La Bourrache

What La Bourrache does

La Bourrache ASBL is a Belgian non-profit social enterprise (Association Sans But Lucratif), founded in October 2003 in the Liège region and registered at Rue Chaussée 46, 4342 Hognoul. It operates as an approved Centre d'Insertion Socioprofessionnelle (CISP-094) and runs an integrated model combining organic market gardening, ecological parks and gardens services, and vocational training for long-term unemployed job seekers. The organization holds BIO certification (issued by Quality Partner) since March 2015 for production at its Xhendremael site, where it practices biological and sustainable agriculture exceeding minimum organic standards — including no-till methods, animal traction, biodiversity enhancement through hedgerows and flower strips, and exclusion of synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. It also operates the JOB Vert discovery module for NEET youth aged 18-29, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (FSE+).

The organization's commercial offering is built around weekly subscription baskets of 6-7 seasonal organic vegetables (Petit €11, Moyen €17, Grand €22) delivered on Tuesdays to 16+ pickup depots across the Liège region, an online boutique for ordering, a wholesale channel supplying the majority of organic shops and certain schools/businesses in Liège, on-site ecological garden design and maintenance for private clients coordinated by a landscape architect, and a vocational training portfolio (organic market gardening and parks/gardens maintenance) that combines practical skills training with psychosocial support. Go-to-market is community-led through word-of-mouth, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok), and institutional referrals from FOREM and social services. Revenue is drawn from a mix of public CISP subsidies, FSE+ co-financing, D2C basket subscriptions, B2B wholesale, and transactional garden services. Approximately 75% training attendance and 49% five-year success rate are reported for the JOB Vert program.

Business is operated by a team of 11 staff including the acting director, financial administration, two maraîchage trainers, two parcs et jardins trainers, a landscape architect, two psychosocial support workers, and logistics personnel. The Walloon Region is the primary public funding source and has recently reduced subsidies, prompting the first basket price increase since 2010 scheduled for May 2026.

Name

La Bourrache

Legal name

La Bourrache asbl & CISP

Website

https://labourrache.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Bourrache ASBL is a Belgian non-profit social enterprise in Liège combining certified organic market gardening, ecological garden services, and vocational CISP training for job seekers, supported by Walloon Region and FSE+ funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Enterprise Organic Agriculture

NAICS

Other Vegetable (except Potato) and Melon Farming (111219), Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (445230)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural/Organic Food Co-ops & Community Natural Grocers (CRAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Buying Clubs & Community Bulk Purchasing Co-ops (CRAHALAE), Foodservice / HORECA Produce Wholesale (AFAIACAI), Online B2B Grocery Supply for Small Businesses (Wholesale-to-Consumer/Prosumer) (CRAHAIAL)

Keywords

• Organic vegetable baskets
• Vocational training programs
• Ecological garden services
• Organic market gardening
• Social insertion enterprise

Headquarters

HQ city

Hognoul

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Government Training Subsidies (CISP): As an approved Centre d'Insertion Socioprofessionnelle (CISP) numbered CISP-094 by the Walloon Region, La Bourrache receives public subsidies to fund its vocational training programs for job seekers. The FSE+ (European Social Fund Plus) co-finances the JOB Vert discovery program for youth. Training includes personalized support, practical skills in organic farming and garden maintenance, and professional project development.
2. Organic Vegetable Basket Subscriptions: Weekly subscription boxes of 6-7 seasonal organic vegetables delivered to pickup depots. Three sizes: Petit (€11 for 1 person), Moyen (€17 for 2-3 people), Grand (€22 for 3-4 people). Multi-basket subscriptions offer promotional rates. Customers can order individual baskets or commit to multiple baskets. Orders placed online or via bank transfer with Friday cutoff.
3. Parks and Gardens Services: Ecological garden design and maintenance services for private clients including garden creation (plans, flower beds, shrub masses, vegetable gardens, orchards), installations (decorative bark, plant borders, fences), and ongoing maintenance (pruning, weeding without pesticides, mowing, tree work). Free quotes provided by coordinator Laurent Streuve. Services include contracts for regular mowing.
4. Wholesale to Organic Retailers: Supplies the majority of organic shops in Liège and surrounding area, as well as schools and businesses with vegetables for daily soups and other dishes. Distribution to L'Épicerie d'Augustin, Oufticoop, Le Kotidien, BiTop, Circuits Paysans, Le Potiquet, LPP Neuvice, LPP Sainte-Walburge, LPP Vennes, and Le temps des cerises.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

La Bourrache is a Belgian non-profit social enterprise (ASBL) operating as a Centre d'Insertion Socioprofessionnelle (CISP). It produces and distributes certified organic vegetables through weekly subscription baskets, provides ecological garden design and maintenance services, and runs vocational training programs for unemployed job seekers and NEET youth in organic market gardening and landscaping.

