The Polish trading company explains why its international expansion is underpinned by strong, long-term partnerships
Poland’s Fresh Factory is investing in new sorting, packing and repacking technology to handle growing demand from its retail and wholesale customers, particularly for high-value products like plums, cherries and blueberries.
The family-owned company was set up by Maciej Specht in 2019 to supply fresh fruits and vegetables from Poland, Greece, Spain and South America to retail and wholesale customers across Europe and beyond. With offices in Gdynia and its main logistics centre in central Poland, the company’s core business includes the purchase, quality control, sorting, packing, storage, and distribution of fresh produce.
CEO Maciej Specht describes the team as “fruit and vegetable enthusiasts”, with a commitment to quality and service. “We are a trading company – but not in the traditional sense. What sets us apart is our hands-on approach to logistics and quality control, as well as the close partnerships we’ve built across the supply chain,” he tells Fruitnet.
“Thanks to strong personal relationships we have cultivated at management level, we have the flexibility to handle storage of products, sorting, packing, and adapting processes to meet customer needs quickly and efficiently.”
Fresh Factory handles a wide range of fruit, but its core focus is on soft fruit – especially blueberries, strawberries, and plums. “These are our bestsellers and the category where we feel strongest,” says sales manager Marek Leżyński. “We currently have production capacity for around 1,900 tonnes of blueberries and 2,500 tonnes of plums annually. These volumes make us a reliable and scalable partner, especially for customers who demand consistency across the entire season.
“So yes, we’re traders – but think of us as an upgraded version: one that takes full ownership of the product from field to final delivery.”
Around 80 per cent of Fresh Factory’s business is with supermarket chains – including many major Polish and German retailers – while the remaining 20 per cent is with wholesalers and independent importers. According to Leżyński, the company has developed strong partnerships with Italian and Dutch wholesalers in the soft fruit category.
“We enjoy exploring new markets as well,” he says. “One of the more unique projects we handled was fulfilling a contract with a wholesaler in Mongolia, which required customised packaging and logistics adapted to local requirements.”
He says Poland is a very demanding market when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables. “Consumers are extremely focused on visual quality and freshness, and retailers follow very strict specifications. It’s not just about taste – it’s about appearance, shelf-life, and consistency.
“But we thrive on it,” says Specht. “From the beginning of each season, we work closely with our partners and quality controllers are involved at every stage. We don’t take chances – we double-check everything, especially in soft fruit categories where shelf-life can be unpredictable.
“In short – we believe that building strong, long-term partnerships on both the supply and retail sides is the best way to stay ahead of evolving consumer expectations.”
