Grupo PADANA
Gruppo Padana is an Italian horticultural nursery that produces young plants from seeds and cuttings—ornamental plants, vegetables, herbs, and roses—supplying professional growers and farmers across Europe with an assortment of over 2,000 items.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersPaese, Italy
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Grupo PADANA does
Gruppo Padana, legally registered as ortofloricoltura dei F.lli Gazzola S.S. (a società semplice / general partnership under Italian law), is a horticultural and floricultural nursery based in Paese (Treviso), in Italy's Veneto region. Founded in 1988 when brothers Giorgio and Paolo Gazzola took over 8,500 m² of greenhouses from their father Albino, the company specializes in the production of young plants (seedlings and cuttings) from both seeds and cuttings, supplying professional growers, farmers, and nursery operators across Europe with an assortment of more than 2,000 items spanning ornamental plants, vegetables, herbs, and roses. By 2016 the operation had scaled to approximately 250,000 m² of greenhouses and around 30,000 m² of accessory agricultural facilities.
The company's core technology is greenhouse cultivation for propagating young plants, complemented by in-house breeding programs that generate exclusive genetics. It commercializes proprietary registered brands including GPman (Dipladenia/Mandevilla), Top-Tunia (Petunia), Viola Superba (pansy/viola), Primabella (Primrose), Lavinia (Lavender), and vegetable/herb lines such as Horty Games and HORTISUPER AROMA. Product assortment is organized into Spring-Summer and Autumn-Winter seasonal categories, and the portfolio also includes third-party rose genetics from breeders such as Meilland and Kordes.
The business operates a sales-led, B2B go-to-market model, selling young plants directly to professional growers across at least nine European markets (Italy, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, France, the UK, the Netherlands, and Spain) through a direct sales organization and contact-based ordering. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quoted on a per-customer basis. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of young plants; there is no evidence of subscription or recurring revenue mechanics. The company is entirely family-owned with no external investors, parent company, or subsidiaries; it employs an estimated 101-250 people.
Grupo PADANA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Grupo PADANA
- Legal name
- ortofloricoltura dei F.lli Gazzola S.S.
- Website
- https://gruppopadana.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Gruppo Padana is an Italian horticultural nursery that produces young plants from seeds and cuttings—ornamental plants, vegetables, herbs, and roses—supplying professional growers and farmers across Europe with an assortment of over 2,000 items.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Grupo PADANA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Horticultural Young Plant Production
- NAICS
- Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142), Floriculture Production (111422), Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover (111419)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) / Vertical Farming (Indoor LED Farms) (AFAGAHAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nursery Stock & Propagule Production (Cuttings, Rootstocks, Grafts) (AFAGAIAO), Vegetative Propagation (Cuttings, Clonal Forestry, Tissue Culture) (AFAMADAE)
Keywords
Where Grupo PADANA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paese
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Grupo PADANA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Young Plant Sales (B2B): Sale of young plants (seedlings and cuttings) to professional growers, farmers, and nursery operators. Products include ornamental plants, vegetables, herbs, and roses. The company serves customers across Europe with an assortment of over 2,000 items.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Grupo PADANA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gruppo Padana is a horticultural nursery that produces young plants (seedlings) from both seeds and cuttings. Operating approximately 250,000 m² of greenhouses, the company supplies professional growers, farmers, and nursery operators across Europe with an assortment of over 2,000 items spanning ornamental plants, vegetables, herbs, and roses.
Product overview
Gruppo Padana is a horticultural nursery specializing in the production of young plants from seeds and cuttings. The company operates approximately 250,000 m² of greenhouses and 30,000 m² of accessory agricultural facilities (as of 2016), serving customers throughout Europe with an assortment of over 2,000 items. The product portfolio is organized into two main seasonal categories: Spring-Summer (including Dipladenia/GPman, Pelargonium/Geraniums, Sunpatiens, Top-Tunia, Pot Plants, Vegetables, Herbs, Annuals) and Autumn-Winter (including Cyclamen, Poinsettia, Pansies/Viola Superba, Primroses/Primabella, Perennials, and Roses). Key branded products include GPman (Dipladenia), Viola Superba (Pansy), Primabella (Primrose), Top-Tunia (Patio Plants), and Lavinia (Lavender). The company also produces vegetables (Tomato, Pepper, Grafted Plants) and herb varieties.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GPman: Dipladenia (Mandevilla) brand with exclusive genetics from Gruppo Padana breeding - includes varieties like GPman PINK, GPman WHITE, GPman BRILLIANT RED
- Viola Superba
- Primabella
- Top-Tunia
- HORTISUPER AROMA
- Lavinia
- MAJESTY
- JAMBO
- FIORDORO
- KOKORITA
- TINKLEBELL
- CONTESSA
- DUCHESSE
- Soiree
- Sensy
- Pot-Prince
Products and services
- Young Plants from Seeds and Cuttings
Companies that use Grupo PADANA
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Grupo PADANA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Grupo PADANA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Consorzio Innovaa - Innovazione AgroalimentarecoreProject coordinator for the 'Future Agriculture and Functional Food' (F.A.&A.F.) research project funded by POR FESR 2014-2020. Gruppo Padana is a co-proponent in this initiative focused on innovation in the agri-food sector including floriculture and horticulture.
