What Bejo Zaden does

Bejo Zaden B.V. is a privately held Dutch family business headquartered in Warmenhuizen, the Netherlands, specialising in the breeding, production, and sale of vegetable seeds for professional growers. Founded in 1978, the company operates 31 subsidiaries across more than 30 countries, reaching growers in over 100 markets through a hybrid of direct sales force and dedicated dealer networks. Its portfolio spans 40+ crops and 1,100+ varieties, with particular depth in onions (via subsidiary De Groot en Slot, founded c. 1955), carrots, lettuce, celery, radicchio, and brassicas. Bejo serves both conventional and organic growers, with a 30-year organic programme encompassing 50+ crops and 190+ certified organic varieties, alongside three core seed product forms: Naturally Cleaned and Coated (NCC), Cleaned and Coated (CC), and Organic Seed (OS).

The company's underlying technology centres on proprietary hybrid (F1) breeding, augmented by a non-exclusive CRISPR-Cas9 license from Corteva Agriscience and the Broad Institute (signed 2021), B-Mox® seed enhancement technology, and physical disinfection methods (hot water, steam vacuum). Bejo deploys AI, drones, climate sensors, and computer vision for plant counting, off-type/weed detection, disease hotspot identification, and predictive germination analytics, and offers the Cropalyser mobile app to growers for pest and disease identification. Certifications include GLOBALG.A.P. for propagation material and EU organic certification (NL-BIO-01). The company maintains 15,000 bee colonies, supports Wageningen University strip-cropping research, and is investing in AI seed-production tooling via a February 2026 €2M seed investment in Antonie.

Bejo's revenue model is B2B sale of physical seed to professional vegetable growers, with pricing not publicly disclosed and quotes handled through sales representatives and dealers. The go-to-market relies on long-term advisory relationships, field trials, demo fields, and flagship events such as annual Open Days at Warmenhuizen and Bejo a Campo in Brazil, supplemented by participation in international trade fairs (Fruit Logistica, expoSE, Fruit Attraction, Biofach). Customer segments are diversified across professional vegetable growers (primary), organic growers (primary), plant raisers, and dealers, spanning Western and Eastern Europe, North America, Latin America, and Oceania. The company has no public listing, no disclosed funding rounds, and no parent company; ownership remains within the founding family.

Name

Bejo Zaden

Legal name

Bejo Zaden B.V.

Website

https://bejo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Bejo Zaden is a privately held Dutch family business that breeds, produces, and sells vegetable seeds across 40+ crops and 1,100+ varieties to professional conventional and organic growers in over 100 countries, operating through 31 subsidiaries and a global dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vegetable Seeds

NAICS

Other Vegetable (except Potato) and Melon Farming (111219), Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Vegetable Seeds (Open-Pollinated & Hybrid) (AFABAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Greenhouse Vegetable Production (Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Leafy Greens) (AFAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Vegetable seed breeding
• Hybrid seed production
• Organic vegetable seeds
• Agricultural seed genetics
• Professional grower seeds

Headquarters

HQ city

Warmenhuizen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vegetable Seed Sales: Bejo generates revenue primarily through the sale of vegetable seeds — conventional, organically certified, and treated seed — to professional growers worldwide via its subsidiaries and dealer networks. Seeds are sold in multiple product forms including Naturally Cleaned and Coated (NCC), Cleaned and Coated (CC), Organic Seed (OS), and enhanced forms (pelleted, primed, B-Mox® treated).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bejo Zaden is a global family business that breeds, produces, and sells vegetable seeds for professional growers. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of 40+ crops and 1,100+ varieties spanning carrots, onions, lettuce, celery, cabbage, radicchio, leek, zucchini, and other vegetables, available in conventional, organic, and treated seed forms (NCC, CC, OS). It also offers proprietary seed enhancement technologies such as B-Mox® and the Cropalyser digital app.

Product overview

Bejo Zaden is a global family business specializing in breeding, production, and sale of vegetable seeds for professional growers. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of 40+ crops and 1,100+ varieties across vegetables including carrots, onions, lettuce, celery, radicchio, pointed cabbage, zucchini, leek, brussels sprouts, fennel, cauliflower, spinach, and red beet. The product portfolio is organized around three main seed forms: Naturally Cleaned and Coated (NCC) as the basic environmentally-friendly option, Cleaned and Coated (CC) with minimal chemical protection, and Organic Seed (OS) for certified organic production. Supporting technologies include B-Mox® seed enhancing treatment, and the Cropalyser mobile app for pest and disease identification. The company operates through subsidiaries including De Groot en Slot (onion specialist) and maintains global presence across 31 companies in 30+ countries serving 100+ markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• B-Mox: Seed enhancing technology developed by Bejo to give plants a stronger start.
• Bejo Naturally Cleaned and Coated (NCC)
• Bejo Cleaned and Coated (CC)
• Bejo Organic Seed (OS)
• De Groot en Slot (DGS)
• Cropalyser

