KaRo

What KaRo does

KaRo BV is a Dutch private limited company founded in 1972 and headquartered in Zwaagdijk, North Holland, operating exclusively as a B2B supplier and technical service provider to the (glass) horticulture sector in the Netherlands. The company explicitly does not accept private or consumer orders and serves a cumulative base of 3,045+ business customers across 53+ years. Its offering is structured around two divisions: Handelsgoederen (Trade Goods), which distributes crop protection products, cultivation supplies, technical equipment, climate control hardware, greenhouse and workshop supplies, and packaging through both a physical store/warehouse and a 24/7 account-based webshop; and Tuinbouwtechniek (Horticultural Engineering), which provides on-site and in-house installation, maintenance, and repair services covering electrical systems, water technology, and construction work.

The core technology stack is electromechanical rather than software-driven. KaRo's proprietary product is the Zuiver Chloor Unit, an on-site electrolytic chlorine generation system that converts salt tablets, softened water, and electricity into pure chlorine for cleaning and disinfecting greenhouse water systems, eliminating the need for stored chlorine. The company holds exclusive distribution rights in the Netherlands for DryGair dehumidification systems (DG3, DG6EU, DG12EU models) for greenhouse climate control, and distributes complementary horticulture brands including Ridder, Priva, Ebara, Lowara, Grindex, PP Teku, Airpress, Agrozone, and Soiltech. Biostimulant offerings include Soiltech's Optima Leaf Amino and Optima Leaf Si+, plus Algan, BlueN (nitrogen-fixing Methylobacterium Symbioticum), and Skal-listed Aloe-tech.

Revenue is generated through two mechanics: transactional product sales (one-time purchases through the webshop and store, with prices hidden behind account login) and project-based professional services (installation, maintenance, and engineering contracts delivered on customer sites). The go-to-market is sales-led, combining in-person advice at the Zwaagdijk store, digital commerce via karobv.nl, an educational Knowledge Bank and newsletter program, and structured Knowledge Events on resilient growing practices. The business is privately held with no disclosed external investors, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no public funding rounds.

Name

KaRo

Legal name

KaRo BV

Website

https://karobv.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KaRo BV is a Dutch B2B supplier and installer founded in 1972, serving glasshouse horticulture businesses exclusively from its Zwaagdijk headquarters with trade goods, technical installation, and maintenance services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horticulture Supplies and Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114), Lawn and Garden Equipment and Supplies Retailers (4442)

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Irrigation Systems Installation & Maintenance (IMAIAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Filtration & Water Treatment for Irrigation (Sand/Disc/Screen, Chem Treatment) (AFAAACAD), Water Softener, Filtration & Treatment System Installation (HSAOAAAH), Irrigation Automation & Controls Services (SCADA, Sensors, Telemetry) (AFACAFAI)

Keywords

• Horticulture supplies
• Greenhouse climate control
• Water disinfection systems
• Crop protection products
• Horticultural installation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Zwaagdijk

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Trading Goods (Handelsgoederen): Sale of high-quality horticulture products including crop protection, cultivation supplies, technical equipment, climate control, greenhouse and workshop supplies, packaging, and seasonal/second-hand items through both physical store and webshop.
2. Horticulture Technique Services (Tuinbouwtechniek): Installation, maintenance, and repair services provided on-site at customer locations or from the company facility. Includes construction work, electrical, and water technology services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KaRo BV supplies and installs products for the (glass) horticulture sector through two divisions: Handelsgoederen (trade goods), which sells crop protection, cultivation supplies, packaging, climate control equipment, and greenhouse/workshop supplies via a physical store/warehouse in Zwaagdijk and an online webshop; and Tuinbouwtechniek (horticultural engineering), which provides on-site installation, maintenance, and repair services covering electrical systems, water technology, and construction work. The company serves business customers exclusively and offers proprietary and distributed solutions including the Zuiver Chloor Unit water disinfection system and DryGair dehumidification units.

Product overview

KaRo BV operates as a supplier and installer for the (glass) horticultural sector, offering two main divisions: Handelsgoederen (trade goods) and Tuinbouwtechniek (horticultural engineering). The Handelsgoederen division centers on a broad e-commerce Webshop platform offering horticultural products including DryGair dehumidification units (DG3, DG6EU, DG12EU variants), the proprietary Zuiver Chloor Unit water disinfection system, Optima Leaf amino acid and silicon fertilizers (Optima Leaf Amino, Optima Leaf Si+), biostimulants (Algan, BlueN, Aloe-tech), and general horticultural supplies. The Tuinbouwtechniek division provides on-site installation, maintenance, and repair services for water technology, electrical systems, and climate control equipment. The product portfolio spans climate control technology (dehumidification, air handling), water treatment (chlorination, pumping systems), crop protection inputs (biostimulants, fertilizers, crop protection agents), and workshop supplies. Products are distributed to businesses via the Webshop with fast stock delivery and technical service support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zuiver Chloor Unit: A proprietary water disinfection system that produces pure chlorine on-site from salt tablets, water, and electricity for cleaning and disinfecting complete water systems in horticultural operations.