- Rete Innovativa RIBEScorePartnership in the 'Future Agriculture and Functional Food' (F.A.&A.F.) project focused on innovation for health and smart nutrition ecosystems.
- Distretto Ittico di Rovigo e ChioggiaminorCo-proponent in the F.A.&A.F. research project focused on functional foods and sustainable agriculture.
- Università degli Studi di PadovacoreResearch center partner in the F.A.&A.F. project contributing expertise in agriculture, biotechnology, and food science.
- Università Ca' Foscari VeneziacoreResearch university partner in the F.A.&A.F. project focused on sustainable agriculture and functional foods.
- Università degli Studi di VeronacoreAcademic partner in the F.A.&A.F. research initiative contributing to agricultural innovation.
- Centro Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)coreNational research center partner providing expertise in biotechnology and diagnostic technologies for the F.A.&A.F. project.
- EcorNaturaSìminorAgricultural producer and organic/natural products company participating in the F.A.&A.F. research project.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Grupo PADANA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Selecta One: German breeder and producer of vegetatively propagated ornamental young plants (Pelargonium, Poinsettia, Calibrachoa, Petunia). Competes head-on with Padana in branded, cutting-based ornamentals sold to European growers.
- Kientzler Jungpflanzen: German family-owned young-plant producer of bedding and balcony plants, including Pelargonium and Poinsettia. Comparable mid-sized European competitor with similar breeding-and-propagation model.
- Florensis: Dutch breeder and propagator of annual and perennial young plants (Pelargonium, Primula, Pansy, Poinsettia). Comparable to Padana across the same autumn-winter ornamental assortment including Primabella/Viola equivalents.
- HilverdaFlorist: Dutch breeder and young-plant supplier specializing in cut flowers, pot plants, and garden plants. Comparable as a European breeding-to-young-plant player serving growers with proprietary genetics and broad assortment.
- Dümmen Orange: Global Dutch-based leader in floricultural breeding and young-plant production across ornamentals. Directly comparable to Gruppo Padana as a B2B young-plant supplier with proprietary genetics, large greenhouse footprint, and European grower customer base.
- Beekenkamp Group: Dutch family-owned young-plant and pot-plant producer active in ornamentals and vegetables. Closely comparable business model (family ownership, large greenhouse footprint, branded genetics, European B2B sales).
- Volmary GmbH: German family-owned horticultural company producing young vegetable, herb, and flower plants. Directly comparable for Padana's vegetable and herb young-plant lines (Tomato, Pepper, herbs, grafted plants).
Broad incumbents
- Ball Horticultural Company: US-headquartered global horticulture major with breeding, seed, and young-plant businesses across ornamentals and vegetables. Comparable to Padana at the category level, though significantly larger and geographically broader.
- Syngenta Flowers (Syngenta Group): Global seed and crop protection major with a commercial flowers and ornamentals business. Overlaps with Padana's young-plant assortment at the broad-portfolio level, with materially larger R&D and capital resources.
Emerging players
- Suntory Flowers: Japanese breeder that licenses and propagates premium ornamental varieties (e.g., Surfinia petunias, Sunpatiens impatiens). Comparable to Padana in branded ornamental genetics sold via European propagators; overlapping in Top-Tunia and Sunpatiens-adjacent categories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Grupo PADANA social profiles
Digital presenceGrupo PADANA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Grupo PADANA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Grupo PADANA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Grupo PADANA 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 Grupo PADANA
What does Grupo PADANA do?
Gruppo Padana is a horticultural nursery that produces young plants (seedlings) from both seeds and cuttings. Operating approximately 250,000 m² of greenhouses, the company supplies professional growers, farmers, and nursery operators across Europe with an assortment of over 2,000 items spanning ornamental plants, vegetables, herbs, and roses.
Is Grupo PADANA a public or private company?
Grupo PADANA is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Grupo PADANA founded?
Grupo PADANA was founded in 1988. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Grupo PADANA based?
Grupo PADANA is headquartered in Paese, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Grupo PADANA make money?
One revenue line is on record: young Plant Sales (B2B).
Who are Grupo PADANA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Selecta One, Kientzler Jungpflanzen, Florensis, HilverdaFlorist, Dümmen Orange, Beekenkamp Group and Volmary GmbH. Broad incumbents are Ball Horticultural Company and Syngenta Flowers (Syngenta Group). Suntory Flowers is listed as an emerging player.
Does Grupo PADANA have an API?
No public API is recorded for Grupo PADANA.
What industry is Grupo PADANA in?
Grupo PADANA's product category is Horticultural Young Plant Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGAHAJ, Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) / Vertical Farming (Indoor LED Farms), with a secondary code of AFAGAIAO, Nursery Stock & Propagule Production (Cuttings, Rootstocks, Grafts). Its NAICS code is 1114.