Products and services

• Vegetable Seeds Portfolio Comprehensive range of vegetable seeds for professional growers spanning 40+ crops and 1,100+ varieties, available in conventional, organic, and treated seed forms for fresh market and processing supply chains.
• Naturally Cleaned and Coated (NCC) Seed Conventionally produced vegetable seed that is naturally cleaned and coated without chemicals, suitable for all cultivation systems with no or minimal use of chemicals.
• Cleaned and Coated (CC) Seed Naturally cleaned seed with a minimal quantity of chemical crop protection additives to protect seedlings against fungi in the soil, reducing crop protection products needed after seed emergence.
• Organic Seed (OS) Organically produced seed that is naturally cleaned and coated, approved by organic certification bodies for use in certified organic farming operations.
• B-Mox® Seed Enhancement Proprietary seed enhancing technology developed by Bejo to give plants a stronger start, providing improved germination, vigour, and early crop development.
• Cropalyser Practical mobile application developed by Bejo that enables easy identification of major pests, diseases, and disorders in vegetable crops, supporting decision-making for growers.
• GLOBALG.A.P. Certified Seed Vegetable seeds produced under GLOBALG.A.P. Control Points and Compliance Criteria for Propagation Material, ensuring quality and safety standards.
• De Groot en Slot (DGS) Onion Varieties Onion breeding specialist subsidiary offering innovative Rijnsburger onion varieties (storage onions, red onions, hybrids) with 70 years of breeding history.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bejo's organic seed range covers over 50 crops and 190+ varieties, with the company celebrating 30 years of organic activities.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NAJK (Nederlandse Agrarische Jongeren Kontakt)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025De Groot en Slot (Bejo's onion subsidiary) signed a cooperation agreement with NAJK (Dutch Young Farmers) to work towards a future-proof arable farming sector in which onion cultivation is possible. The agreement was signed by Hilde Coolman, portfolio holder for Arable Farming at NAJK, together with Bas van den Hemel, Jeroen Kuin of DGS, and NAJK director Anita Koops.
• Agri PoppeminorOthers · 1 November 2025Agri Poppe received De Groot en Slot's first Innovation Award for the AP-LIFT system, an eye-catching labour-saving solution that improves product quality. The award was presented at the DGS 70th anniversary symposium. The jury received 15 entries for the award.
• MRL Seeds LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Bejo acquired the blanched celery breeding programme from UK-based MRL Seeds Ltd, including established varieties Enterprise and Endurance and several promising hybrids. The acquisition broadens Bejo's genetic base for celery and positions the company to accelerate innovation in this crop. The MRL celery varieties are now integrated into Bejo's assortment and distributed under the Bejo brand through Bejo subsidiaries and dedicated dealers. Gerhard Völkel, Head of Leafy Crop at Bejo, noted that the acquisition expands Bejo's genetic toolbox and reinforces its ability to respond to market needs globally.
• Corteva Agriscience / Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2021Bejo entered into a non-exclusive research and commercial license agreement with Corteva Agriscience and the Broad Institute for CRISPR-Cas9 intellectual property for agricultural use. The agreement grants Bejo access to CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tools for research work, breeding programmes, and potential future commercial applications. Bert Schrijver, Director R&D at Bejo, noted that gene editing technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 accelerate vegetable breeding by increasing understanding of genetics and enabling development of new traits such as abiotic stress and disease resistance for more sustainable farming.
• Zaad HoldingsminorOthers · 1 July 2020Zaad Holdings partnered with Bejo in the acquisition of Nuvance, a South African distributor, as of July 1st, 2020. Nuvance is now integrated into Bejo's distribution network in South Africa.
• Vertify (Agricultural Research Institute, Netherlands)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVertify is an independent agricultural research institute in the Netherlands that conducts yield measurements and quality assessments for De Groot en Slot's independent variety trials, ensuring trial data credibility and grower confidence.
• HLB (Research Institute, Netherlands)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHLB is an independent research institute that conducts yield measurements, quality assessments, and storage assessments for De Groot en Slot's onion variety trials at multiple locations across the Netherlands.
• SPNA (Research Institute, Netherlands)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSPNA is a Dutch agricultural research institute that takes samples and conducts harvest measurements for De Groot en Slot's onion variety trials, contributing to independent variety performance data.
• Wageningen University (WUR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBejo actively supports the 'strip cropping' research project initiated by Wageningen University (WUR), which aims to develop practical models for strip cropping as part of innovative resilient agri-food systems. Bejo participates in trials investigating crop combinations including carrot-onion and cabbage-wheat strips to anticipate new forms of sustainable agriculture.
• De Groot en Slot (DGS)coreOthersDe Groot en Slot is Bejo's wholly-owned onion breeding subsidiary, which has operated for 70 years and developed landmark Rijnsburger onion varieties. DGS conducts its own breeding, seed production, and sales activities and participates in the Bejo family events and initiatives. DGS directors Bas van den Hemel and Martin Slot lead the company.
• Broer BVminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBroer BV co-organises the BIOTEELT & TECHNIEKBEURS exhibition with Bejo Benelux BV and Ceres Horti Advice BV. Broer BV hosts the event at its facility in Creil, Netherlands.
• Ceres Horti Advice BVminorOthersCeres Horti Advice BV co-organises the BIOTEELT & TECHNIEKBEURS exhibition with Bejo Benelux BV and Broer BV, contributing horticultural advisory expertise to the event.
• Helga van Leur (Weather Presenter)minorOthersFormer weather presenter Helga van Leur spoke at the De Groot en Slot 70th anniversary symposium, warning attendees about global warming and its implications for onion cultivation, and providing a positive message about the impact of different choices on climate change.
• Sonny de Leeuw and Wouter de Vries (AI Experts)minorOthersAI experts Sonny de Leeuw and Wouter de Vries presented the latest AI trends and practical applications in agriculture at the De Groot en Slot 70th anniversary symposium, exploring what is already possible and what can be expected in the future for onion cultivation.
• Boerenbusiness (Media Platform)minorOthersDe Groot en Slot participates as a knowledge partner in the Boerenbusiness Onion Crop Tour, a platform following ten onion growers across the Netherlands from sowing to harvest, sharing data on growing conditions, rainfall, yields, and challenges.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Enza Zaden: Dutch family-owned vegetable seed breeder headquartered in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. Closest direct peer to Bejo: comparable size, same business model (breeding/producing/selling vegetable seeds globally), overlapping crop portfolio (lettuce, tomato, pepper, cucumber), and similar B2B sales-led model through subsidiaries and distributors.
• Rijk Zwaan: Dutch family-owned vegetable seed company (De Lier, Netherlands), one of the top-5 global vegetable seed breeders. Directly comparable in scale, family-ownership structure, crop breadth, and 100+ country distribution; serves overlapping professional grower segments with hybrid vegetable varieties.
• Vilmorin & Cie (Limagrain): French cooperative-owned seed company (Limagrain group) with major vegetable seed business through Vilmorin-Mikado. Comparable in crop breadth, B2B sales to professional growers, and global footprint; differs as a farmer-cooperative structure but operates in the same hybrid vegetable seed category.
• Sakata Seed Corporation: Japanese global vegetable and flower seed breeder with strong positions in brassicas, cucurbits, and tomatoes. Directly comparable B2B model serving professional growers worldwide; similar size category and reliance on hybrid breeding programmes across multiple vegetable crops.

