MARÉ - Centro Logístico do Alentejo

What MARÉ - Centro Logístico do Alentejo does

MARÉ – Centro Logístico do Alentejo is a regional wholesale supply market (mercado abastecedor) located in Évora, Portugal, operating since 1998 as part of the SIMAB group of state-managed wholesale markets. The facility provides centralized physical trading infrastructure for 58 wholesale operators conducting business in five integrated sectors: Hortofrutícola (fresh produce), Pescado (fish and seafood), Restauração (on-site foodservice operating 04:30-17:00), Logística (cold chain and distribution), and Serviços (parking, security, administrative support). The market operates daily from 05:00 to 10:00, closed Wednesdays, Sundays, and holidays, serving a catchment area of more than 500,000 inhabitants in the Alentejo region with cross-border logistics connections to Spain.

MARÉ is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SIMAB (Sociedade Instaladora dos Mercados Abastecedores, S.A.), a public enterprise within Portugal's PARPÚBLICA state holding universe that manages four wholesale markets nationally. The company generates revenue through operator service fees and market access charges, reporting €1 million in volume de negócios and approximately €870 thousand in EBITDA for 2025, with a 7.9% return on equity and €12 million in cumulative infrastructure investment. The go-to-market is B2B field sales targeting professional buyers, distributors, and logistics operators in the agri-food supply chain, with no individual consumer focus.

The business model is fee-based infrastructure rather than inventory-taking wholesale, with pricing quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Core technology is not disclosed; there is no proprietary software platform or AI/ML capability described in the available data. The company pursues institutional positioning through partnerships with WUWM (World Union of Wholesale Markets, 200+ members in 40+ countries), FAO, Banco Alimentar (food bank), Portugal Nuts, Portugal Sou Eu, NOVA Medical School, and the EU Fruit and Vegetables Market Observatory. Notable sustainability metrics include a 61.2% CO2 emissions reduction in 2024 and a 31% water consumption reduction (2022-2024) at the Group SIMAB level.

Name

MARÉ - Centro Logístico do Alentejo

Legal name

MARÉ – Mercado Abastecedor da Região de Évora, S.A.

Website

https://mare.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MARÉ – Centro Logístico do Alentejo operates a state-owned regional wholesale supply market in Évora, Portugal, serving 58 B2B operators in fresh produce, fish, foodservice, logistics, and support services across an Alentejo catchment of over 500,000 inhabitants. Founded in 1998 as a SIMAB subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Market Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAIACAK

Terminal Market / Produce Market Wholesalers

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Produce (Fresh Fruit & Vegetable) Wholesale

SECONDARYAFAIABAE

Fresh Produce Wholesale (Fruit & Vegetables)

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Grocery & Supermarket Wholesale

SECONDARYAFAIAIAC

Ethnic Meat, Poultry & Seafood Wholesale

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Specialty & Ethnic Foods Wholesale

SECONDARYAFAIABAF

Meat, Poultry & Seafood Wholesale

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Grocery & Supermarket Wholesale

SECONDARYAFAIACAI

Foodservice / HORECA Produce Wholesale

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Produce (Fresh Fruit & Vegetable) Wholesale

Keywords

• Wholesale market operations
• Fresh produce distribution
• Fish and seafood wholesale
• Food distribution logistics
• Commercial market infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Évora

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Market operations and operator fees: MARÉ generates revenue through operating its wholesale market facilities and providing services to the 58 operators who operate within its premises. The market handles fresh produce, fish, and foodservice distribution, with operators paying for market access and services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MARÉ – Centro Logístico do Alentejo operates a physical wholesale supply market (Mercado Abastecedor) in Évora, Portugal, providing trading infrastructure, cold storage, and logistics facilities for 58 commercial operators to conduct wholesale distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, and foodservice products. The market serves the entire Alentejo region with a potential catchment of over 500,000 inhabitants and operates as part of the state-owned SIMAB group of wholesale markets.

Product overview

MARÉ - Centro Logístico do Alentejo is a wholesale supply market (Mercado Abastecedor) operated by SIMAB - Sociedade Instaladora dos Mercados Abastecedores, S.A. The facility operates as a multi-sector wholesale market offering five integrated product/service lines: HORTOFRUTÍCOLA (fruits and vegetables), PESCADO (fish and seafood), RESTAURAÇÃO (restaurant/catering), LOGÍSTICA (logistics and distribution), and SERVIÇOS (support services including parking). The market serves the entire Alentejo region with a supply potential for over half a million inhabitants, functioning as the main wholesale infrastructure for commercialization, distribution, and base agri-food logistics. Market hours are 05h00-10h00, closed Wednesdays, Sundays and holidays.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Produce Wholesale (Hortofrutícola)

