What Calsa Logistics does

Calsa nv (trading as Calsa Logistics) is a Belgian family-owned exporter of fresh fruits and vegetables, founded in 1939 and headquartered in Ardooie, West Flanders. The company is led by third-generation family members Pol, Jeroen, and Charlotte, and operates as an independent private entity with no external investors or parent company. Calsa sources roughly 75% of its produce from local Belgian growers and auctions, packages it, and distributes it to wholesalers, supermarkets, and industrial processing companies across more than 30 countries, with daily departures to the UK, Poland, France, Spain, and Italy.

The product portfolio spans a wide assortment including multiple tomato varieties (Tomabel, Ministar, Prince, Princess, Cherrystar, Elite, Intense, Coeur de boeuf, Ruby Red, San Marzano, Sweet Palermo, Mini Lily), peppers, cucumbers, aubergines, cherries, berries, strawberries, chicory, carrots, cabbages, leeks, celery, apples (Jonagold, Golden Delicious), and pears (Conference, Doyenn\u00e9 du Comice), sold under the Hoogstraten, Belorta, and Tomabel brands for some lines. Calsa operates a proprietary traceability software platform that captures full transparency from grower or auction purchase through to customer delivery, including for organic-certified products, and is supported by IFS, GlobalGap Chain of Custody, and Bio certifications valid through 2025. Distribution is executed through an in-house fleet of 14 Euro V-standard trucks, with a complementary sister company FMB covering greenhouse and fruit regions.

The business model is B2B transaction-based export sales, delivered directly to wholesalers, supermarkets, and industrial processors through a multilingual sales team (Dutch, French, English, Russian). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; commercial terms specify invoices payable within 30 days. Annual throughput is approximately 48,000 tons with a stated team of about 21, implying very high throughput per employee. Sustainability and operational efficiency investments include 576 rooftop solar panels producing 100,000 kWh annually (over 25% of own consumption), 9% more efficient loading through route optimization, and reusable IFCO/EPS packaging.

Name

Calsa Logistics

Legal name

Calsa nv

Website

https://calsa.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Calsa is a Belgian family-owned fresh produce exporter founded in 1939, now led by third-generation owners. The company trades, packages, and distributes fruits and vegetables from local Belgian growers to wholesalers, supermarkets, and industrial processors across 30+ European countries daily.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce Export and Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448)

akta.pro primary industry

Import / Export Produce Wholesale (Cross-Border Trading) (AFAIACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB), Fresh Produce Packaging (IMALAHAE)

Keywords

• Fresh produce export
• Fruit vegetable distribution
• Wholesale produce supply
• Cold chain logistics
• Belgian horticulture trading

Headquarters

HQ city

Ardooie

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Export: Revenue generated through export and sale of fresh fruits and vegetables to wholesalers, supermarkets, and industrial processors across Europe and beyond.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Calsa is a Belgian export company that trades, packages, and distributes fresh fruits and vegetables sourced from local growers and Belgian auctions for international customers. The company exports a wide assortment of produce—including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, aubergines, cherries, berries, strawberries, chicory, carrots, cabbage, leeks, celery, apples, and pears—to wholesalers, supermarkets, and industrial processing companies across more than 30 countries, supported by its own fleet and specialized traceability software.

Product overview

Calsa is a Belgian fruit and vegetable exporter founded in 1939, operating as a family business now in its third generation. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of fresh produce including tomatoes (varieties such as Tomabel, Ministar, Prince, Princess, Cherrystar, Elite, Intense, Coeur de boeuf, Ruby Red, San Marzano, Sweet Palermo, Wild mix, Mini Lily), peppers and paprika, cucumbers, aubergines, cherries, berries, strawberries, chicory, carrots, cabbage, leeks, and celery, as well as apples and pears (Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Conference, Doyenné du Comice). Their offering is distributed across multiple customer segments including wholesalers, supermarkets, and industrial processing, with daily exports to over 30 countries including the UK, Poland, France, Spain, and Italy. The company operates specialized software for full traceability from grower to customer, supported by 14 Euro V trucks for sustainable transport. Their products are certified under IFS, GlobalGap Chain of Custody, and BIO standards, with a focus on local sourcing (75% Belgian produce) and sustainable packaging including IFCO and EPS reusable containers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Export Core offering of fresh fruits and vegetables sourced from local Belgian growers and auctions, packaged and exported to wholesalers, supermarkets, and industrial processors across Europe and beyond. Includes tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, aubergines, cherries, berries, strawberries, chicory, carrots, cabbage, leeks, celery, apples, and pears.
• Customized Wholesale and Retail Programs Customer-specific product programs with tailored packaging, quality specifications, and assortment configurations delivered on a recurring daily basis for wholesale, supermarket, and industrial processing customers.
• Full Traceability Software System Proprietary software that enables transparent handling of fruits and vegetables from purchase at the grower or auction through to customer delivery, with every step fully traceable including for organic products.
• Certified Organic Produce Supply (BIO) Trade of certified organic fresh fruits and vegetables under the BIO certification program, with full traceability from purchase to delivery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48,000 tons of produce exported per year
• +3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FVPHousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined as pilot company in late 2017 in a learning and improvement program of FVPHouse, the umbrella organization of the Belgian potato, fruit and vegetable wholesale and processing industry. Participating in trajectory testing actions around food waste prevention, social inequality reduction, and sustainable production and consumption patterns.
• FMB (sister company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company FMB located in Sint-Katelijne-Waver near the largest greenhouse cultivation region, complementing Calsa's field vegetable operations in West Flanders. Also present in Haspengouw, an important fruit growing region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bonduelle: French-headquartered global leader in processed vegetables with growing fresh and prepared produce segments, sourcing widely across European growers. Comparable as a large European fresh and processed vegetable player with overlap in cabbage, carrots, leeks, and industrial processing customers.
• Greenyard: Belgian-headquartered global fresh, frozen, and prepared fruit and vegetable supplier with vertically integrated sourcing, processing, and retail distribution across Europe. Closest broad incumbent comparable given shared Belgian origin, fresh produce focus, and European supermarket customer base.
• Total Produce (now Dole plc): One of the world's largest fresh produce companies, formed from the merger of Total Produce and Dole, with extensive European sourcing, ripening, and distribution operations. Comparable as a multinational fresh produce distributor with direct overlap in tomato, apple, pear, and citrus categories.
• The Greenery: Dutch fresh produce sales and logistics organization serving supermarkets across Europe with full assortment of fruit and vegetables. Comparable as an established European fresh produce intermediary with similar supermarket/wholesale customer profile.

Regional players

• Belorta: Belgian cooperative auction and sales organization for fruit and vegetables, supplying fresh produce to Belgian and European wholesalers. Comparable as a Belgian fresh produce supply counterparty referenced by Calsa's own product pages (e.g., strawberries under the Belorta label).
• Hoogstraten Veiling: Belgian fruit and vegetable auction cooperative based in Hoogstraten, recognized for premium strawberries, tomatoes, and peppers under the Hoogstraten label. Comparable as a Belgian cooperative supplier whose brands appear on Calsa's product listings, indicating close supplier relationship.

Direct peers

• Fyffes: Irish-headquartered fresh produce company historically focused on bananas, pineapples, and melons, now part of Sumitomo, distributing across Europe. Comparable as a mid-to-large European fresh produce distributor with shared export-to-retailer model.
• Special Fruit: Belgian importer and exporter of fresh fruit and vegetables (berries, exotics, citrus) serving European wholesalers, retailers, and foodservice. Most direct mid-sized peer because of overlapping Belgian base, similar product mix, and shared B2B European export model.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/calsabe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calsa

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Calsa Logistics