Freson de Palos
Fresón de Palos is the commercial brand of Sociedad Cooperativa Andaluza Santa María de la Rábida, Europe's largest strawberry producer. Founded in 1982, the member-owned Spanish cooperative cultivates strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries across 1,300 hectares in Huelva, exporting to 23 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersPalos De La Frontera, Spain
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Freson de Palos does
Fresón de Palos is the commercial brand of Sociedad Cooperativa Andaluza Santa María de la Rábida, a member-owned agricultural cooperative founded in 1982 in Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, Spain. It is the largest strawberry producer in Europe, cultivating strawberries (its flagship), blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries across 1,300 hectares in six municipalities of Huelva province. The cooperative comprises 150+ member farmer-producers and employs 7,000+ seasonal workers during peak campaigns, producing more than 70 million kilograms of fruit per year and exporting to 23 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Operations are vertically integrated from propagation to distribution. The cooperative runs its own strawberry nurseries in high-altitude Castilla y León that deliver cold-exposed, certified plants to Huelva. A 50,000+ m² facility in Palos de la Frontera houses four manipulation centers, a packaging factory, warehouses, and 46 cold storage chambers; production flows through 40 automated handling lines with optical sorting and thermosealing under an RFID-based traceability system that captures every lot from reception through distribution. Biological pest control with Koppert covers 100% of member farms, water use is managed through the SPRING add-on across the cooperative, and on-site photovoltaic plants supply renewable energy under the Fresón Sostenible® packaging brand, registered as a trademark in six languages.
The commercial model is volume-led B2B supply to major and medium supermarket chains across Spain and Europe — including Mercadona, Carrefour, Eroski, LIDL, Aldi, El Corte Inglés, Auchan, and E. Leclerc — supported by own logistics that deliver from field to customer in under 24 hours. A direct-to-consumer online store (fresondepalos.es/tienda) extends reach to mainland Spain with home delivery and facility pickup, while off-season blueberry imports from Poland, Peru, and Chile complement domestic supply. Marketing emphasizes sustainability and heritage through the BlogBerry content platform and a multilingual website in Spanish, English, French, German, and Italian. The cooperative holds IFS Food, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, GLOBALG.A.P., GRASP, SPRING, Carbon Footprint, and Water Footprint certifications, and is ranked by Nielsen among the top 5 most recognized fruit brands in Spain and the only nationally recognized berry brand.
Freson de Palos firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Freson de Palos
- Legal name
- SOCIEDAD COOPERATIVA ANDALUZA SANTA MARÍA DE LA RÁBIDA
- Website
- https://fresondepalos.es
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Fresón de Palos is the commercial brand of Sociedad Cooperativa Andaluza Santa María de la Rábida, Europe's largest strawberry producer. Founded in 1982, the member-owned Spanish cooperative cultivates strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries across 1,300 hectares in Huelva, exporting to 23 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Freson de Palos industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fresh Berry Production
- NAICS
- Strawberry Farming (111333), Berry (except Strawberry) Farming (111334), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448), Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (44523), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Berry Farming (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries) (AFAGACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fresh Produce Packhouses (Fruits & Vegetables) (AFAOAGAA), Berry Sorting & Packing Facilities (AFAOAGAD), Greenhouse Fruit & Berry Production (Strawberries, Specialty Fruits) (AFAGAHAB)
Keywords
Where Freson de Palos is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palos De La Frontera
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Freson de Palos business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fresh Berry Sales (B2B): Bulk fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) sold to supermarket chains and wholesale markets domestically and internationally. Primary revenue driver representing the majority of fruit production volume.
- Direct-to-Consumer Online Store: E-commerce platform selling fresh berries and berry products directly to end consumers across mainland Spain. Home delivery with free shipping over €52, and customer pickup at facilities.
- Blueberry Direct Sales (Off-season): Blueberries sourced from import origins (Poland, Peru, Chile) complement domestic production during non-local seasons, sold via the online store and through existing B2B channels.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Free shipping threshold for online consumer orders |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Freson de Palos product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fresón de Palos is an agricultural cooperative that produces, packages, and markets fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries cultivated on 1,300 hectares in Huelva province, Spain. The company controls the full value chain from its own nurseries in Castilla y León through automated handling, cold storage, and distribution, selling both to large European supermarket chains (B2B) and directly to consumers via an online store with home delivery in mainland Spain (B2C).
Product overview
Freson de Palos is an agricultural cooperative and the largest strawberry producer in Europe. The company offers a portfolio of four core berry products: Fresas (strawberries) as the flagship product, Arándanos (blueberries), Frambuesas (raspberries), and Moras (blackberries). These berries are sold through multiple channels including direct-to-consumer online store, retail partnerships, and export to 23 countries. The company controls the entire production chain from nurseries in Castile and León, cultivation in Huelva, harvesting, cold storage, and logistics. Additionally, the company maintains BlogBerry as a content platform for recipes and news.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fresas (Strawberries) Premium fresh strawberries known for their natural red color, large size, quality, and flavor. Available in tarrinas, flow pack, and thermo-sealed packaging. Sold to European supermarket chains and direct to consumers via the online store.
