NACE 10.3 – Processing and Preserving of Fruit and Vegetables | Public Tenders

NACE 10.3: Processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables in public tenders. CPV codes, contracting authorities and tender examples for preserves, frozen vegetables and juices.

Definition: NACE 10.3 covers the industrial and commercial processing of fruit and vegetables into preserves, frozen products, dried products, jams, fruit juices, fruit purées and other preparations. It also includes the manufacture of soups and broths from vegetables and the production of potato products.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: April 2026

What does NACE 10.3 cover?

NACE 10.3 (Processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables) classifies businesses that preserve plant raw materials by preservation, cooling, drying or pasteurisation — a segment of high relevance for public catering provision and state stockpiling.

Group 10.3 of Division 10 is broken down into the following classes:

Class	Title	Typical products
10.31	Processing and preserving of potatoes	Frozen chips, mashed potato, crisps, potato flour
10.32	Manufacture of fruit and vegetable juice	Orange juice, apple juice, vegetable juices, smoothies
10.39	Other processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables	Canned vegetables, frozen vegetables, jams, dried fruit

Typical public contracting authorities are institutional catering facilities (schools, hospitals, barracks), municipal catering services and state stockpiling organisations.

Public Tenders: Fruit and Vegetable Products

Processed fruit and vegetables form a cornerstone of public large-kitchen catering — from frozen vegetables for canteens to fruit juices for schools, these products are continuously tendered under supply framework agreements.

Typical types of contract

Frozen-vegetable supplies: Framework agreements for frozen vegetables (peas, beans, broccoli, sweetcorn) for schools, hospitals and barracks
Canned vegetables: Supply of canned and jarred vegetables for large kitchens and emergency stockpiles
Fruit juices and beverages: Tenders for fruit juices, fruit nectars and smoothies for canteens and school catering
Jams and spreads: Breakfast catering in hospitals, care homes and prisons
Potato products: Frozen chips, potato dumplings and mash powder for public institutional kitchens
Tomato purée and soups: Base ingredients for public large kitchens with their own further processing

Thresholds and procedure types

Food framework agreements for processed fruit and vegetables are awarded — depending on total volume — as open procedures (above the EU threshold) or as national tenders. Procurement consortia of municipal facilities frequently reach EU-relevant volumes.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 10.3

CPV Code	Title	Area of application
15300000	Fruit, vegetables and related products	Top category for processed fruit/vegetables
15331000	Processed vegetables	Preserved, sterilised vegetables
15331100	Fresh or frozen vegetables	Frozen vegetables for large kitchens
15332000	Processed fruit	Jam, compote, fruit purée
15321000	Fruit juices	Orange juice, apple juice, multivitamin juice
15312000	Potato products	Chips, mashed potato, crisps
15331170	Frozen vegetables	Frozen peas, beans, broccoli

Current tenders can be found on TED and national procurement portals.

Contracting Authorities and Bidders

Public contracting authorities

School sponsors (districts, municipalities) procure substantial volumes of processed fruit and vegetables for school canteens and refectories. Hospital networks and municipal hospital groups frequently use central purchasing offices (e.g. municipal purchasing groups). The Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) maintains stocks of long-life foods, including preserves. Armed-forces catering offices also regularly procure canned vegetables and frozen products.

Companies and bidders

Food producers and traders in NACE 10.3 typically need to provide the following for public contracts:

Food-safety certification: IFS Food, BRC or FSSC 22000 as common requirements
Organic certification: Required for tenders with organic-share specifications (e.g. EU school fruit and vegetables scheme)
Supply capacity and logistics: Cold storage, reliable delivery rhythms, minimum quantities per delivery
Origin evidence: Increasingly, regional origin as an award criterion or mandatory minimum feature
Sustainability evidence: Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade for tropical fruits and fruit juices

Frequently Asked Questions about NACE 10.3 and Public Tenders

What role does the EU School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme play in public tenders? The EU school scheme (Regulation (EU) 1308/2013) promotes the free distribution of fruit, vegetables and milk to schoolchildren. Implementation is by the federal states; procurement of the products is the responsibility of school sponsors, who carry out their own tenders under procurement law. Suppliers must meet the quality requirements of the school scheme (freshness, origin, and where applicable organic).

Can regional fruit and vegetable processors compete with large producers in public tenders? Regional providers benefit from lot structures (e.g. by product group or delivery area) and from sustainability and regionality criteria that contracting authorities increasingly apply. Bidder consortia of regional businesses are possible and permitted, provided the limits of competition law are observed.

NACE 10.3 in context: Section C and Division 10

NACE C – Manufacturing: Parent section
NACE 10 – Manufacture of food products: Food-production division
NACE 10.1 – Processing and preserving of meat: Meat and sausage products
NACE 10.8 – Manufacture of other food products: Spices, soups, ready meals

Last updated: April 2026 All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.