Seed specialist Rijk Zwaan is to sell off its shares in the Grow Group, with the firm’s management citing ‘changed circumstances’ for the decision.

The shares will be sold to the Grow Group’s original owner and management. Rijk Zwaan and the Grow Group had a fruitful collaboration until 1990, when the former purchased the shares for strategic reasons. Thereafter they continued to work closely together.

Meanwhile, Rijk Zwaan has reported that it expects to continue on a path of strong growth. “The available management capacity needs to be able to focus totally on this expected growth. The Grow Group has also seen robust growth, especially internationally. This requires decisive management, which is very closely involved in production and sales,” said the firm in a statement.

Ben Tax, co-director/shareholder for Rijk Zwaan, added: “It has been a hard decision to release the ownership of this company. Ultimately, the faith we have in the new owners and the conclusion that independence of the Grow Group is better in view of the future development of the Grow Group and Rijk Zwaan, have been the deciding factors.”

Hans Grootscholten, future director /shareholder of the Grow Group, explained: “It is an enormous challenge to be able to take up the further expansion of our wonderful company again; it is a dream come true.”