SBM Life Science

What SBM Life Science does

SBM Life Science is the principal operating subsidiary of family-owned French group SBM Company (parent: SBM Développement), focused on the Home & Garden market across 31 countries in Europe and North America. The company designs, registers, manufactures, and markets plant protection, plant nutrition, pest control, seeds, growing media, and garden care products for amateur gardeners and consumers through a portfolio of 25+ brands including Solabiol, Protect Garden, Protect Home, BioAdvanced, Natria, Baby Bio, Phostrogen, Toprose, Or Brun, Caussade, Biogents, and Thermacell. Core technology competencies center on biocontrol and natural plant protection, including natural bioherbicides (via Harpe partnership), pheromone-based solutions (via M2i partnership), and neonicotinoid alternatives (Belem, Success GR), supported by 10% of turnover invested in R&D and a regulatory track record of 90+ authorizations in 15 years.

The business model is a traditional consumer products wholesale and retail distribution model. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales to retail channels including garden centers, DIY chains, agricultural self-service networks (LISA), mass retail, and online marketplaces. The group operates three production facilities in France and the US and supports a catalog of 500+ product references. Beyond retail, SBM Life Science pursues B2B partnership revenue in adjacent verticals, notably mosquito protection for hospitality (Club Med, Accor) and event sponsorship (Tour de France) through the Biogents brand. Group-level consolidated turnover reached €352M in 2025 with approximately 1,000 employees, up from €230M in 2021, reflecting both organic growth and serial acquisitions including SPG, Or Brun, and Laboratoire Dazont.

Name

SBM Life Science

Legal name

SBM Développement

Website

https://sbm-company.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Home & Garden Plant Protection Products

NAICS

Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253), Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Tree & Shrub Fertilization & Plant Health Care (PHC) (HSAIAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Agriculture, Greenhouse & Nursery Commercial Pest Services (HSAMAKAO)

Keywords

• Plant protection products
• Home garden care
• Crop protection solutions
• Natural biocontrol products
• Lawn care fertilizers

Headquarters

HQ city

Écully

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Home & Garden Products: SBM Life Science is the principal activity of the group, generating revenue through sale of plant protection, care, and nutrition products, seeds, growing media, and pest control products for home and garden consumers
2. Crop Protection Products: Professional crop protection products through SBM Crop Protection (CMPA), serving the agricultural market in Europe and North Africa
3. Aromatherapy Products: Essential oils and natural health products through LCA brands for human and animal wellness, including VETOform and VetoNUT brands

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SBM Life Science manufactures and distributes plant protection, plant care, and plant nutrition products for home & garden consumers across 31 countries in Europe and North America. The portfolio spans synthetic and natural biocontrol solutions, fertilizers, growing media, seeds, and pest control offerings marketed under multiple consumer brands (Protect Garden, Protect Home, Solabiol, BioAdvanced, Natria, Baby Bio, Phostrogen, Toprose, Provanto, Or Brun). The group also operates a professional crop protection arm (SBM Crop Protection/CMPA) supplying agricultural professionals.

Product overview

SBM Life Science is a diversified home and garden care company operating as the principal activity of SBM Company. The portfolio architecture combines core sub-brands with acquired brands across several categories: plant protection (Protect Garden, Provanto), household pest control (Protect Home, Caussade, Trim, Le Détaupeur), natural/bio products (Solabiol, Natria, Or Brun), fertilizers and plant nutrition (NutriOne, Phostrogen, Baby Bio, Toprose), mosquito control (Thermacell, Biogents), and seeds (Le Paysan). In North America, BioAdvanced serves as the flagship lawn care brand. The company also operates the SeeZon online platform that aggregates all brands and provides consumer guidance. Products are distributed across Europe and North America through various retail channels including garden centers, DIY stores, and agricultural supply stores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Protect Garden: Plant protection and nutrition products for gardens
• Protect Home
• Solabiol
• BioAdvanced
• Natria
• NutriOne
• Phostrogen
• Baby Bio
• Toprose
• Provanto
• Or Brun
• Caussade
• Biogents
• Thermacell
• Stroller
• Le Paysan
• Caillard
• La Semeuse
• Le Détaupeur
• Trim
• VETOform
• VetoNUT
• Seezon
• Belem
• Success GR

