Purple Pride

What Purple Pride does

Purple Pride is a Netherlands-based aubergine (eggplant) growers' association founded in 1996, operating today as a product group within Coöperatie Growers United and producing approximately 42.5 million kilograms of aubergines per year across more than 55 hectares at sites in Steenbergen, Oosterland, Westdorpe, Dinteloord, Zevenbergen and 's-Gravenzande. It is the largest aubergine brand in Northwestern Europe, with a portfolio of eight fresh varieties (Purple, Graffiti, Mini Graffiti, Nasu, White, Pallada, Chinese and Mini) and a branded convenience line anchored by the 100% plant-based aubergine shawarma introduced in 2022.

The technical foundation is advanced greenhouse horticulture rather than software or AI: cultivation uses Het Nieuwe Telen (HNT) climate control, second energy screens, biological pest control, geothermal and residual-heat heating (including a wood-fuelled system at Oosterland that cut fossil fuel use by 70% since end-2018), a 17.5 million litre rainwater reservoir at Dinteloord, and process water from Suiker Unie's sugar factory. These industrial-symbiosis arrangements, together with the January 2023 merger of De Jong and Gebr. Van Duijn into Van Duijn De Jong Aubergines (~39 ha, ~23 million kg/yr), support a low-volatile, energy-de-risked production base.

Commercially, Purple Pride runs a sales-led B2B model in which Growers United handles sales and marketing to Dutch and Northwest European retailers (REWE explicitly named in Germany), foodservice operators and wholesale traders. Demand is stimulated consumer-side through a multilingual recipe library (Dutch/English/German), influencer and chef partnerships (Cas Spijkers Academie, Tim van der Griend), out-of-home and in-store advertising via the A8 alliance's 'Lekker Eigenwijs' campaign, and industry awards (Food Inspiration). Pricing is negotiated privately through B2B contracts and is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Purple Pride

Legal name

Coöperatie Growers United

Website

https://purplepride.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Purple Pride is the largest aubergine growers' association in Northwestern Europe, supplying approximately 42.5 million kilograms annually across more than 55 hectares through the Coöperatie Growers United cooperative to retailers (including REWE), foodservice operators and wholesale partners in the Netherlands, Germany, UK, Poland and Sweden.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Maasdijk

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh aubergine sales: Sale of fresh aubergines to retail, hospitality, and wholesale customers. As a growers' association, Purple Pride sells directly through Growers United's sales and marketing organization.
2. Convenience products (aubergine shawarma): Innovative convenience products including vegan aubergine shawarma sold to retail and foodservice providers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Purple Pride supplies fresh aubergines across multiple specialty varieties (Purple, Graffiti, Mini Graffiti, Nasu, White, Pallada, Chinese, and Mini) to retail, hospitality, and wholesale customers through a network of growers. In addition to fresh produce, it markets a 100% plant-based Aubergine Shawarma convenience product prepared using a sous-vide method for longer shelf life. Sales and marketing are executed through Coöperatie Growers United.

Product overview

Purple Pride is an aubergine (eggplant) growers' cooperative and brand operating under Growers United. With an annual harvest of approximately 42.5 million kilograms, it is the largest aubergine producers' association in Northwestern Europe since 1996. The product portfolio consists of eight core fresh aubergine varieties: Purple, Graffiti, Mini Graffiti, Nasu, White, Pallada, Chinese, and Mini aubergines. Additionally, Purple Pride has launched an innovative convenience product line featuring the 100% plant-based Aubergine Shawarma, developed as a vegan meat substitute using surplus and imperfect aubergines. The company operates through a network of three main growers: Van Duijn De Jong Aubergines (39 hectares, 23 million kg/year), Greenbrothers (16 hectares, 9.5 million aubergines/year), and Van Onselen Aubergines (16 hectares, 25 years of experience).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aubergine Shawarma: 100% plant-based aubergine shawarma product made from fresh Dutch aubergines, prepared sous-vide, gluten-free, soy-free, and low in calories. Can be kept refrigerated for 5 weeks.

