In early 2005, Dole Food Company, Inc. acquired the remaining shares of Saba Trading AB it did not previously own. Saba’s headquarters are located in Helsingborg, Sweden.

Saba purchases and distributes fruit, flowers, fresh-cut fruit, and vegetables to retailers throughout Scandinavia.

The Saba group consists of four subsidiaries: AB Banan-Kompaniet, Saba Fresh Cuts AB, Saba Frukt & Grönt AB and Saba Blommor AB.

Products, Markets and Areas of Production

AB Banan-Kompaniet purchases, ripens and distributes bananas produced in Latin America. It has two ripening plants in Sweden and employs approximately 30 people.

Saba Fresh Cuts AB manufactures and sells fresh-cut salads and vegetables. It prepares and sells over 70 products sourced from approximately 30 selected suppliers. These products are distributed to customers in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Germany. Saba Fresh Cuts has a factory in Helsingborg, Sweden, with approximately 120 employees.

Saba Frukt & Grönt AB purchases and distributes a wide range of products, including apples, pears, pineapples, bananas, citrus fruits, stone fruits, grapes and kiwis, as well as peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, root vegetables and berries. Saba Frukt & Grönt has over 1,100 products sourced from more than 500 suppliers in nearly 70 countries. Products are distributed to customers in Sweden. There is one distribution center in Sweden and approximately 200 people are employed.

Saba Blommor AB purchases and distributes potted plants, garden plants and fresh-cut flowers. The potted plants and garden plants are sourced from Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Germany, and the fresh-cut flowers are from all over the world and are distributed via the Netherlands. In total, Saba Blommor markets over 950 varieties of flowering and green potted plants, as well as fresh-cut flowers sourced from over 100 suppliers. Saba Blommor employs approximately 150 people in its two distribution centers.

The increase in sales of organic products has been driven by Swedish retailers for more than 15 years. Saba offers more than 50 organic products to its customers.

Independent Growers

Saba requires all of its suppliers to adhere to their frame agreement, which covers Good Agricultural Practices, prohibits the use of child or forced labor, and ensures that no GMO produce is sold to Saba.
Saba believes that auditing its suppliers is a natural part of a long-term business relationship. Saba has developed an audit plan, focusing on new producers and growers particularly for products with a potential hygiene or pesticide risk.

All suppliers to Saba participate in the Company’s pesticide control program. The program was developed in close connection with the other Dole entities in Europe and the Swedish National Food Administration.

Environmental Practices

• A waste management program is in place at all Saba facilities. Cardboard, corner boards, plastic, wooden material and organic waste are all recycled. The recycling of different wastes contributes significantly to Saba’s environmental protection efforts:
  • Recycling of cardboard is equivalent to the amount of raw material from 3,200 trees, on a yearly basis
  • Organic waste is treated via composting into topsoil. The program results in a volume of 40 truckloads of fresh topsoil per year, produced from organic waste
  • Organic waste from bananas at the Stockholm facility is used for biogas production. Organic waste volumes from bananas in 2007 totaled 10 tons. The gas is used for heating apartments or vehicle fuel. The conversion from heating with oil to biogas has reduced the CO2 emissions for these apartments.
  • Wooden material is reused in the tropics or used for combustion and energy production. Saba recycles about 1,100 tons per year. 
• All Saba facilities use freon-free cooling systems
• Washing of raw material in the fresh-cut plant is done without the use of chlorine. Only cold fresh water is used
• Saba’s Company car policy, for environmental reasons, permits no cars consuming more than 10 liters per 100 km
• Environmental ranking of contracted transporters is a part of the agreement with Saba

Labor Conditions

Saba provides all government-mandated benefits. It also has in place a program for job adaptation and rehabilitation. This plan assists ill employees to return to work quickly and contributes towards effective job adaptation and rehabilitation for those who are disabled or have a long-term disability.

Saba maintains a very close relationship with its workers.  Approximately 80% of Saba’s workforce is unionized.