Company said 2023 has been a year of “profound transformation”
Global berry breeder Planasa celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, describing it as “one of the finest moments of its history”. Despite the volatile international environment, the company said EBITDA is on course to top €70m for this fiscal year, while investments in R&D have exceeded €10m.
In what it said had been a year of “profound transformation”, Planasa reported good progress toward its goal of becoming a worldwide leader in the berry sector, developing year-round varieties.
Notable milestones reached in its anniversary year include the opening of an R&D centre in Mexico, and the acquisition of Meiming to consolidate its presence in China’s burgeoning blueberry industry.
“This year, we have improved our operations, expanded our international presence and launched innovative varieties to become a world leader,” said CEO Michael Brinkmann.
In September Planasa’s owner, private equity firm Cinven, sold the company to EW Group,
a German family-owned company in the life sciences sector with a presence in more than 50 countries and more than 19,000 employees worldwide.
Planasa said both companies share the same innovative and environmental values and aim to contribute to the food requirements of our society.
Planasa was established in 1973 by the Darbonne family together with Caja de Navarra in Valtierra, in the northern Spanish region of Navarra. Over the decades, it expanded its products and locations, and moved from breeding and developing new strawberries and asparagus varieties to include blueberry, raspberry and blackberry R&D programmes.
In 2010, the company expanded to new markets such as the US and Mexico. Today, it is global leader in the agri-food sector with more than 225 registered varieties, a presence in 25 countries and over 4,000 employees.
It said its goal is to harness the power of innovation to achieve an almost perfect balance between technological transformation and sustainability by developing new varieties available year-round.
“This entails researching breeds adapted to different climatic conditions with lower input requirements, in term of water consumption, environmental sustainability and pest protection, as well as supporting farmers with the most efficient and top-quality technology and crop knowledge,” the company said.
Planasa was established in 1973 by the Darbonne family together with Caja de Navarra in Valtierra, in the northern Spanish region of Navarra. Over the decades, it expanded its products and locations, and moved from breeding and developing new strawberries and asparagus varieties to include blueberry, raspberry and blackberry R&D programmes.
In 2010, the company expanded to new markets such as the US and Mexico. Today, it is global leader in the agri-food sector with more than 225 registered varieties, a presence in 25 countries and over 4,000 employees.
“All this tremendous growth and evolution would not have been possible without the contribution of all those people, some of which have been at Planasa for decades. Thanks to an incredibly qualified and committed team, the company has grown to lead the sector worldwide,” the company said.
Planasa added that a key driver throughout the years has been innovation and sustainability, seeking to produce more and better with less.
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