Special Fruit
Special Fruit NV is a Belgian family-owned importer and distributor of berries, exotic fruits, ready-to-eat produce, and special vegetables, supplying European retail chains, foodservice operators, and wholesale businesses across more than 20 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersMeer, Belgium
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Special Fruit firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Special Fruit
- Legal name
- Special Fruit NV
- Website
- https://specialfruit.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Special Fruit NV is a Belgian family-owned importer and distributor of berries, exotic fruits, ready-to-eat produce, and special vegetables, supplying European retail chains, foodservice operators, and wholesale businesses across more than 20 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Special Fruit industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fresh Produce Distribution
- NAICS
- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Berry (except Strawberry) Farming (111334), Strawberry Farming (111333)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fresh Fruit Wholesale (AFAIACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fresh-Cut & Value-Added Produce (Washed, Peeled, Sliced, Packaged) (AFAKAFAA), Berry Farming (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries) (AFAGACAD), Berry Sorting & Packing Facilities (AFAOAGAD)
Keywords
Where Special Fruit is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Meer
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Special Fruit business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fresh Produce Sales: B2B transaction-based sales of berries, exotic fruits, and special vegetables to European retail sector, supermarkets, foodservice, and wholesale businesses. Revenue generated through product sales with no public pricing disclosed.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Special Fruit product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Special Fruit is a B2B importer, ripener and distributor of fresh berries, exotic fruits and special vegetables, sold under proprietary brands (BerryFresh, BestChoice, Calinda, Ready To Eat) to European retailers, foodservice and wholesale customers. The company combines global sourcing, 170 hectares of dedicated grower cooperation, custom packaging, and patented Softripe AI-based ripening technology to deliver year-round ultra-fresh produce with extended shelf life.
Product overview
Special Fruit is a Belgian-based international importer and distributor of fresh produce operating across four product categories: (1) Berries under the BerryFresh brand (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, red currants, cherries, and berry mixes), (2) Exotics under the BestChoice brand (pomegranate, passion fruit, carambola, coconut, dates, figs, persimmon, lychee, mango, papaya, cherimoya, lime, kumquat, avocado, and more), (3) Ready-to-eat produce under the Ready To Eat brand (avocados, mangoes, papayas ripened via Softripe technology), and (4) Special vegetables under the BestChoice brand (asparagus, baby corn, beans, chestnuts, ginger, lemongrass, rawit pepper, salsify, snowpeas, sugar snaps, sweet potato, turmeric). The company also operates its own cultivation with partner growers across 170 hectares, primarily for blueberries and raspberries. Packaging flexibility is a core service offering, with customized packaging available across all product lines.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BerryFresh Premium soft-fruit brand covering strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, red currants, cherries and berry mixes, with a quality guarantee and year-round availability for European retail and foodservice buyers.
- BestChoice Quality seal of approval for difficult-to-assess exotics (pomegranate, passion fruit, carambola, mango, papaya, avocado, etc.) and special vegetables (asparagus, baby corn, ginger, turmeric, etc.), guaranteeing ripeness, quality and homogeneity for retail and foodservice buyers.
- Calinda Winter and spring strawberry variety with intense sweet flavor, extended shelf life and integrated supply-chain quality control, sold under the Calinda brand for European retail buyers.
- Ready To Eat Brand covering pre-ripened produce (avocados, mangoes, papayas) ripened via Softripe AI-based cells and forced-air ripening facilities to guarantee ready-to-eat condition on delivery for retail and foodservice buyers.
- Custom packaging and private-label solutions Made-to-measure packaging service offering a wide range of formats, sizes and private-label options for retail and foodservice buyers across Special Fruit's berry, exotic and vegetable product lines.
- Dedicated grower cooperation programme (170 hectares) Coordinated cultivation programme with dedicated growers covering 170 hectares of berries (mainly blueberries and raspberries), supplying integrated upstream volume with controlled quality, sustainability and ethical-compliance procedures for the company's fresh-produce offering.
Quantifiable outcome
- Softripe technology reduces food waste through stress-free ripening and significantly longer shelf life
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Special Fruit
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Special Fruit technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Special Fruit partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Eco TechnicsminorFamily business from Brecht that installed the 1606 solar panels on Special Fruit's facilities. Part of the sustainability collaboration with Ecopower.
- Normec FoodcarecoreProvider of QC One platform used by Special Fruit for centralized quality monitoring, clear reporting, and efficient collaboration between growers, suppliers, and quality teams. Modern and user-friendly platform widely used in fresh produce industry.
