivation Supplies (biostimulants, growing media, fertilizers, plant protection, plastics, strings and support, shading, pots); and Biological Control and Pollination (BIOBEST bumblebees in six nest variants, beneficial insects, and Verdera biological fungicides including FytoSave, Mycostop, and Prestop Mix).
Helle runs a hybrid go-to-market model combining a B2B/B2C e-commerce storefront at helle.fi with direct sales support from its physical offices and bilingual product catalogs (Finnish and Swedish). Revenue is generated predominantly through unit-priced product sales with bulk availability, with typical SKU pricing ranging from approximately EUR 2 (light protective coveralls) to EUR 221 (Mardenkro ReduFuse IR 15kg shading agent). The product mix is sourced and distributed under partnerships with international brands including BIOBEST (Belgium), Verdera, Karasto (irrigation), Lankhorst (horticultural twines), and plant nurseries Kraege (Germany) and Neessen (Netherlands).
The company is privately held, founder/family-led (Matti Helle), Finnish-incorporated (Business ID 0690165-1) with no institutional investment, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed M&A activity. Payment processing is handled by Paytrail Oyj. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range, revenue is not publicly disclosed, and there are no AI/ML, API, or proprietary technology assets identified in the source material — Helle's competitive position rests on its distribution rights, 35+ year brand reputation in Finnish professional horticulture, and breadth of SKU coverage across the full grower input stack.
Helle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Helle
- Legal name
- Puutarhaliike Helle Oy
- Website
- https://helle.fi
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Helle (Puutarhaliike Helle Oy) is a Finnish wholesale distributor, founded in 1988, supplying professional growers and hobby gardeners with seeds, seedlings, greenhouse technology, irrigation systems, cultivation supplies, and biological pest control products via e-commerce and direct sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Helle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Horticultural Wholesale Supplies
- NAICS
- Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491), Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (423820)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Organic & Biological Input Retail (Biostimulants, Biopesticides, OMRI) (AFABAJAK)
Keywords
Where Helle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vanhalinna
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Helle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales (Wholesale and Retail): Puutarhaliike Helle Oy operates as a wholesale distribution company for professional growers, selling seeds, seedlings, growing supplies, greenhouse technology, irrigation systems, and biological pest control products. Products are sold through an e-commerce platform to both B2B (professional growers) and B2C (hobby gardeners) customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Unit pricing for individual products and bulk quantities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Helle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Puutarhaliike Helle Oy is a Finnish wholesale horticultural supplier founded in 1988 that distributes a comprehensive range of professional cultivation inputs to commercial growers in Finland. Its product portfolio covers seeds and seedlings, greenhouse and irrigation technology, cultivation supplies (fertilizers, growing media, plant protection), and biological control products (bumblebees, beneficial insects, biological fungicides). The company sells both directly to professional growers and to hobby gardeners through its e-commerce site helle.fi.
Product overview
Helle (Puutarhaliike Helle Oy) is a Finnish horticultural wholesale company established in 1988, offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional cultivation products through four main categories: (1) Seeds and Seedlings (Siemenet ja taimet) - covering outdoor vegetables, greenhouse vegetables, salads, herbs, flowers, berries; (2) Technology and Automation (Tekniikka ja automaatio) - irrigation systems, greenhouse construction, growing tables, automation, lighting, fans, tunnels; (3) Cultivation Supplies (Viljelytarvikkeet) - fertilizers, growing media, plant protection, biostimulants, pots, strings and support materials, shading; and (4) Biological Control and Pollination (Biologinen torjunta ja pölytys) - beneficial insects, bumblebees for pollination, biological pesticides. The company serves professional growers with branded products including Karasto irrigation equipment, Lankhorst Elite Premium support strings, and BIOBEST biological control agents and bumblebees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Seeds and Seedlings (Siemenet ja taimet) Comprehensive range of seeds and seedlings including outdoor vegetables, greenhouse vegetables, salads and herbs, flowers and ornamental plants, remediation and soil improvement plants, and berry plants for professional and hobby cultivation.