Products and services

• Fresh Aubergine Varieties (Purple, Graffiti, Mini Graffiti, Nasu, White, Pallada, Chinese, Mini) Portfolio of eight fresh specialty aubergine varieties (Purple, Graffiti, Mini Graffiti, Nasu, White, Pallada, Chinese, Mini) cultivated in Dutch greenhouses and supplied year-round to retail, hospitality and wholesale buyers in Northwest Europe. Approximate annual harvest across the grower network is 42.5 million kilograms.
• Aubergine Shawarma (plant-based convenience product) A 100% plant-based aubergine shawarma made from fresh Dutch aubergines, prepared using the sous-vide method, kept refrigerated for up to 5 weeks. Gluten-free, soy-free, low in calories, and anti-food waste as it uses imperfect aubergines. Sold to retail and foodservice operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of non-aubergine eaters interested after seeing 'Lekker Eigenwijs' campaign
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Growers UnitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurple Pride is a product group within Coöperatie Growers United. All Purple Pride growers are members of Growers United, which is responsible for the sales and marketing of all aubergines. This is a core internal organizational relationship rather than an external partnership.
• Veggies FirstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipe development partnership. Recipes featuring Purple Pride aubergines are sourced from Veggies First, a recipe platform. Recipes include Aubergine torentjes, Mini-auberginepizza's, and Aubergine steak met Chimichurri.
• Cas Spijkers AcademieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulinary education partnership. Purple Pride organized an aubergine lesson day at the Cas Spijkers Academie in Nijmegen with souschef Tim van der Griend to educate future chefs about aubergine preparation techniques.
• Tim van der Griend (Restaurant De Nieuwe Winkel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulinary ambassador partnership. Souschef from 2-Michelin-star restaurant De Nieuwe Winkel (world's best vegetable restaurant) collaborates with Purple Pride to inspire future chefs and demonstrate aubergine versatility.
• YaraminorOthersIndustrial symbiosis partnership. Yara fertilizer factory in Terneuzen provides residual heat and CO2 through pipeline systems to horticulture sector, equivalent to 35,000 households' annual heat consumption.
• Suiker UnieminorOthersWater supply partnership. Sugar beet factory provides process water (70% of sugar beet is water) to greenhouse horticulture in Nieuw-Prinsenland area, collected, treated, and piped to cultivation sites.
• Food CabinetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreative agency partnership. Food Cabinet developed the 'Lekker Eigenwijs' aubergine marketing campaign for A8 (Netherlands aubergine growers association) to increase aubergine consumption.
• A8 (Samenwerkende Auberginetelers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry marketing alliance. A8 is a collaboration of Netherlands aubergine growers that launched the 'Lekker Eigenwijs' campaign. Purple Pride participates as the leading brand.
• REWEminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman retail partnership. REWE runs Purple Pride promotional campaigns including REWE Gewinnspiel (competition) and stocks aubergine products including specialties (Graffiti, Mini Graffiti, White, Italian Round, Nasu).
• Fresh Solutions GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarketing and distribution partner for German market. Listed as partner in REWE promotional materials for Purple Pride products.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HAK: Dutch family-owned vegetable brand producing canned/preserved legumes and vegetables for retail across Europe. Comparable for branded vegetable positioning, B2B+consumer marketing model, and Dutch heritage.
• Bakker Barendrecht: Dutch fresh produce distributor (subsidiary of Greenyard) serving Dutch retail and foodservice. Direct comparator for B2B distribution of fresh vegetables to Dutch supermarket chains, the same channel Purple Pride serves.
• The Greenery: Dutch fresh-produce cooperative supplying retailers and foodservice across Northwest Europe. Closest structural and geographic analog to Purple Pride's Growers United cooperative model, with broader fruit/vegetable portfolio.
• Bonduelle: French family-controlled vegetable producer with branded canned/frozen and fresh vegetable lines sold across Europe. Directly comparable for branded vegetable positioning, plant-based innovation pipeline, and producer-owned governance.
• Greenyard: Belgian-listed fresh produce major with B2B supply across fresh and prepared vegetables to European retailers and foodservice. Closest scaled analog to Purple Pride's grower-to-retail model, operating at significantly larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Dole plc: Global fresh-produce major (now including Total Produce) operating across fresh fruit and vegetables worldwide. Comparable for global retail/foodservice distribution and fresh-produce brand portfolio, though broader and far larger than Purple Pride.
• Fresh Del Monte Produce: Global producer and distributor of fresh fruit and vegetables with a broad portfolio of branded fresh and prepared produce. Comparable for global fresh-produce supply chains and branded retailer partnerships, though focused on a much wider category set.

Regional players

• Eosta: Dutch organic and fair-trade fresh produce distributor serving European retailers with branded organic fruit and vegetables. Comparable for sustainability-led positioning and Dutch-based organic/PlanetProof-aligned supply to NW European retailers.

Emerging players

• Impossible Foods: US plant-based meat-substitute company expanding into European retail and foodservice. Comparable for plant-based convenience product positioning relevant to Purple Pride's shawarma line, though distinct in technology and category.
• Beyond Meat: US plant-based meat-substitute brand with European foodservice and retail distribution. Relevant peer for the convenience/plant-based protein positioning of Purple Pride's vegan aubergine shawarma, though operating at very different scale and protein base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/purple-pride

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Purple Pride