Broad incumbents

• Bayer Crop Science (Seminis / De Ruiter): Bayer's vegetable seeds business (Seminis, De Ruiter) is one of the largest global players. Overlaps directly with Bejo in tomatoes, peppers, cucurbits, lettuce, and onions; significantly larger R&D budget and broader trait pipeline make it a formidable incumbent competitor.
• Syngenta Vegetable Seeds: Syngenta's global vegetable seeds division covers a wide crop portfolio including sweet corn, peppers, tomatoes, brassicas, and cucurbits. Direct competitor in the same B2B professional grower segment with greater geographic depth and capital resources than Bejo.
• BASF Vegetable Seeds (Nunhams / HBO): BASF's Nunhams brand is a leading European vegetable seed specialist, recently expanded with HBO. Directly competes with Bejo in high-value glasshouse vegetables (tomato, pepper, cucumber) and field crops; backed by BASF's chemical/genetic platform resources.
• Corteva Agriscience (Pioneer): Corteva's vegetable seed operations include the former Dow/DuPont Pioneer portfolio. Both a competitor (broad row-crop and vegetable genetics) and a licensor of CRISPR-Cas9 IP to Bejo; relevant for trait platforms and any future consolidation in vegetable seeds.

Emerging players

• Takii & Co. Japanese family-owned vegetable and flower seed company with global operations. Comparable business model in hybrid vegetable breeding for professional markets; smaller than Bejo by employee count but operates in overlapping crops (brassicas, root vegetables, leafy greens).

Regional players

• East-West Seed: Tropical-focused vegetable seed company headquartered in Thailand, serving smallholder farmers in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Partial overlap with Bejo in tropical vegetable crops and breeding techniques, but distinct geographic focus and customer base (smallholders vs Bejo's professional growers).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BejoZaden
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/bejozaden
• Facebookfacebook.com/BejoWorld
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bejo-zaden
• Instagraminstagram.com/bejoworld

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bejo Zaden