Products and services

• Zuiver Chloor Unit Proprietary on-site electrolytic water disinfection system that produces pure chlorine from salt tablets, water, and electricity for cleaning and disinfecting complete horticultural water systems. Available in V5 models ranging from 100 gr/hr to 1500 gr/hr chlorine output. Sold exclusively by KaRo BV to business customers.
• DryGair Dehumidification Systems (DG3, DG6EU, DG12EU) Greenhouse dehumidification units distributed exclusively by KaRo BV that condition greenhouse air without opening windows and return heat to the greenhouse. Capacities range from 11 L/h (DG3) to 48 L/h (DG12EU) water condensation; air flow up to 22,000 m³/h; coverage up to 4,000 m².
• Optima Leaf Amino Amino acid biostimulant containing over 58% free amino acids derived from plant proteins via hydrolysis; used for crop stress reduction and direct plant uptake. Produced by Soiltech and distributed by KaRo BV.
• Optima Leaf Si+ Liquid silicon fertilizer for foliar application containing 12.6% orthosilicic acid for preventive stress protection and physical plant strengthening. Distributed by KaRo BV.
• Algan Natural growth stimulant based on plant hormones, trace elements, amino acids, and carbohydrates that stimulates root development, cell division, and flowering. Skal-listed for organic farming. Sold by KaRo BV.
• BlueN Biostimulant containing the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Methylobacterium Symbioticum that converts atmospheric nitrogen into absorbable ammonium nitrogen throughout the growing season. Sold by KaRo BV.
• Aloe-tech Aloe vera plant extract biostimulant that improves resistance to abiotic stress; suitable for Dutch organic agriculture. Sold by KaRo BV.
• Handelsgoederen (Trade Goods) Broad assortment of horticultural products including seasonal/second-hand items, packaging, cultivation and crop protection supplies, cultivation consumables, technology and climate control equipment, and greenhouse/workshop supplies. Sold via physical store and webshop to business customers only.
• Tuinbouwtechniek (Horticultural Engineering Services) Installation, maintenance, and repair services delivered on-site or from the company's facility, covering electrical systems, water technology, and construction work for greenhouse horticulture businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3045+ companies served
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DryGaircoreTechnology or IntegrationKaRo BV is a distributor of DryGair dehumidification systems for greenhouses. They provide sales, installation, and technical support for the complete DryGair product line including DG3, DG6, DG12 models and accessories.
• Bureau Erkenningen (Netherlands)coreOthersGovernment body issuing competency certificates required for handling certain crop protection products. KaRo requires proof of competency before selling restricted products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Certhon: Certhon is a Dutch turnkey greenhouse builder and technical systems integrator for high-tech horticulture projects globally. Comparable as a Dutch horticulture technical services provider, but operates at much larger project scale with full greenhouse construction capability rather than retrofit and consumables focus.
• Priva: Priva is a global Dutch provider of climate control and process management systems for horticulture and building automation. Comparable through KaRo's distribution relationship, but Priva sells direct at scale to enterprise growers globally, including those KaRo services.
• Ridder Group: Ridder is a leading Dutch manufacturer of greenhouse climate screens, ventilation systems, and process automation. Comparable to KaRo as a brand they distribute, but operates at the manufacturer level serving global greenhouse projects with broader portfolio scope.

Regional players

• Boskoopse Horti Supplies: BHS is a Dutch technical supplier for greenhouse construction, heating, water systems, and climate control equipment, serving growers in the Boskoop and broader Randstad regions. Comparable to KaRo's Tuinbouwtechniek division as a regional installer and equipment supplier for Dutch glasshouse horticulture.
• Agro Supply: Agro Supply is a Dutch distributor of substrates, fertilizers, and horticultural inputs focused on the Westland and surrounding Dutch greenhouse regions. Comparable to KaRo as a B2B horticulture trading goods supplier, but with a more limited service offering and geographic concentration.

Direct peers

• Van Iperen International: Van Iperen is a Dutch family-owned supplier of specialty fertilizers, biostimulants, and crop solutions for greenhouse and open-field horticulture. Comparable to KaRo as a B2B horticulture inputs supplier with proprietary product lines (e.g., Iperen products) and a focus on Dutch/European greenhouse customers.
• Royal Brinkman: Royal Brinkman is the largest Dutch supplier of products and services for greenhouse horticulture, serving growers globally with crop protection, technical equipment, and substrate solutions. Directly comparable to KaRo as a B2B horticulture supplier with trading goods plus technical services, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Horticoop (formally Horticoop Technical Services): Horticoop is a Dutch cooperative distributor of technical supplies and consumables for greenhouse horticulture, including climate, water, and crop protection products. Directly comparable to KaRo's distribution plus technical services model for Dutch growers, with a cooperative ownership structure.
• Revaho: Revaho is a Dutch supplier of technical installation, water systems, and climate control for greenhouse horticulture, with combined trading goods and service delivery. Closely comparable to KaRo in business model, customer base (Dutch greenhouse growers), and product mix including irrigation and water treatment.

Emerging players

• DryGair Solutions: DryGair is the Israeli manufacturer of the dehumidification units KaRo exclusively distributes in the Netherlands. Directly comparable through the partnership, but operates as the OEM with global ambitions while KaRo is the regional channel for the Dutch market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wwwkarobvnl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karo-bv

Compliance1 record

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 KaRo