Key Takeaways
- KWS has inaugurated a new research and breeding station for vegetables in Uberlândia, Brazil.
- The facility focuses on breeding tomatoes, melons, and watermelons.
- The station is a significant investment aimed at the Brazilian and South American markets.
- The 13-hectare site includes greenhouses, open fields, and will expand its phytopathology activities.
- KWS continues to grow its global presence in the vegetable seed market through strategic investments and acquisitions.
KWS Inaugurates New Research and Breeding Station in Brazil
As part of its international growth strategy, seed specialist KWS has opened a new research and breeding station for vegetables in Uberlândia, located in the western part of the Minas Gerais state in Brazil. The station, which focuses on breeding tomato, melon, and watermelon, was inaugurated with an official ceremony attended by approximately 100 visitors.
Inauguration Ceremony
The inauguration event was led by Ailton Ribeiro, Head of Breeding Latin America at KWS Vegetables. Ribeiro welcomed the guests with a presentation, toast, and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Attendees were given an overview of the new breeding station and were taken on a tour to observe various plant varieties in the field.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
The new station spans 13 hectares, comprising warehouses, offices, 3,800 square meters of greenhouses, and 7 hectares of open field area. The team, consisting of around 60 research experts, breeders, and farm staff, is set to expand the greenhouse area in the coming years to support phytopathology activities.
“This station will be the main hub for our activities for the Brazilian and South American vegetables market where we expect to develop new varieties and hybrids that are well adapted to tropical and subtropical conditions, attending an increasing demand for vegetables with better quality, higher yielding and resistance to the main pests and diseases,” Ribeiro stated.
Eduardo Albonico, National Sales Manager Brazil for KWS Vegetables, added, “This new investment from KWS in Uberlândia combines experience and innovation with a long-term goal for delivering added value with our varieties to this tropical and subtropical country with its challenging conditions.”
Strategic Expansion in Brazil
In addition to the Uberlândia site, KWS Vegetables operates an office building in Campinas and conducts breeding activities in Petrolina. Petrolina, situated in the northeastern region of Brazil, is a key area for melon cultivation, serving both domestic and export markets in the US and Europe. The Campinas office handles Finance, Sales, and Development, and supports the Uberlândia Research Station.
Background and Broader Strategy
KWS, a leading global plant breeding company with over 165 years of history, announced its entry into the vegetable seeds market in 2019. This move is part of a greenfield approach aimed at organic growth, supplemented by acquisitions and sales of licensed-in varieties.
The company’s acquisitions include Dutch vegetable breeding company Pop Vriend Seeds, known for its spinach and beans breeding, and the Italian vegetable seed company Geneplanta S.r.l. (now KWS Vegetables Italia), a specialist in tomato varieties.
KWS has also focused on staffing its new vegetable seed business division and launching breeding activities in Brazil, Spain, Turkey, Italy, The Netherlands, and Mexico. By continuously expanding its network of breeding stations, KWS aims to develop a significant position in the vegetable seed market, with a focus on breeding for the needs of the value chain and prioritizing the end-customer.
Image provided by KWS