- Technology and Automation (Tekniikka ja automaatio) Irrigation and fertilization systems, irrigation supplies, growing tables and trough systems, greenhouse construction, machines and equipment, tunnels, fans, lighting solutions, and cultivation automation for professional horticulture operations.
- Cultivation Supplies (Viljelytarvikkeet) Biostimulants and cultivation aids, disinfection, plant protection products and sprayers, growing media, fertilizers, plastics, fabrics, nets, strings and support, pots, hanging baskets, cells, shading materials, cultivation cubes and boards, and other cultivation supplies.
- Biological Control and Pollination (Biologinen torjunta ja pölytys) Traps and accessories, biological plant protection products and growth promoters, bumblebees (kimalaiset), and beneficial organisms (torjuntaeliöt) for greenhouse and field cultivation.
- BIOBEST Bumblebees (Kimalaiset) Six different bumblebee nest types for professional pollination distributed from Belgian supplier BIOBEST N.V., including Mininest, Medium, Normal, Lightweight, Multi-nest, and Flying Doctors varieties; used by Finnish greenhouse growers for crop pollination.
- Verdera Biological Plant Protection Products Biological fungicides and growth promoters by Verdera including FytoSave® (prevention of powdery mildew, suitable for all plants), Mycostop® (sustainable cultivation), and Prestop® Mix (greenhouse and field use); distributed to Finnish growers for biological crop protection.
- Mardenkro ReduFuse IR Covering/shading material for greenhouse applications in 15 kg packaging, priced at €221.38 incl. VAT; used by professional greenhouse growers.
- Lankhorst Elite Premium Tomato String High-quality support string for tomatoes, cucumbers, and other climbing crops; made from durable UV-protected polypropylene with excellent tensile strength; sold in 2000m/2kg rolls from supplier Lankhorst/Maritime Division.
- Karasto Irrigation Equipment Karasto brand irrigation equipment and accessories including Soft-Rain sprinkler nozzles, Geka quick connectors (€6.09–€9.26), Soft-Rain irrigation lances (€61.83–€64.31), and mist nozzles (€61.50); supplied for greenhouse and field irrigation systems.
- Berry Plants (Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry) Diverse range of strawberry plants sourced from German (Kraege) and Dutch (Neessen) nurseries for outdoor, tunnel, and greenhouse cultivation; raspberry varieties Vajolet, Glen Ample, and Tulameen supplied from the Netherlands as potted plants; Sweet Royalla thornless blackberry variety producing 2–4 kg per shoot.
- Protective Workwear and Rain Gear Professional protective workwear for horticultural operations including Kevytsuojahaalari (lightweight protective coverall, €2.26), Tyvek Classic Xpert coverall (€10.35–€11.47), and PU rain suit with hooded jacket and waist pants in PU/PVC-coated polyester (€43.67).
Companies that use Helle
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Helle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Helle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BIOBEST N.V.coreBIOBEST N.V. is a Belgian company that produces bumblebees and beneficial insects for biological pest control and pollination. Puutarhaliike Helle Oy imports and distributes BIOBEST's products including bumblebee colonies and beneficial organisms to Finnish professional growers. Products include various bumblebee nest types (Mininest, Medium, Normal, Multi-nest) and Flying Doctors hives for simultaneous application of biological control agents.
- VerderacoreVerdera develops and produces biological plant protection products and growth promoters. Puutarhaliike Helle Oy distributes Verdera's products including FytoSave (biological fungicide for powdery mildew control) and other biological crop protection solutions for use in greenhouse and field cultivation.
- Paytrail OyjcorePaytrail Oyj (2122839-7) provides payment processing services for the company's e-commerce platform, enabling secure payment collection through Finnish banks and credit institutions. Paytrail acts as the payment service provider and appears as the payment recipient on customer statements.
- Kraege (Germany)minorGerman plant nursery supplying strawberry plants and propagating materials to Puutarhaliike Helle Oy. Plants are delivered dormant and frozen, arriving directly from suppliers.
- Neessen (Netherlands)minorDutch plant nursery supplying strawberry plants and propagating materials to Puutarhaliike Helle Oy. Plants are delivered dormant and frozen directly from suppliers.