Quantifiable outcome

• 58 operators served in 2025
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Banco Alimentar (Food Bank)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2024Structured daily food donation partnership where market operators donate surplus food, Banco Alimentar collects and redistributes to families in need. In 2024, this partnership enabled 2,291 tonnes of fresh products to support 45,000+ vulnerable people. MARL (Lisbon market) is the 2nd largest food bank donor in the Lisbon region.
• Portugal Sou EuminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 September 2024SIMAB and its four markets partner with the 'Portugal Sou Eu' program to promote and value national products and services in Portuguese wholesale and retail markets.
• WUWM (União Mundial de Mercados Abastecedores)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2024SIMAB and its four wholesale markets (MARB, MARÉ, MARF, MARL) are members of WUWM - World Union of Wholesale Markets. WUWM is an international network of wholesale and retail food markets with over 200 members in more than 40 countries covering five continents. The partnership provides access to best practices, international conferences, and collaborative initiatives on food systems sustainability.
• Portugal NutsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2023Technical meeting between SIMAB and Portugal Nuts (represented by Executive Director António Saraiva and Project Manager Liliana Cabecinha) to facilitate commercialization of Portugal Nuts member products through SIMAB's four markets.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 August 2023FAO and WUWM signed a new three-year Memorandum of Understanding in August 2023, renewed in August 2026. The partnership focuses on sustainable and accessible food systems. FAO recognizes the essential role of wholesale markets for food chain development and resilience.
• Unidos Contra o Desperdício (Unidos Against Food Waste)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrupo SIMAB is a partner of the 'Unidos Contra o Desperdício' (Unidos Against Food Waste) movement, supporting food waste reduction initiatives.
• 5 ao Dia (5 A Day)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe '5 ao Dia' program promotes sustainable consumption habits among children. SIMAB participates in this initiative to encourage healthy eating and support local food systems.
• NOVA Medical SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with NOVA Medical School focused on evaluating food losses and valorization strategies. Part of SIMAB's research initiatives on sustainable food systems.
• FoodLink (Metropolitan Food Park Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIMAB participates in the FoodLink metropolitan agro-food parks network, connecting wholesale markets with municipal retail markets in the Lisbon metropolitan area. The initiative aims to strengthen short supply chains, reduce ecological footprints, and connect producers with consumers.
• MercamadridminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMercamadrid (major Spanish wholesale fruit and vegetable market) is a partner of SIMAB and its markets through WUWM international activities. Mercamadrid organized the International Buyers Program during Fruit Attraction 2023.
• Gosto do Meu Mercado / Love Your Local MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational initiative (Love Your Local Market) managed by SIMAB in Portugal, promoting municipal retail markets during 'Maio, Mês dos Mercados' (May, Month of Markets). SIMAB organizes technical sessions with Portuguese municipalities and international partners to strengthen local market networks.
• EU Fruit and Vegetables Market ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIMAB represents WUWM on the Economic Board of the EU Fruit and Vegetables Market Observatory. The mandate was renewed by the European Commission for three more years (2023-2026). João Tiago Carapau, SIMAB Corporate Director General, serves as representative, advising on European policy for production support, price stability, innovation, and valorization of fruits and vegetables.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Marché International de Rungis: Paris-region wholesale fresh food market, the largest wholesale food market in the world. Broad incumbent peer operating the same terminal-market model for fresh produce, seafood, and foodservice supply at much larger scale than MARÉ.

Direct peers

• Mercabarna: Barcelona's wholesale food market complex serving Catalonia. Direct peer operating one of southern Europe's largest wholesale fresh produce and seafood markets with a multi-sector operator model directly comparable to MARÉ.
• MARL - Mercado Abastecedor da Região de Lisboa: Sister wholesale market under the same SIMAB parent group, operating the Lisbon metropolitan wholesale produce market. Direct peer as the largest of SIMAB's four markets and the same operational model, governance, and parent ownership structure as MARÉ.
• MARF - Mercado Abastecedor da Região de Faro: Sister wholesale market under SIMAB covering the Algarve region. Direct peer running the same physical wholesale market model and corporate governance as MARÉ, with a fresh produce, fish, and foodservice operator base.
• MARB - Mercado Abastecedor da Região de Braga: Sister wholesale market under SIMAB covering northern Portugal (Braga region). Direct peer operating the same multi-sector wholesale produce/fish/foodservice model under identical governance and corporate structure as MARÉ.
• New Covent Garden Market: London's principal wholesale fruit, vegetable, and flower market. Direct peer operating a regional terminal market model serving foodservice and retail buyers with on-premises operators, structurally analogous to MARÉ.
• Mercamadrid: Madrid's principal wholesale fruit and vegetable market, an explicit WUWM network partner of MARÉ/SIMAB. Direct peer operating a major regional terminal market for fresh produce distribution with similar B2B operator-based model.
• Berliner Großmarkt GmbH: Berlin's central wholesale market for fresh produce and food. Direct peer operating a public-municipality-managed terminal market model with multi-sector fresh produce, fish, and foodservice operator structure similar to MARÉ.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/mare.centrologistico
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centro-logistico-alentejo-mare

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 MARÉ - Centro Logístico do Alentejo