- Arándanos (Blueberries) Fresh blueberries marketed as the 'fruit of the 21st century' with low calorie content, high antioxidant properties, and sweet flavor. Rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium, and Iron. Available year-round through domestic production plus off-season imports.
- Frambuesas (Raspberries) Fresh raspberries belonging to the rose family, known for bittersweet flavor and strong nutritional properties with antioxidant content.
- Moras (Blackberries) Fresh blackberries (also known as black raspberries) of the rose family. Marketed as the wild fruit with the most antioxidants, offering excellent nutritional value with very low carbohydrate content.
- Tienda Online (Direct-to-Consumer Online Store) E-commerce service for direct purchase of fresh berries by consumers with home delivery across mainland Spain (Peninsula only, not islands) within 24 hours, free shipping on orders over €52. Pickup at Palos de la Frontera facilities and payment via credit card or Bizum are also supported.
Quantifiable outcome
- Carbon and Water Footprint reduction through photovoltaic energy and SPRING water management certification across 100% of member farms
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Freson de Palos
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Freson de Palos technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Freson de Palos partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Koppert Biological SystemscoreKoppert is the world's leading producer of beneficial insects and microorganisms used for biological pest control. Fresón de Palos works with Koppert to implement biological pest control protocols across 100% of its member farms, using beneficial insects and conservation-based strategies (hedgerows and refuge plants) to avoid chemical pesticides. This partnership is central to Fresón de Palos's sustainability strategy and EU 2030 pesticide reduction compliance.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Freson de Palos competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hortifrut: Global vertically integrated berry producer with operations across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia; comparable to Fresón de Palos as a multi-category berry supplier with own nurseries, automation, and international retail distribution.
- Naturipe Farms: US-based grower-owned marketer of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries; directly comparable cooperative-style model and product mix to Fresón de Palos, with overlapping retailer customer base in Europe.
- Camposol: Peru-headquartered vertically integrated agro-exporter with blueberries, avocados and other produce supplying global retailers; comparable as a multi-origin berry supplier competing with Fresón de Palos's off-season imports from Peru.
- Surexport (Grupo Medina): Spanish berry grower and exporter headquartered in Huelva, shipping strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries across Europe; a regional direct competitor with overlapping farming geography and European retail accounts.
- Driscoll's: Global market leader in fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) with independent grower network and premium branded positioning; the most direct comparable to Fresón de Palos's producer-cooperative, branded fresh-berry model at much larger scale.
- Berry Gardens (BGV): UK grower-owned berry cooperative supplying Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose and other British retailers with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries; directly comparable cooperative model to Fresón de Palos in a competing Northern European market.
- Cuna de Platero: Spanish berry cooperative also based in Huelva, producing strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries; the closest regional direct competitor to Fresón de Palos with the same cooperative structure and same growing region.
- Wish Farms: US-based family-owned berry grower and shipper specializing in strawberries and blueberries; comparable in product mix and direct-to-retailer supply model to Fresón de Palos's B2B supermarket channel.
Broad incumbents
- Greenyard: Large European fresh, frozen and prepared fruit and vegetable company supplying major retailers; overlaps with Fresón de Palos through retail-channel supply of fresh berries as part of a much broader portfolio.
Emerging players
- Special Fruit: Belgian fresh-produce specialist importing and distributing exotics and berries across Europe; comparable as a European specialty berry distributor, though more importer/marketer than integrated grower like Fresón de Palos.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Freson de Palos social profiles
Digital presenceFreson de Palos compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance10 records
Freson de Palos financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Freson de Palos leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Freson de Palos funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Freson de Palos M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Freson de Palos
What does Freson de Palos do?
Fresón de Palos is an agricultural cooperative that produces, packages, and markets fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries cultivated on 1,300 hectares in Huelva province, Spain. The company controls the full value chain from its own nurseries in Castilla y León through automated handling, cold storage, and distribution, selling both to large European supermarket chains (B2B) and directly to consumers via an online store with home delivery in mainland Spain (B2C).
Is Freson de Palos a public or private company?
Freson de Palos is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Freson de Palos founded?
Freson de Palos was founded in 1982. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Freson de Palos based?
Freson de Palos is headquartered in Palos De La Frontera, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does Freson de Palos make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fresh Berry Sales (B2B) is the primary driver. The others are direct-to-Consumer Online Store and blueberry Direct Sales (Off-season).
Who are Freson de Palos's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hortifrut, Naturipe Farms, Camposol, Surexport (Grupo Medina), Driscoll's, Berry Gardens (BGV), Cuna de Platero and Wish Farms. Greenyard is listed as a broad incumbent. Special Fruit is listed as an emerging player.
Does Freson de Palos have an API?
No public API is recorded for Freson de Palos.
What industry is Freson de Palos in?
Freson de Palos's product category is Fresh Berry Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGACAD, Berry Farming (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries), with a secondary code of AFAOAGAA, Fresh Produce Packhouses (Fruits & Vegetables). Its NAICS code is 111333 and its SIC code is 2000.