- Netherlands-based Plant SuppliersminorDutch suppliers providing raspberry plant varieties including Vajolet, Glen Ample, and Tulameen. Plants delivered as potted specimens with 2-3 shoots in 1.8-2 liter pots.
- Maritime Division/ LankhorstminorSupplier of professional growing twines including Elite Premium tomato twine made from durable polypropylene for professional greenhouse cultivation.
- KarastominorSupplier of irrigation equipment and accessories including Soft-Rain sprinkler nozzles, hose connectors (Geka), and watering arms for greenhouse and field irrigation systems.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Helle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Royal Brinkman: Leading Dutch horticultural wholesaler supplying seeds, growing media, crop protection, irrigation, and biological services to professional growers. Highly comparable to Helle as a multi-category distributor to professional horticulture, though operating at much larger scale internationally.
- Schetelig Oy: Finnish horticultural wholesaler supplying professional growers with seeds, growing supplies, and equipment. Closest direct peer given shared Finnish market and similar product breadth to professional horticulture customers.
- Fargro Ltd: UK horticultural wholesaler supplying professional growers with growing media, crop protection, biological controls, and equipment. Directly comparable multi-category distributor model serving professional horticulture.
Emerging players
- Koppert: Dutch global leader in biological crop protection and pollination (bumblebees, beneficial insects). Peer because the same product category is central to Helle's biocontrol offering; Helle is a distributor while Koppert is a producer.
- Biobest Group: Belgian producer of bumblebees and beneficial insects for biological pest control. Peer because Biobest is both Helle's supplier and a competing supplier offering similar products directly to growers in other markets.
Broad incumbents
- Berner Oy: Large Finnish multi-line distributor serving agriculture, horticulture, and industrial markets. Comparable to Helle in serving Finnish professional growers with horticultural inputs, but as part of a much broader product portfolio.
- Lantmännen: Nordic agricultural cooperative serving professional growers across Sweden, Finland, and the Baltics with seeds, inputs, and equipment. Comparable given overlap in horticulture input distribution and Nordic footprint.
Regional players
- Plantagen (Plantasjen): Nordic garden retail chain present in Finland; comparable to Helle's hobby gardener/B2C segment rather than its professional grower core, providing a regional benchmark for consumer-facing horticulture trade.
Others
- Mardenkro: Dutch manufacturer of greenhouse coatings (ReduFuse series) that Helle resells into Finland. Listed as a supplier partner but also an adjacent comparable given its position in the specialty glasshouse inputs market.
- Pöppelmann: German manufacturer of horticultural plastics, pots, and growing containers. Comparable to Helle on the cultivation supplies side given Helle's catalog of pots, plastics, and growing containers for professional growers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Helle social profiles
Digital presenceHelle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Helle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Helle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Helle 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 Helle
What does Helle do?
Puutarhaliike Helle Oy is a Finnish wholesale horticultural supplier founded in 1988 that distributes a comprehensive range of professional cultivation inputs to commercial growers in Finland. Its product portfolio covers seeds and seedlings, greenhouse and irrigation technology, cultivation supplies (fertilizers, growing media, plant protection), and biological control products (bumblebees, beneficial insects, biological fungicides). The company sells both directly to professional growers and to hobby gardeners through its e-commerce site helle.fi.
Is Helle a public or private company?
Helle is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Helle founded?
Helle was founded in 1988. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Helle based?
Helle is headquartered in Vanhalinna, Finland, in the Europe region.
How does Helle make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales (Wholesale and Retail).
Who are Helle's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Royal Brinkman, Schetelig Oy and Fargro Ltd. Emerging players are Koppert and Biobest Group. Broad incumbents are Berner Oy and Lantmännen. Plantagen (Plantasjen) is listed as a regional player. Others are Mardenkro and Pöppelmann.
Does Helle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Helle.
What industry is Helle in?
Helle's product category is Horticultural Wholesale Supplies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABAJAK, Organic & Biological Input Retail (Biostimulants, Biopesticides, OMRI). Its NAICS code is 42491 and its SIC code is 5150.