- SIFAVcoreAs a family business, Special Fruit is affiliated with SIFAV (Sustainable Juice Covenant) and is actively committed to reducing food waste and limiting climate impact of activities.
- Growers and Suppliers NetworkcoreSpecial Fruit cooperates with dedicated growers cultivating 170 hectares of blueberries, raspberries, red currants, strawberries, and blackberries. Suppliers must agree in writing to strict procedures and ethical guidelines. Long-term relationships ensure quality, continuity and sustainability from cultivation to delivery.
- Softripe Technology (Licensed)coreSpecial Fruit is the exclusive launch partner in Belgium for Softripe AI-based avocado ripening technology. This patented innovation represents a significant competitive advantage in avocado quality and shelf life.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Special Fruit competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fyffes: Irish-headquartered tropical produce distributor (bananas, pineapples, melons) with European retail supply chain. Comparable in B2B fresh produce distribution, exotic fruit sourcing, and European supermarket customer base.
- BerryWorld Group: UK-based global berry specialist supplying premium strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries to European retailers. Directly comparable in soft-fruit focus, proprietary berry brands, and retailer-led B2B distribution.
- Bakker Barendrecht: Dutch fresh fruit and vegetable distributor supplying Dutch and European supermarket chains. Comparable as a B2B produce wholesaler with similar retailer-led model and proximity to Antwerp/Rotterdam port region.
- Greenyard: Belgian-headquartered global fresh, frozen, and prepared fruit and vegetable supplier serving European retailers and foodservice. Direct peer given overlapping product mix (berries, exotics, vegetables), similar B2B European retail model, and comparable cultivation and ripening footprint.
- Cool Fresh International: Dutch importer of exotics, berries, and ready-to-eat fruit for European retail. Comparable in size, exotic and berry portfolio, ripening capabilities, and B2B European supermarket model.
- Nature's Pride: Dutch importer and ripener of exotic fruit and vegetables (avocados, mangoes, berries) with proprietary ripening facilities and European retail focus. Highly comparable on ready-to-eat exotics, ripening technology, and European supermarket customer base.
- Hessing Supervers: Dutch fresh-cut fruit and vegetable processor and distributor serving European retail and out-of-home channels. Comparable in fresh-cut, ready-to-eat produce capabilities and European supermarket customers.
Broad incumbents
- Total Produce / Dole plc: Global fresh produce conglomerate (formerly Total Produce, now Dole plc) with broad portfolio across bananas, citrus, berries, exotics, and vegetables. Comparable as a much larger incumbent in the same European retail wholesale channel.
- Driscoll's: Global market leader in berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) sold through European and worldwide retailers. Comparable as a premium branded berry specialist with proprietary varieties and grower networks.
Regional players
- Blue Whale (Blue Whale SAS): French apple grower-marketer distributing branded apples across European retail. Comparable as a vertically integrated fruit supplier with proprietary brand and European retail relationships, though narrower category scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Special Fruit social profiles
Digital presenceSpecial Fruit financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Special Fruit leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Special Fruit subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Special Fruit funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Special Fruit 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 Special Fruit
What does Special Fruit do?
Special Fruit is a B2B importer, ripener and distributor of fresh berries, exotic fruits and special vegetables, sold under proprietary brands (BerryFresh, BestChoice, Calinda, Ready To Eat) to European retailers, foodservice and wholesale customers. The company combines global sourcing, 170 hectares of dedicated grower cooperation, custom packaging, and patented Softripe AI-based ripening technology to deliver year-round ultra-fresh produce with extended shelf life.
Is Special Fruit a public or private company?
Special Fruit is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Special Fruit founded?
Special Fruit was founded in 1976. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Special Fruit based?
Special Fruit is headquartered in Meer, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Special Fruit make money?
One revenue line is on record: fresh Produce Sales.
Who are Special Fruit's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fyffes, BerryWorld Group, Bakker Barendrecht, Greenyard, Cool Fresh International, Nature's Pride and Hessing Supervers. Broad incumbents are Total Produce / Dole plc and Driscoll's. Blue Whale (Blue Whale SAS) is listed as a regional player.
Does Special Fruit have an API?
No public API is recorded for Special Fruit.
What industry is Special Fruit in?
Special Fruit's product category is Fresh Produce Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIACAA, Fresh Fruit Wholesale, with a secondary code of AFAKAFAA, Fresh-Cut & Value-Added Produce (Washed, Peeled, Sliced, Packaged). Its NAICS code is 424480 and its SIC code is 5141.