Facts & Figures
Rijk Zwaan is a world leading, high quality, highly innovative specialist in creating vegetables. We do this through innovative research & development, led by the needs and tastes of our customers.
International
Our 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 us 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
€ 150 million
per year.
Employees
In total there are working 750 employees in the Netherlands, and 600 employees abroad.
Products
20 vegetable crops, 800 varieties, organically-produced seed
Main crops
Peppers, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Spinach, Cucumbers
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 has opted for locally operating subsidiaries in the various countries. The subsidiaries have the commercial task of selling seed and providing a service to the customer with a strong focus on the specific local market conditions. They are in the unique position of being able to meet the regional wishes of the customer. They are also able to give the breeders feedback on market and product experiences.
For an overview of the Rijk Zwaan subsidiaries, view
Rijk Zwaan companies
