Azura

What Azura does

Azura is a privately held French-Moroccan family-owned agricultural production group founded in 1988, headquartered in Perpignan, France, with primary operations across Morocco. The company operates four interconnected business divisions: cherry tomato production via 53 farms covering 1,200+ hectares of unheated greenhouses; European clam (Ruditapes Decussatus) aquaculture through Azura Atlantic in the Bay of Dakhla; plant nursery operations through International Nursery producing 49 million grafted and berry plants annually; and biological pest control through the Biobest Maroc joint venture with Biobest Group, producing 27 species of beneficial insects and mites across 13,000 m² of climate-controlled breeding rooms. Azura is one of the world's leading cherry tomato producers and holds the No. 1 worldwide position in European clam production.

The business model is B2B produce export: Azura sells directly to European retail chains and food service operators across Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, and the United States, with priority markets in southern Europe for aquaculture and a dedicated 11,000 m² logistics platform in Perpignan, France, supporting distribution. Revenue streams derive from physical product sales (cherry tomatoes, clams, plants, biological control agents) with quote-based, channel-specific pricing — no consumer-facing products or subscription models. Production is concentrated in Morocco (Agadir, Dakhla, Casablanca) while commercial relationships and corporate functions are anchored in France.

The company holds a distinctive sustainability posture: B Corp certification (June 2026, one of only 16 fruit and vegetable producers worldwide), SBTi-validated decarbonization targets (July 2024, 24.2% FLAG reduction and 33.6% Scope 1&2 reduction by 2028), Alliance for Water Stewardship certification (April 2024), plus GSPP, SEDEX, ISO 9001, and Bio Ecocert certifications across subsidiaries. Recent strategic activity includes an April 2025 investment in UbiQD's quantum dots lighting technology for greenhouse energy efficiency and crop resilience. Azura reported €550 million in turnover for FY2024/2025 and employs approximately 20,000 people across Morocco and France, with the Harakat family retaining ownership and Hicham Harakat serving as CEO.

Name

Azura

Legal name

SOCIETE DE DISTRIBUTION DE PRODUITS MARAICHERS ET HORTICOLES DU MAROC DISMA INTERNATIONAL SAS

Website

https://azura-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Azura is a privately held French-Moroccan family-owned agricultural group producing cherry tomatoes, European clams, grafted plants, and biological pest control agents for export to European retailers and food service operators, reporting €550M in FY2024/2025 turnover.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce / Agricultural Products

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480), Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Greenhouse Fruit & Berry Production (Strawberries, Specialty Fruits) (AFAGAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Asparagus, Artichoke & Specialty Vegetable Farming (Asparagus, Artichokes, Celery, Okra) (AFAGADAI), Berry Sorting & Packing Facilities (AFAOAGAD)

Keywords

• Cherry tomato production
• Agricultural produce export
• European clam aquaculture
• Grafted plant nursery
• Biological pest control

Headquarters

HQ city

Perpignan

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cherry tomato production and export: Azura produces and exports 188,000 tons of cherry tomatoes annually to European markets, operating 53 production farms covering over 1,200 hectares of greenhouses in Morocco.
2. Plant nursery products: International Nursery produces and sells grafted tomato plants (20 million/year), berry plants (15 million/year), cucurbit plants (14 million/year), and vegetable seedlings to internal operations and external markets.
3. Biological control agents: Biobest Maroc produces and exports beneficial insects, mites, and bumblebees for pollination and pest control, with 98% of production exported to Belgium, Europe, and the United States.
4. European clam aquaculture: Azura Atlantic cultivates and sells European clams (Ruditapes Decussatus) from its Dakhla facility, with priority markets in Spain, Italy, and France. Includes EU-approved purification station.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Azura is a French-Moroccan agricultural producer specializing in cherry tomato production across 1,200+ hectares of greenhouses in Morocco, exporting 188,000 tons annually to European markets. The company also produces European clams (Ruditapes Decussatus) through aquaculture in Dakhla Bay, certified grafted plants through International Nursery, and biological pest control agents through its Biobest Maroc joint venture. Products are sold B2B to European retail chains, food service operators, and agricultural producers.