Product overview

La Bourrache is a social enterprise (ASBL/CISP) offering an integrated portfolio of organic agriculture and professional training services. The core offerings include: (1) Paniers Bio - a subscription-based organic vegetable basket delivery service with pickup depots across the Liège region; (2) Maraîchage Bio - on-site organic vegetable production at Xhendremael using sustainable agricultural practices; (3) Parcs et Jardins - professional garden design and maintenance services for private clients; (4) Formation Professionnelle - vocational training in organic farming and garden maintenance for long-term unemployed job seekers; and (5) J.O.B. Vert - a specialized discovery program for NEET youth aged 18-29. The services are complemented by an online boutique for basket orders and a physical market location. All products share a commitment to ecological practices, short supply chains, and social inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paniers Bio (Organic Vegetable Baskets) Weekly subscription-based delivery of 6-7 seasonal organic vegetable baskets in three sizes (Petit at €11 for 1 person, Moyen at €17 for 2-3 persons, Grand at €22 for 3-4 persons), distributed through pickup depots across the Liège region. Customers can order individual baskets or commit to multi-basket subscriptions with promotional rates.
• Parcs et Jardins (Parks and Gardens Services) Ecological garden design, installation, and maintenance services for private clients including garden plans, flower beds, shrub masses, vegetable gardens, orchards, fencing, pruning, pesticide-free weeding, mowing, tree work, and environmental landscaping. Free quotes provided by coordinator Laurent Streuve.
• Formation Professionnelle Maraîchage Bio et Parcs et Jardins Vocational training program for long-term unemployed job seekers covering organic market gardening and ecological park/garden maintenance. Combines practical skills training, theoretical knowledge, psychosocial support, and professional project development over a 6-month initial contract renewable up to 2100 hours.
• J.O.B. Vert (Green Jobs Discovery Training) Discovery training module for unemployed NEET youth aged 18-29, providing foundational skills in organic agriculture and landscape gardening with practical training, theoretical lessons, evaluation and follow-up, citizenship workshops, and eco-responsibility awareness. Achieves 75% average attendance rate and 49% success rate over 5 years.
• Petit Marché Bio (Small Organic Market) Small organic market at the Hognoul location for direct sales of organic vegetables to consumers on site.

Quantifiable outcome

• 49% average success rate for JOB Vert youth training program over 5 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Quality PartnercoreOthersOfficial organic certification body that conducts annual audits of La Bourrache's production systems to verify compliance with biological agriculture standards.
• IPEFA de Huy-WaremmeminorOthersExternal educational partner that provides theoretical course instruction for CISP trainees as part of the comprehensive training program.
• ITPminorOthersExternal training partner providing theoretical courses as part of the CISP training curriculum for trainee skill development.
• FOREM (Walloon Public Employment Service)coreOthersOfficial government employment service that refers job seekers to La Bourrache's CISP training programs. Key channel for trainee recruitment.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fermes du Bonheur: Belgian organic farm network producing vegetables, fruit, and eggs with direct-to-consumer sales channels. Comparable to La Bourrache on small-scale Belgian organic production supplying conscious local consumers.
• Cycle en Terre: Organic vegetable cooperative in the Liège area operating a CSA-style basket subscription model with seasonal produce and member pickup depots. Directly comparable to La Bourrache on basket subscription mechanics, organic certification, and Belgian regional footprint.
• La Ferme du Monceau: Belgian organic vegetable farm offering CSA-style seasonal basket subscriptions. Comparable to La Bourrache on organic vegetable production, basket subscription mechanics, and Belgian direct-to-consumer distribution model.
• Inclusion ASBL: Walloon social enterprise offering vocational training and integration programs for disadvantaged populations. Directly comparable to La Bourrache on CISP-style training operations, psychosocial support model, and Walloon Region funding relationships.

Others

• Lire et Écrire: Walloon ASBL providing literacy and basic skills training to adults across Wallonia. Comparable to La Bourrache on ASBL governance, Walloon Region and FSE+ funding model, and training mission for disadvantaged populations, though operating in a different subject-matter domain.
• Het Zorgbedrijf Antwerpen: Antwerp-based public social enterprise providing care, housing, and employment services. Comparable to La Bourrache as a structurally analogous Belgian social-purpose organization combining service delivery with workforce integration, though operating in a different sector and region.

Emerging players

• La Ruche qui dit Oui: French-origin online marketplace enabling local producers to sell directly to consumers via weekly basket orders. Comparable to La Bourrache on basket subscription model and direct-from-farm consumer access, though operating as a multi-producer platform rather than single-farm producer.

Broad incumbents

• Bioplanet: Belgian organic retail chain (Colruyt Group) operating stores across Belgium with broad organic assortment. A large incumbent in the same organic retail category La Bourrache's wholesale and basket customers serve, with stronger capital backing and assortment depth.
• Färm: Belgian organic retail co-op chain with multiple stores across Belgium and a wide assortment of organic produce and groceries. A broader incumbent than La Bourrache, but competes for the same Liège organic consumer wallet and sources from similar small-scale Belgian organic farms.
• Oxfam-Magasins du Monde: Belgian fair-trade and organic retail network with stores nationwide selling produce and groceries. A broader incumbent with overlapping organic sourcing channels and a values-aligned customer base that intersects with La Bourrache's subscribers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBVVd3ZtPKReW0sbDdOzHEw
• Facebookfacebook.com/labourracheASBL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-bourrache
• Instagraminstagram.com/la_bourrache
• TikToktiktok.com/@la_bourrache
• Xx.com/la_bourrache

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 La Bourrache