COpAPS Cooperativa Agricola e Sociale

What COpAPS Cooperativa Agricola e Sociale does

COpAPS Cooperativa Agricola e Sociale is an Italian dual-type social cooperative (Cooperativa sociale di tipo A e B under L.381/91) founded in 1979 and headquartered in Sasso Marconi, Bologna. As of December 2025 it employs 129 people, of whom 40 are disadvantaged workers placed under the cooperative's sheltered-employment mandate. The cooperative operates a vertically integrated portfolio spanning certified organic agriculture on the 28-hectare Cà del Bosco estate (olive oil, vegetables, grains), a retail nursery (Serra Garden), two agritourism restaurants (in Sasso Marconi and at Parco della Chiusa in Casalecchio di Reno), beekeeping with honey production, social carpentry (wood recovery from municipal tree removals), and sheltered green-space maintenance workshops (Percorsi Verdi).

The cooperative serves three customer segments: (i) public-sector clients — four local municipalities and the local health authority (ASL) for green maintenance and social-services contracts; (ii) Hera s.p.a., the regional multi-utility, through Consorzio EcoBI for waste/recycling center management; and (iii) consumer channels including agritourism diners, nursery retail customers, and corporate/individual "Adotta un'Arnia" hive subscribers. Business-to-business Art. 22 conventions with five local companies extend reach into mainstream corporate labor markets for disadvantaged workers.

Revenue mechanics combine fixed public-procurement contracts (municipal green maintenance, Hera environmental services), recurring consumer subscriptions (adopt-a-hive), and transactional sales (agritourism meals, nursery plants, honey, farm produce). FY2025 revenue was €4,581,591 (~US$5.0M), placing COpAPS in the lower tier of Italian social cooperatives by revenue scale. The cooperative holds ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, SA8000, Bioagricert, PDG125, and Biodiversity Friend certifications, and is a member of Legacoop, Consorzio Arcolaio, and Consorzio EcoBI. There is no evidence of proprietary technology, digital platform, or AI/ML capability in the input data.

Name

COpAPS Cooperativa Agricola e Sociale

Legal name

COpAPS Cooperativa sociale a.r.l

Website

https://copaps.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

COpAPS is an Italian dual-type social cooperative (Type A and B, L.381/91) founded in 1979 in Sasso Marconi, Bologna, employing 129 people including 40 disadvantaged workers across organic agriculture, agritourism, beekeeping, green maintenance, and social services for municipalities, Hera s.p.a., and consumers, with €4.58M FY2025 revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social agricultural cooperative services

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm-to-Consumer Cooperative Markets (Local Producer Co-ops) (CRAHALAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise) (HSACAGAA)

Keywords

• Organic agriculture production
• Social cooperative services
• Green space maintenance
• Agritourism hospitality
• Vocational disability programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sasso Marconi

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Sector Contracts - Green Maintenance: Municipal contracts for park and garden maintenance across multiple municipalities (Casalecchio di Reno, Bologna, Valsamoggia, Sasso Marconi) and ASL mountain health facilities. Represents the most substantial portion of productive area revenue.
2. Agritourism and Hospitality: Two agritourism restaurants (Agriturismo Parco della Chiusa in Casalecchio di Reno and Agriturismo Il Monte in Sasso Marconi) with farm-to-table organic cuisine and educational farm activities.
3. Agricultural and Nursery Product Sales: Direct sales of organic produce, ornamental plants, flowers, honey and other products from Cà del Bosco farm (28ha) and Serra Garden nursery. Products also used in own agritourism restaurants.
4. Social/Educational Services (Type A): Management of educational services, training pathways and sheltered workshops for disabled adults, delivered on behalf of public administration (PA).
5. Environmental Services: Waste collection, transport and management of Recycling Centers (CdR) in Sasso Marconi, Marzabotto, Vergato, Grizzana Morandi, performed for Consorzio EcoBI in partnership with Hera s.p.a.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

COpAPS is a dual-type Italian social agricultural cooperative (Type A social services and Type B productive activities) that delivers organic agriculture, agritourism hospitality, green space maintenance, environmental/waste services, and social/educational inclusion programs for adults with disabilities. The cooperative operates a vertically integrated portfolio spanning a 28-hectaire certified organic farm, two agritourism restaurants, a retail nursery, a beekeeping operation, a social carpentry workshop, and protected employment pathways, primarily serving municipalities and public entities in the Bolognese area.

Product overview

COpAPS is a social agricultural cooperative operating as a dual-type organization (Type A social services and Type B productive/agricultural). The cooperative functions as a unified portfolio of integrated services rather than a software platform. Its core activities include organic agriculture at Cà del Bosco farm (28 hectares), a nursery operation (Serra Garden), two agritourism restaurants (Agriturismo Il Monte and Agriturismo Parco della Chiusa), beekeeping with adoption programs, green space maintenance services, social woodworking workshop, and protected educational/labor transition pathways for adults with disabilities. The products operate as interconnected services where agricultural production supplies the agriturismos, beekeeping supports product lines, and social workshops contribute to both internal operations and external sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Serra Garden: Vivai e produzione florovivaistica della cooperativa
• Agriturismo Parco della Chiusa
• Agriturismo Il Monte
• Laboratorio di Falegnameria sociale
• Percorsi Verdi
• Parco della Chiusa

