Salvi Vivai

What Salvi Vivai does

Salvi Vivai (legal name: Società Agricola Salvi Vivai S.S.) is a privately held Italian agricultural partnership headquartered in Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, producing and selling nursery plants for commercial fruit cultivation. Founded in 1975, the company operates across five core product lines: strawberry plants (Fragola, including proprietary varieties like CLERY for Mediterranean and continental climates), apple trees (Melo, including Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, and scab-resistant selections), pear trees (Pero, including Conference, Abate Fetel, and Williams), cherry trees (Ciliegio), and apple/pear rootstocks (Portinnesti), with Kiwi as a newer addition. Annual production capacity includes approximately 2 million fruit trees, 135 million strawberry plants, and 3 million rootstocks across 1,200 hectares of cultivation in Italy.

The company's primary technological differentiator is the SWEET cherry breeding program, a 30+ year collaboration with the University of Bologna Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences that has produced a proprietary family of patented and trademarked cherry varieties (Sweet Stephany, Aryana, Saretta, Gabriel, Valina, Lorenz, Davet). These varieties are optimized for high-density, ladder-free orchard systems that reduce labor costs and enable productivity from the second year after planting. The Sweet Stephany variety set a Guinness World Record in 2021 as the heaviest cherry at 26.45 grams. Salvi Vivai is a founding member of the Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (CIV), which provides access to 13 international research centers for collaborative varietal innovation across strawberries, apples, pears, and peaches.

The business model centers on direct B2B sales of plant material to commercial fruit producers and other nurseries (for rootstocks), with wholly-owned distribution and production subsidiaries in France (Salvi France) and Poland (Giotto Polonia) serving French-speaking and Eastern European markets respectively. The company operates an enterprise field sales motion supplemented by technical events (Open Days at the experimental cherry orchard in Portomaggiore), webinars, trade fair participation (Caspian Agro, Prodotto Mela), and a multilingual digital presence. The company holds multiple certifications including ISO 9001:2008, IFS Broker, organic certification, phytosanitary passport, and voluntary genetic health certificates. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company is family-controlled (operated by the Salvi family with Silvia Salvi as administrator) with no external institutional investors identified.

Name

Salvi Vivai

Legal name

Società Agricola Salvi Vivai S.S.

Website

https://salvivivai.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Salvi Vivai is a privately held Italian fruit tree nursery producing strawberry, apple, pear, cherry plants, and rootstocks for commercial fruit growers, with proprietary SWEET cherry varieties developed over 30 years with the University of Bologna.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fruit Tree Nursery & Plant Propagation

akta.pro primary industry

Berry Farming (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries) (AFAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pome Fruit Orchards (Apples, Pears, Quinces) (AFAGACAB), Stone Fruit Orchards (Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Cherries, Apricots) (AFAGACAC)

Keywords

• Fruit tree nursery
• Plant breeding varieties
• Certified nursery stock
• Fruit plant production
• Cherry rootstock propagation

Headquarters

HQ city

Ferrara

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fruit Tree and Plant Sales: Sale of strawberry plants, apple, pear, cherry trees, and apple/pear rootstocks to fruit producers. Products include proprietary varieties (SWEET cherries, CLERY strawberries) as well as standard varieties. The company operates internationally with distribution subsidiaries in France and Poland.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Salvi Vivai produces, breeds, and sells certified fruit tree plants — strawberries, apples, pears, cherries, and apple/pear rootstocks — to commercial fruit producers and nurseries. Its offering is anchored by the proprietary SWEET cherry family developed over 30 years with the University of Bologna, supported by virus-free certified plant material, experimental orchard testing, and international distribution through wholly-owned subsidiaries in France and Poland.

Product overview

Salvi Vivai is an agricultural company specializing in the research, development, and sale of fruit tree plants. The company operates a multi-product portfolio consisting of five core product lines: Strawberry plants (Fragola) with varieties for Mediterranean and continental climates; Apple plants (Melo) including Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, and scab-resistant varieties; Pear plants (Pero) with varieties like Abate Fetel and Williams; Cherry plants (Ciliegio) featuring the proprietary SWEET series developed in partnership with the University of Bologna; and Rootstocks (Portinnesti) for apple and pear trees. Additionally, Kiwi plants represent a newer product category. The company also offers an Experimental Cherry Orchard facility for research and demonstration purposes. Salvi Vivai maintains foreign distribution and production branches in France (Salvi France) and Poland (Giotto Polonia).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SWEET Series: A family of sweet cherry varieties developed in collaboration with the University of Bologna, including varieties like Sweet Stephany, Sweet Aryana, Sweet Saretta, Sweet Lorenz, Sweet Gabriel, Sweet Valina, and others.