Product overview

Azura Group is a French-Moroccan agricultural production company founded in 1988, operating as a unified multi-segment producer rather than a platform architecture. The portfolio consists of four interconnected divisions: (1) Cherry Tomato production via 53 farms covering 1,200+ hectares with a 10-hectare packaging station in Agadir, producing elongated, round, and mixed cherry tomato varieties exported to Europe; (2) Aquaculture through Azura Atlantic in Dakhla, cultivating and exporting the European clam (Ruditapes Decussatus) with full hatchery-to-delivery control; (3) International Nursery producing certified grafted plants including 20M tomato plants, 14M cucurbit plants, and 15M berry plants annually; and (4) Integrated Pest Management via Biobest Morocco joint venture, providing 27 species of beneficial insects, mites, and bumblebee pollination services. All segments share operational synergies through shared agricultural expertise, sustainability certifications, and logistics infrastructure including an 11,000 m² platform in Perpignan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• International Nursery: Plant nursery specializing in production of tomato, cucurbit, berry plants and market gardening seedlings in Morocco.
• Biobest Maroc
• Azura Atlantic
• Fondation Azura

Products and services

• Cherry Tomatoes (Elongated, Round, Mixed) Elongated (2-3cm, sweet-acidic balance), round (2.5cm, crisp texture), and mixed assortments of cherry tomatoes grown in unheated greenhouses across 1,200+ hectares in Morocco and exported to European retail chains.
• European Clam (Ruditapes Decussatus) European clam species Ruditapes Decussatus recognized for its ovoid shape, fine shell, and exceptional meat yield. Produced in the Bay of Dakhla, Morocco with full hatchery-to-delivery value chain control and EU-approved purification station. Priority markets include Spain, Italy, and France.
• International Nursery Grafted Plants Certified grafted plants including 20 million grafted tomato plants annually, 14 million grafted cucurbit plants, 15 million berry plants, and vegetable seedlings. Produced across 6 sites spanning 38 hectares in Morocco, certified under GSPP, SEDEX, ISO 9001, and ECOCERT standards with reverse osmosis water treatment.
• Biological Control Agents (Auxiliary Insects & Mites) Biobest Maroc produces 27 species of beneficial insects and mites for biological pest control, including bumblebee hives for pollination of cherry tomatoes and berries. Includes innovative solutions such as Pepino Mosaic Virus vaccine, ISONET pheromone confusion method, and adhesive trapping tapes. 98% of production is exported to Belgium, Europe, and the United States.

Quantifiable outcome

• 188,000 tons of cherry tomatoes exported to Europe annually
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UbiQDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Strategic partnership and investment in UbiQD's quantum dots technology for agricultural lighting applications. The collaboration aims to enhance energy efficiency, improve crop growth, and strengthen farm resilience against climate challenges through innovative lighting solutions.
• Biobest GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Joint venture established in 1998 between Biobest Group and Azura to create Biobest Maroc, dedicated to producing and commercializing beneficial insects and mites for biological pest control. Biobest Maroc is now the largest Biobest Group production site globally.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bonduelle: French-headquartered global leader in processed and fresh vegetables with significant greenhouse and field production; comparable to Azura in vegetable production scale, B2B retailer relationships, and European market focus.
• Savéol: French Breton tomato cooperative producing premium greenhouse tomatoes including cherry varieties; directly comparable to Azura as a French-linked greenhouse tomato producer focused on European retail markets.
• Biobest Group: Belgian global leader in biological pest control and bumblebee pollination; Azura is Biobest's joint-venture partner in Biobest Maroc, making it directly comparable in beneficial insect production and IPM solutions.
• Houweling's Group: Canadian and US greenhouse producer of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers with strong sustainability positioning; directly comparable to Azura's greenhouse production model and premium retailer relationships.
• Mastronardi Produce: Canadian greenhouse producer of premium tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers under the Sunset brand; directly comparable to Azura's greenhouse cherry tomato model and North American/European retail distribution.
• NatureSweet: North America's largest greenhouse-grown cherry tomato producer, directly comparable to Azura as a vertically-integrated premium cherry tomato supplier serving major retailers with sustainability-focused positioning.
• Koppert: Dutch global leader in biological crop protection and natural pollination; directly comparable to Azura's Biobest Maroc operation in producing beneficial insects, mites, and integrated pest management solutions for greenhouse agriculture.

Broad incumbents

• Bayer Crop Science: Global leader in seeds, crop protection, and digital agriculture including vegetable seeds (Nunhems); comparable to Azura at the broad agriculture level with vegetable value-chain overlap.
• Syngenta Group: Global agribusiness leader in crop protection and seeds with broad horticulture vegetable seed portfolio; comparable to Azura as a major agricultural inputs player serving vegetable producers globally.
• Limagrain: French-headquartered global seed and vegetable producer with significant vegetable seed business (Vilmorin-Mikado); comparable to Azura as a French agribusiness with downstream vegetable production interests and plant variety development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Azuralatomate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/azura-disma-international

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Azura