Products and services

• Serra Garden (Retail Nursery) Retail nursery and garden center operated by COpAPS, offering ornamental plants, vegetable seedlings, and floral plants for sale directly to consumers in the Bolognese area.
• Organic Agriculture (Agricoltura Biologica) Bioagricert-certified organic agricultural production at the 28-hectare Cà del Bosco farm, producing vegetables, fruits, ornamental plants, aromatic plants, and cereals both in open fields and greenhouses. Products supply the cooperative's own agritourism restaurants and direct sales.
• Agriturismo Il Monte Agriturismo restaurant on the hills of Sasso Marconi, serving organic dishes from the cooperative's own farm production including fresh pasta, tigelle, and local specialties.
• Agriturismo Parco della Chiusa Agriturismo restaurant and educational farm in Casalecchio di Reno (since 2019), featuring a Mieleria (honey processing laboratory), pasta preparation by disabled adults, and educational activities.
• Beekeeping (Apicoltura) Organic beekeeping operation producing honey varieties (acacia, millefiori, melata) and hive products with Biodiversity Friend certification, operated in collaboration with the Centro Socio-Occupazionale for people with disabilities.
• Adotta un'Arnia (Adopt-a-Hive) Beekeeping adoption program offering 7kg of organic honey in return, functioning as a gifting/social mission support product.
• Verde e Ambiente (Green Maintenance and Environmental Services) Green space maintenance, garden design, and ecological/environmental services for municipalities (Casalecchio di Reno, Bologna, Valsamoggia, Sasso Marconi), ASL mountain facilities, and private clients, plus waste collection and recycling center management through Consorzio EcoBI for Hera s.p.a.
• Falegnameria Sociale (Social Carpentry) Social carpentry workshop based on artisanal recovery of wood from tree maintenance operations, providing work integration for disabled individuals and fragile adults, producing furniture and crafted items.
• Percorsi Verdi (Green Pathways CSO) Centro Socio-Occupazionale (CSO) providing day services for adults with disabilities, including preparation of fresh pasta and tigelle for the agriturismo restaurants, honey production, dried fruit processing, and packaging activities.
• Gruppo Appartamento (Protected Apartment) Protected apartment housing service for adults with disabilities, providing residential support and transition pathways toward independent living.
• Percorsi di Transizione al Lavoro (Work Transition Pathways) Educational and work transition programs for disabled young adults, including PIOFST integrated orientation with secondary schools and sheltered labor placement pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 disadvantaged persons employed as of 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 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.

• LegacoopcoreOthersNational cooperative association membership providing representation, support, and network benefits. COpAPS is a member of both Legacoop and Legacoopsociali (sector association for social cooperatives).
• LegacoopsocialicoreOthersSector association within Legacoop specifically for social cooperatives, providing specialized support and representation for social inclusion enterprises.
• Consorzio ArcolaiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of social cooperatives in Bologna providing strategic coordination, shared services, and collaborative opportunities among member cooperatives.
• Consorzio stabile EcoBIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of environmental cooperatives in Bologna, Modena, and Ferrara provinces. COpAPS performs environmental services through this consortium partnership.
• Hera s.p.a.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Italian multi-utility company. COpAPS performs waste collection and recycling center management services (Centri di Raccolta) for Hera in partnership through Consorzio EcoBI.
• ASP Città di BolognacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic social care institution (Azienda Servizi alla Persona) that owns the Cà del Bosco and Monte properties where COpAPS operates its agricultural and social activities.
• Demetra FormazioneminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTraining certification body used by COpAPS for structured professional development programs. Provides certification support for staff training initiatives.
• Fondo Nuove CompetenzeminorOthersEU-funded program (Giovani, Donne e Lavoro 2021-2027) financing professional training for workers. COpAPS enrolled 71 employees in training programs through this initiative.
• FonCoopminorOthersSectoral fund for cooperative professional training. Co-financing COpAPS staff training programs alongside Fondo Nuove Competenze.
• Art. 22 Convention Partners (5 local companies)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFive local companies have activated Art. 22 L.R. 17/2005 conventions with COpAPS for the workplace integration of 15 disadvantaged employees.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alce Nero: Italy's leading organic producer cooperative, sourcing from member farms and distributing organic products. Overlaps directly on COpAPS's Bioagricert organic production and farm-to-consumer model at much larger scale.
• Vannucci Piante: One of Italy's largest ornamental nursery producers based in Tuscany. Direct overlap with COpAPS's Serra Garden retail nursery business line at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Capodarco Cooperativa Sociale: Major Italian Type A/B social cooperative operating educational, residential, and disability employment services, with productive activities and multi-segment operations. Relevant as a comparable mixed-type social cooperative structure.
• Cascina Biblioteca: Lombardy-based social farming project combining organic agriculture, agritourism, and disability integration programs. Closely comparable to COpAPS's combined agriculture + social inclusion + food/hospitality model.
• Avanzi Sostenibilità per Azioni: Milan-based sustainability and social cooperative focused on environmental and social projects. Comparable to COpAPS's environmental services + social mission mix in a cooperative governance structure.

Others

• Consorzio CGM: Italy's largest consortium of social cooperatives, coordinating shared services and joint tenders. Relevant ecosystem/industry player rather than direct competitor; demonstrates the consortium model COpAPS also uses (Arcolaio, EcoBI).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/copaps.cooperativa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/copaps-cooperativa-agricola-e-sociale

Compliance9 records

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 COpAPS Cooperativa Agricola e Sociale