Products and services

• Fragola (Strawberry Plants) Strawberry plants offered for both Mediterranean and continental climates, including varieties such as CLERY, LAETITIA, APRICA, DELY, LYCIA, ELIDE, KAMILA, FLAMINIA, CAPRI, QUICKY, ANIA, CANTUS, Xante, JOLY, SIBILLA, NABILA, ANTEA, AROSA, MARMOLADA, ELSANTA, CAMAROSA, NAIAD, FLAVIA, VIVARA, MURANO, and LOFTY. Sold to commercial strawberry producers.
• Melo (Apple Plants) Apple trees including FUJI (FUJI KO-CIV, FUJI SAN-CIV), GOLDEN DELICIOUS (CL.B, REINDERS, PARSI), RED DELICIOUS (JEROMINE), GALA (T-REX, BUCKEYE SIMMONS), scab-resistant varieties (MODI, FUJION, GEMINI, RENE, SMERALDA), and others like RUBENS, CIV M49, GRANNY SMITH, SWEETLIFE, LILIBET. Sold to commercial apple growers.
• Pero (Pear Plants) Pear trees featuring varieties including CARMEN, CONFERENCE, SANTA MARIA, DECANA DEL COMIZIO, WILLIAM B.C., ABATE FETEL, MAX RED BARLETT, and KAISER. Sold to commercial pear growers.
• Ciliegio (Cherry Plants) Cherry trees including the proprietary SWEET series developed with the University of Bologna (SWEET SARETTA, SWEET ARYANA, SWEET STEPHANY, SWEET GABRIEL, SWEET VALINA, SWEET LORENZ, SWEET DAVE) and other varieties such as AXEL ALEX, GRACE STAR, RITA, B. BURLAT, KORDIA, CARMEN, MARYSA, FERROVIA, REGINA, VERA, plus SWEET GROUP and PACIFIC RED, NIMBA, AREKO, ROYAL HELEN, ROYAL LAFAYETTE. Sold to commercial cherry producers.
• Portinnesti (Rootstocks) Rootstocks for apple and pear trees that enable growers to optimize orchard performance, tree vigor, and fruit quality through standardized grafting stock. Sold to commercial fruit growers and nursery operations.
• Kiwi Plants Kiwi plants offered as a newer product category for commercial kiwi fruit production, announced as 'NEW' on the company homepage.
• SWEET Cherry Series Proprietary branded family of sweet cherry varieties developed over 30 years of research with the University of Bologna, featuring exceptional fruit size, flavor, and suitability for high-density orchards. Includes Sweet Stephany which holds the Guinness World Record for the heaviest cherry (26.45 grams).

Quantifiable outcome

• Guinness World Record: Sweet Stephany cherry weighing 26.45 grams - heaviest cherry in the world
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (CIV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSalvi Vivai is a founding member of the Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (CIV), a consortium that invests in research for new varieties of strawberries, apples, pears, and peaches. The company collaborates with 13 international research centers through this partnership for varietal innovation.
• University of Bologna - Department of Agricultural and Food SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner30+ year collaboration on the SWEET cherry breeding program. The university developed and patented the SWEET cherry varieties with Salvi Vivai. Currently coordinated by Prof. Stefano Tartarini following Prof. Silviero Sansavini. Includes joint experimental cherry orchards and field trials.
• Salvi FrancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorForeign subsidiary company in France for distribution and production of Salvi Vivai plants in French-speaking markets.
• Giotto PoloniacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorForeign subsidiary company in Poland (Giotto Polonia) for distribution and production of Salvi Vivai plants in Eastern European markets.
• Soc. Coop. Bilanciai CampogallianominorOthersProvided certified calibration weights and scales for official Guinness World Record verification of Sweet Stephany cherry weight certification.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Planasa: Spanish-headquartered global plant nursery specializing in berry varieties (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry) and other fruit plants. Comparable to Salvi Vivai as a multi-category fruit plant producer with proprietary varieties and international footprint.
• Geoplant Vivai: Italian plant nursery producing strawberry plants, fruit trees, and ornamentals. Direct competitor in the Italian strawberry and fruit plant market with similar varietal development focus.
• Dave Wilson Nursery: Large US fruit tree nursery supplying apples, cherries, stone fruit, and other deciduous trees to commercial growers. Comparable as a multi-category fruit tree nursery serving commercial producers.
• Fall Creek Farm & Nursery: US-based global blueberry nursery and breeder with proprietary varieties. Comparable as a specialized fruit plant breeder with international distribution and varietal IP focus.
• Vivai Battistini: Italian fruit tree nursery producing strawberry, stone fruit, and pome fruit plants. A direct domestic competitor with overlapping customer base of Italian commercial fruit growers.
• Viveros Provedo: Spanish fruit nursery with proprietary cherry, apricot, peach, and other stone fruit varieties. Comparable as a European fruit plant breeder with patented varieties and international distribution.
• Stark Bro's Nurseries: Long-established US fruit tree nursery (founded 1816) producing apple, cherry, peach, pear, and other fruit trees. Comparable as a heritage multi-category fruit plant producer with branded proprietary varieties.
• Limgroup: Dutch-based berry breeding and plant propagation company specializing in blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry varieties. Comparable to Salvi Vivai's strawberry plant business as a berry-focused propagator with proprietary genetics.

Emerging players

• Berry Gardens Growers: UK-based berry cooperative and plant propagator supplying strawberry, raspberry, and other soft fruit plants to UK growers. Comparable to Salvi Vivai's strawberry plant business as a regional berry plant supplier.

Others

• Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (CIV): Italian nursery consortium of which Salvi Vivai is a founding member; jointly invests in varietal R&D for strawberries, apples, pears, and peaches with 13 international research centers. Comparable as a peer consortium and channel partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GruppoSalvi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/salvi-vivai
• Facebookfacebook.com/salvivivai

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Salvi Vivai