Special Fruit was established thirty years ago, in 1990, by François Maes along with his brother Patrick Maes and companion Giovanelli, in Meer in Belgium.
At that time, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or green asparagus were high-end products, mainly used in the catering industry.
François Maes identified this opportunity and was open to take risks and distribute these products exclusively in Europe.
Special Fruit originated from the Mago and Special Fruit Trading companies, and was mainly focused on looking beyond the nearest borders.
Strong Product Portfolio
Presently, the company is one of the biggest players in the European market with a strong product portfolio and customers in more than 20 countries.
According to Francois Maes, offering the right product at the right time has contributed to the company's growth.
"What seemed unsellable to others, we made a success from it! By offering these successes exclusively, Special Fruit became a large, reliable partner for many different wholesalers and retailers in the European market," he explained.
After witnessing steady growth in the 1990s, Special Fruit expanded its business in Spain over the course of the next decade.
Special Fruit Spain was founded in 2005 to coordinate Mediterranean exports, administration, quality, and logistics.
Between 2010 and 2014, the company added mangoes and avocados to its portfolio, and over the next four years, it partnered with Delsol Fresh Peru to start berry packing services with blueberry growers.
The company also set up SF Producciones to invest in cultivating different varieties of berries, such as the exclusive Kwanza raspberry variety and Calinda strawberries in Portugal and Spain.
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