Facts & Figures

Rijk Zwaan is an independent, leading company in the breeding of vegetables. In terms of turnover, product range and innovation the company is one of the top ten vegetable breeding companies in the world and occupies fourth place in Europe.

International
Its head office is located in De Lier, the Netherlands. This is where its general management is based and forms the hub from where all international activities are steered. Rijk Zwaan has at its disposal numerous locations worldwide for the breeding of varieties, the production and sales of seed and providing services to its customers. This gives Rijk Zwaan a highly effective central organisation and enables the company to sell seed and provide crop advice and support in the climate zone where the seed was developed.


Wide range
Rijk Zwaan specialises in vegetable crops. The company has a wide-ranging breeding programme. ‘Wide’ in the sense of crops, growing locations and usage possibilities.

The crops Rijk Zwaan uses for breeding work number about 40. They are nearly all crops used in commercial horticulture and include well-known crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, melons and spinach but also cabbage, radish, climbing beans and aubergines.

Rijk Zwaan carries out breeding work in these crops at various locations in the world. Each location has its own climatological conditions. This enables Rijk Zwaan to breed varieties which fit in perfectly with crops grown in the same climate zone.

Rijk Zwaan also gears its breeding activities to the situation in which its customers will be using a variety. Will it be grown in a glasshouse, a polytunnel, outdoors, for the fresh market or for industrial processing? Rijk Zwaan has a specific range for each of its customers’ demands.

Structure
Rijk Zwaan has the structure of an independent private company with limited liability. Leadership is by the board of directors.

Turnover
€ 140 million per year.

Employees
In total there are working 550 employees in the Netherlands, and 550 employees abroad.

Products
20 vegetable crops, 800 varieties, organically-produced seed

Main crops
Peppers, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Spinach, Cucumbers

Activities

• Fundamental research
• Breeding new varieties
• Selecting the best varieties
• Field testing
• Producing seed
• Quality control of seed
• Stock and distribution
• Sales
• Advising
• Additional services

Breeding stations
The breeding stations of Rijk Zwaan are for instance located in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France, Turkey, Australia, Hungary and China.

Production of seed in 15 countries
Including the USA, Greece, the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Italy, Chile, Tanzania, Australia.

Sales subsidiaries

• Rijk Zwaan Nederland B.V, the Netherlands
• Rijk Zwaan Export B.V, the Netherlands
• Seedcompany Hollandia N.V., Belgium
• Rijk Zwaan Welver GmbH, Germany
• Rijk Zwaan Budapest Kft, Hungary
• Rijk Zwaan Polska Sp. Zoo, Poland
• Rijk Zwaan Ukraine TOB, Ukraine
• Rijk Zwaan Rossija OOO, Russia
• Rijk Zwaan UK Ltd, United Kingdom
• Rijk Zwaan France S.A.R.L, France
• Rijk Zwaan Italia Srl, Italy
• Rijk Zwaan Ibérica S.A, Spain
• Rijk Zwaan Produtos Agric. Lda, Portugal
• Rito Tohumculuk A.S., Turkey
• Rijk Zwaan USA Inc, United States of America
• Rijk Zwaan Argentina SA, Argentina
• Rijk Zwaan Australia Pty Ltd, Australia
• Rijk Zwaan Quingdao Co Ltd, China

Seed production and quality control
Breeding a new variety often takes many years of dedicated work. Once a new variety has been found and is deemed to be successful, Rijk Zwaan will start producing seed of the new variety.

Usually a few plants have to produce sufficient quantities of seed as fast as possible. For each crop type, Rijk Zwaan has the best locations in the world. This enables Rijk Zwaan to produce seed throughout the year, in glasshouses or outdoors. Eventually, all seed arrives at head office in De Lier for quality control. A multitude of machines clean and grade the seed. Rijk Zwaan also has at its disposal an ultra-modern laboratory for checking the varietal purity and vigour of the seed. When all tests have shown the right results the batch of seed can be packaged and sold. Seed Technological Centre


Sales and service
Seed sales are handled by the subsidiaries in the various countries. Sales staff at the subsidiaries know the growing conditions and wishes of the growers exactly, so that they are able to recommend the right varieties to their customers. They are also in a position to give their customers advice on their crops. A good variety plus good advice gives the best yield! This expertise in growing a certain crop is also of enormous value to the breeders in their work, and they and the subsidiaries are in constant contact with each other. Seeds and Service