What HLB Specialties does

HLB Specialties is a second-generation, family-owned importer and distributor of tropical and exotic fresh fruits, founded in 1989 by Brazilian Homero Levy de Barros in Germany and now headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company operates two independent but affiliated entities: HLB Specialties LLC covering North America (with warehouses in Miami, Los Angeles, and Texas/McAllen, plus Toronto and Vancouver) and HLB Tropical Food GmbH in Kelsterbach, Germany serving continental Europe across 10+ countries including Germany, Austria, the U.K., Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, and Lithuania.

The company's core product portfolio spans roughly 20 specialty SKUs across multiple papaya varieties (proprietary Samba and Tupi, plus Formosa, Golden, Organic Formosa, Intenzza, and Pococi), rambutan, dragon fruit (yellow, white, red), mangosteen, guava, lychee, drinking coconut, organic ginger, passion fruit, goldenberries, longan, mamey, tropical avocados, figs, and atemoya. Sourcing spans Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Vietnam, and Florida, with air-freight logistics enabling tree-ripened fruit delivery. Proprietary assets include the Samba and Tupi papaya varieties co-developed with Brazilian grower Caliman Agricola, a ripeness-indicator sticker technology, and the pioneering 12-ounce retail-ready rambutan clamshell introduced to U.S. retail in 2015.

The business model is a B2B sales-led distribution operation selling on quote-based terms to wholesalers and retailers, supplemented by in-store demos, point-of-sale materials, packaging labels, and active social media campaigns. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of fresh produce, with retail programs having overtaken foodservice since the pandemic. The company has reported 30%+ growth for three consecutive years through 2023, supplying thousands of stores across the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Name

HLB Specialties

Legal name

HLB Specialties LLC

Website

https://hlbspecialties.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HLB Specialties is a family-owned importer and distributor of tropical and exotic fresh fruits — including proprietary Samba and Tupi papayas, rambutan, dragon fruit, and mangosteen — supplying wholesalers and retailers across the U.S., Canada, and Europe via air-freight logistics and multi-country sourcing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Tropical and Exotic Fruit Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480), Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers (42449)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Produce Wholesale (Fruit & Vegetables) (AFAIABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ethnic & International Foods Distribution (CRAOABAG), Organic & Natural Foods Import/Export & Global Trading (AFAIAJAK)

Keywords

• Tropical fruit distribution
• Exotic fruit import
• Fresh produce wholesale
• Papaya varieties supply
• Specialty fruit sourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lauderdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fresh Tropical Fruit Sales: Import and distribution of tropical and exotic fruits including papayas, rambutan, dragon fruit, mangosteen, lychee, guava, ginger, passion fruit, and more. Fruits sourced from multiple countries across Central and South America, delivered via air freight and ocean shipping to retailers and wholesalers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HLB Specialties imports and distributes approximately 20 specialty tropical and exotic fresh fruit items — including multiple papaya varieties (proprietary Samba, Formosa, Golden, Organic Formosa, Intenzza, Tupi, Pococi), rambutan, dragon fruit, mangosteen, guava, lychee, drinking coconut, organic ginger, passion fruit, goldenberries, longan, mamey, tropical avocados, figs, and atemoya — sourced from Central and South America, Vietnam, and Florida. The company delivers primarily via air freight to ensure tree-ripened quality, supplying enterprise retailers (Costco, Publix, major European chains) and wholesalers across North America and Europe from warehouses in Florida, California, Texas, Toronto, and Vancouver, with European distribution handled by sister company HLB Tropical Food GmbH in Germany.

Product overview

HLB Specialties is a second-generation family-owned tropical and exotic fruit importer and distributor operating since 1989. The company offers a diverse portfolio of approximately 20 specialty fruit products sourced from Central and South America, Asia, and Florida. The core product line includes multiple papaya varieties (Samba proprietary, Formosa, Golden, Organic, Tupi, Pococi), rambutan, dragon fruit (yellow, white, red), mangosteen, guava, lychee, drinking coconut, organic ginger, passion fruit, goldenberries, longan, mamey, tropical avocados, figs, and atemoya. Products are sourced from countries including Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Vietnam, and Florida. HLB pioneered retail-ready packaging formats like the 12-ounce rambutan clamshell and offers both air-freighted (for premium ripened fruit) and ocean-freighted options. The company operates primarily in North America (US and Canada) from headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, FL, with a European sister company HLB Tropical Food in Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Samba Papaya: Proprietary papaya variety developed with Brazilian grower Caliman; slightly larger than Golden papaya with darker flesh, higher Brix, and longer shelf-life.
• Tap & Sip
• Caliman Papayas

