Van Gelder vegetables & fruit

What Van Gelder vegetables & fruit does

Van Gelder vegetables & fruit (legal entity: Van Gelder Ridderkerk BV) is a privately held Dutch fresh-produce wholesale distributor founded in the early 1950s by Leen van Gelder Sr., now operating under third-generation family ownership from its headquarters at Krommeweg 10, Ridderkerk. The company purchases directly from growers — both domestic and international across more than 25 countries — and distributes a catalog of over 5,000 fresh products spanning vegetables, fruits, potatoes, herbs and cresses, mushrooms, salads, convenience items, plant-based alternatives, nuts and seeds, juices, and organic/regenerative produce, with a stated same-day or next-day delivery promise based on owned logistics and mechanized warehouse operations. Its go-to-market is B2B, targeting the Dutch foodservice industry — with the hospitality segment (hotels, restaurants, cafés) as the primary vertical, alongside caterers, healthcare institutions, bakeries, butchers, and retail — via an account-based model with dedicated account managers, a €100 minimum order value, and the award-winning "Best B2B Webshop in the Netherlands" e-commerce platform. The business monetizes through standard wholesale transaction margins with quote-based pricing per customer, supported by a physical Experience Center in Ridderkerk that operates as an education, tasting, and demonstration facility, and has recently extended into adjacent product lines such as regenerative vegetables (in partnership with Bidfood and Boeren Natuurlijk), plant-based sauces and dressings, a vegetarian smoked sausage, and a 2026-launched AI Recipe Assistant for culinary inspiration.

Name

Van Gelder vegetables & fruit

Legal name

Van Gelder Ridderkerk BV

Website

https://vangeldernederland.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Van Gelder vegetables & fruit is a Dutch, family-owned B2B wholesale distributor that supplies the hospitality, catering, healthcare, and broader foodservice industry with over 5,000 fresh produce SKUs sourced directly from growers domestically and internationally, delivered same or next day.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Value/Discount Broadline Foodservice Distributors (AFAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Fresh produce wholesale
• Fruit vegetable distribution
• B2B foodservice supply
• Plant-based alternatives
• Horticultural supply chain

Headquarters

HQ city

Ridderkerk

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Wholesale: B2B wholesale distribution of fresh vegetables, fruits, potatoes, herbs, mushrooms, salads, convenience products, and plant-based alternatives to foodservice industry including hospitality, catering, healthcare, retail, bakeries, and butchers. Products sourced directly from growers with fast turnaround time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Van Gelder vegetables & fruit is a Dutch fresh produce wholesale supplier connecting growers directly with foodservice customers, including hospitality, catering, healthcare institutions, bakeries, butchers, and retail outlets. The company offers over 5,000 SKUs spanning fresh vegetables, fruits, potatoes, lettuce, herbs, mushrooms, salads, convenience products, and plant-based alternatives, with same-day or next-day delivery managed through an award-winning B2B webshop and dedicated account managers.

Product overview

Van Gelder vegetables & fruit is a Dutch fresh produce wholesale supplier operating primarily in the B2B foodservice market. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of over 5,000 fresh products across multiple categories including vegetables (with subcategories like Asian vegetables, biological vegetables, sliced vegetables, vegetable mixes), fruits, potatoes, lettuce, herbs & cresses, mushrooms, salads, and convenience foods. The core offering is supported by specialized divisions: a plant-based range (beef/chicken/fish alternatives, burgers, sausages), an eco/biological line (organic produce, regenerative vegetables), and a B2B webshop platform. Additional services include an Experience Center for culinary education and inspiration, and a full range of nuts, seeds, juices, and miscellaneous food products. The company manages the entire supply chain from farm to fork, enabling next-day delivery of day-fresh produce.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Fastest turnaround in the market - picked today, on your plate tomorrow
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BidfoodcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Van Gelder and Bidfood partnered with Boeren Natuurlijk (an initiative of MVO Nederland) to introduce regenerative vegetables to the market. This collaboration aims to strengthen the step towards regenerative agriculture and biodiversity enhancement in the Dutch foodservice sector.
• Boeren NatuurlijkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025An initiative of MVO Nederland focused on regenerative agriculture. Partnered with Van Gelder and Bidfood to bring regenerative vegetables to the Dutch market, with the goal of strengthening biodiversity and soil health.
• MVO NederlandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025MVO Nederland (CSR Netherlands) runs the Boeren Natuurlijk initiative that partnered with Van Gelder and Bidfood for regenerative vegetable production.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Greenyard: Belgium-headquartered global market leader in fresh, frozen, and prepared fruits and vegetables serving retail, foodservice, and industry. Comparable as a larger incumbent offering overlapping fresh-produce distribution with broader category and geographic reach.
• Bakkavor: UK-headquartered fresh prepared food manufacturer and supplier serving major retailers and foodservice. Comparable as a larger incumbent in fresh and convenience food categories targeting overlapping hospitality and retail customers.
• Sligro Food Group: Largest Dutch foodservice wholesaler serving hospitality, restaurants, and catering with a broad assortment including fresh produce. Comparable as a Dutch foodservice distribution incumbent operating at greater scale across broader categories.
• Hanos: Dutch cash-and-carry and foodservice wholesaler supplying hospitality and catering with fresh, frozen, and dry goods. Comparable as a Dutch broadline foodservice distributor with overlapping hospitality customer base.
• Bidfood: Leading Dutch foodservice distributor serving hospitality, healthcare, and institutional catering. Comparable as a Dutch broadline foodservice peer and existing regenerative-agriculture partner of Van Gelder.
• Total Produce (now Dole plc): Global fresh-produce company formed from the merger of Total Produce and Dole, operating across fresh fruits and vegetables worldwide. Comparable as a large incumbent in fresh produce distribution with overlapping B2B foodservice exposure.
• Sysco: World's largest broadline foodservice distributor supplying restaurants, healthcare, and hospitality with fresh, frozen, and dry products. Comparable as a large global incumbent illustrating the foodservice distribution model Van Gelder operates at Dutch scale.

Direct peers

• The Greenery: Cooperative fresh produce distributor and supplier of fruits and vegetables to Dutch and European retailers and foodservice. Directly comparable as a Dutch-headquartered fresh produce wholesaler supplying downstream food channels.
• Nature's Pride: Dutch grower-exporter specializing in exotic fruits and vegetables, supplying European retail and foodservice. Comparable as a Netherlands-based fresh-produce specialist with international sourcing and premium positioning.
• Special Fruit: Belgian importer and distributor of fresh exotic fruits and vegetables to retail and foodservice across Europe. Comparable as a specialty fresh-produce wholesaler focused on assortment, quality, and international sourcing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VanGelderNL
• Facebookfacebook.com/VanGelderNederland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Van Gelder vegetables & fruit