Products and services

• Papaya (Multiple Varieties) Multiple papaya varieties including proprietary Samba, Formosa, Golden, Organic Formosa, Intenzza, Tupi, and Pococi, sourced from Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica and air-freighted as tree-ripened fruit for retail and wholesale customers.
• Rambutan Tropical fruit sourced from Guatemala and Honduras, available in 12-ounce clamshell and five-pound bulk box presentations; HLB pioneered the retail-ready clamshell format for the U.S. market.
• Dragon Fruit (Yellow, White, Red) Dragon fruit available in three varieties: Yellow (white flesh, sweetest), White (red skin, white flesh), and Red (red skin, red flesh), sourced from Ecuador, Colombia, and Florida.
• Mangosteen Known as the 'Queen of Fruits' in Asia, with a flavor profile described as a cross between citrus and pear; sourced from Colombia for European/Canadian markets and from Mexico/Central America for the U.S. market.
• Guava (White, Pink, Thai) White Guava sourced from Mexico and Pink/Thai Guava sourced from Florida; rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
• Lychee Tropical fruit sourced from Florida and Mexico, part of the tropical fruit portfolio expanded in recent years.
• Drinking Coconut / Tap & Sip Ready-to-drink coconut product sourced from Vietnam and Costa Rica and marketed under the Tap & Sip brand for convenient consumption.
• Organic Ginger Organic ginger sourced from Peru and available year-round as part of the company's specialty produce offerings.
• Passion Fruit / Granadilla Passion fruits from Brazil in several varieties including deep purple (Gulupa), yellow (maracuya), and yellow-orange (granadilla); rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, iron, and fiber.
• Goldenberries (Physalis) Also known as Physalis or 'amour en cage' (love in a cage); grown sustainably on Colombian mountainsides and considered a superfood rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins A and C, with 53 calories per 3.5 oz.
• Tropical Avocados (Green Skin) Also called Green Skin Avocados, three times the size of Hass avocados with bright green color and smooth shiny skin; popular for slightly lower fat content and lighter, fresher texture, ideal for slicing and dicing in salads, sandwiches, and wraps.
• Organic Formosa Papaya Organic Formosa/Tainung papaya developed over four years with a Mexican grower, with a ripeness-indicator sticker on packaging showing the ideal color (2-3 stripes of yellow) needed to enjoy a sweet and ripe papaya.
• Tupi Papaya New improved version of the Formosa papaya variety with longer shelf-life, improved flavor, and internal red color, named after the Tupi indigenous people of Brazil.

Quantifiable outcome

• First company to introduce retail-ready 12oz rambutan clamshells to U.S. retail in 2015
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Caliman Agricola (Brazil)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Long-term partnership with Brazilian papaya grower Caliman Agricola for exclusive representation in the USA. Partnership began in early 1990s when HLB was introduced to Caliman through cargo agents. Caliman developed proprietary papaya varieties including Samba, and HLB pioneered air-flown, tree-ripened papayas to European and North American markets.
• HLB Tropical Food GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company based in Kelsterbach, Germany handling European distribution. Both companies are independently operated but share resources, brand identity, and strategic direction under the HLB Group.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Melissa's / World Variety Produce: Los Angeles-based specialty and exotic produce distributor with a broad tropical and ethnic catalog serving both retail and foodservice. Closely comparable to HLB on offering breadth, B2B-plus-retail GTM, and SKU count across papaya, dragon fruit, rambutan, and other tropicals.
• Brooks Tropicals: Florida-based tropical fruit grower/shipper (limes, papayas, mangoes, other tropicals) with a similar B2B retail-and-wholesale model. Direct overlap with HLB's Florida-grown and tropical distribution activities.
• Amazon Produce Network: New Jersey-based importer and distributor of tropical and ethnic produce (mango, papaya, lime, Hispanic/tropical specialties) into U.S. retail and foodservice. Direct B2B tropical-distribution peer to HLB with overlapping SKUs and customers.
• Turbana: Colombian-origin tropical fruit company distributing plantains, bananas, and exotics into North America. Comparable to HLB as a region-anchored tropical importer with established U.S. retail relationships.
• Chestnut Hill Farms: Specialty tropical grower/importer (mangoes from Haiti, Costa Rica, Ecuador; papayas) supplying U.S. retail. Direct peer to HLB on tropical sourcing and supply-chain-driven retail distribution.
• WP Produce Corporation: Florida-based tropical fruit distributor (sugarloaf pineapple, Desbry avocados, papayas, other tropicals) into U.S. retail and foodservice. Comparable as a multi-SKU tropical specialist competing for similar shelf space and accounts.

Broad incumbents

• Seald Sweet (Greenyard): Florida-based broadline produce distributor (now part of Greenyard) covering citrus, tropicals, and vegetables into major U.S. retailers. Comparable as a much larger incumbent that competes with HLB in tropical fruit slots at the same retail customers.
• Del Monte Fresh Produce: Global fresh-produce giant with a broad tropical and exotic portfolio including pineapple, mango, papaya, and melons. Comparable as a multinational incumbent whose catalog overlaps with HLB's premium tropical SKUs at major retailers.

Others

• Zespri International: Single-category branded produce player (kiwifruit) operating a global integrated grower-to-retail program. Comparable to HLB as a strategic blueprint for branded, category-creating produce rather than a direct tropical competitor.

Regional players

• West Pak Avocado: California-based avocado-focused grower/shipper with expansion into other tropicals (dragon fruit, lime). Comparable to HLB as a produce distributor focused on specialty/single-fruit-led category leadership and retailer programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/HLBSpecialties
• Facebookfacebook.com/HLBSpecialties
• Instagraminstagram.com/hlbgroup
• TikTokvm.tiktok.com/ZMRxXhmnm
• Xx.com/hlbspecialties

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 HLB Specialties