Products and services

• Belem Soil-applied insecticide used in professional crop protection to control soil-dwelling pests at planting.
• Success GR Granular crop protection formulation positioned as a neonicotinoid alternative for professional agricultural use.
• Biogents AERO TRAP / AERO TRAP PLUS Pheromone-based mosquito traps designed for residential and outdoor use to monitor and reduce mosquito populations.
• Harpe Bioherbicide Natural Weed Control Products Natural-origin herbicide products for weed control in gardens, lawns, and professional applications.
• SeeZon Online Platform Digital platform supporting the company's plant care, garden, and pest-control offerings for customers and partners.
• Solabiol Range Natural-origin plant protection, fertilizers, and care products for amateur gardeners seeking biocontrol and organic gardening solutions.
• BioAdvanced Range Lawn and garden care products sold in North America under the BioAdvanced brand.
• Baby Bio Liquid plant food for indoor and outdoor potted plants, primarily sold in the UK.
• Phostrogen Soluble plant food and fertilizer products sold primarily in the UK for garden and indoor plants.
• Provanto Insecticide and pest control products for the UK home & garden market.
• Or Brun Natural soils, mulches, and organic fertilizers marketed to amateur gardeners.
• Thermacell Mosquito Protection Portable mosquito repelling devices and refills distributed in European home & garden channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90 regulatory authorizations obtained in 15 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Club MedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Pilot programs to deploy Biogents innovative, effective, and insecticide-free mosquito solutions at several Club Med villages to preserve guest quality of stay and comfort.
• Hozelock ExelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 March 2026Strategic partnership in France to offer personalized and differentiated in-store product offerings. Combines SBM Life Science garden products with Hozelock watering and garden equipment.
• Harpe Bioherbicide SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Strategic partnership to develop and commercialize natural weed control solutions for US home and garden market. Leverages Harpe's natural plant extract technology for fast-acting, sustainable bioherbicide products meeting environmental standards.
• AccorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Partnership for sustainable and effective mosquito protection using Biogents solutions at Accor properties.
• Tour de FranceflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 February 2024Biogents as Official Protector of Tour de France for 3 consecutive years (2024-2026). Deploys insecticide-free mosquito traps at strategic locations including Fan Park Bordeaux to protect spectators, riders, and communities.
• GIN BIONIC ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2022Collaborative project with Greenpharma and IEES laboratory supported by France 2030. Project aims to identify and develop new effective biocontrol solutions for plant protection against harmful insects.
• M2i GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2022Partnership for development of new pheromone-based biological solutions for amateur gardeners. M2i contributes R&D expertise and product design capabilities for European and US markets.
• YouCareminorOthers · 1 January 2022RSE partnership for animal protection and biodiversity preservation. SBM Company supports the YouCare association founded in 2020.
• GERME SAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Equity participation in GERME SA laboratory specialized in biotechnology and microbiology. Applied to biocontrol products and biostimulants, strengthening Solabiol natural products expertise.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• FMC Corporation: US-listed global agricultural sciences company with crop protection products for professional farmers. Comparable to SBM Crop Protection's professional product line serving European and North African agricultural markets, though much larger in scale.
• Biobest Group: Global leader in biological pest control and pollination, offering biocontrol solutions for both professional horticulture and increasingly amateur gardening markets. Overlaps with SBM's biocontrol direction and M2i pheromone partnership.
• Valent BioSciences: Specialist biorational crop protection and plant health company, subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical. Competes with SBM's natural and biocontrol product lines in plant health and biopesticide categories.
• Certis Biologicals: Specialist biocontrol company offering biological crop protection products including biopesticides. Directly comparable to SBM's Solabiol natural products portfolio and pheromone/biocontrol development partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Bayer Crop Science: Global crop protection and seeds leader and former owner of the Bayer Garden consumer business that SBM acquired in 2016. Continues to compete in professional crop protection and represents the upstream competitor to SBM Crop Protection.
• UPL Limited: Global crop protection company with broad portfolio of traditional and biosolutions products. Comparable to SBM Crop Protection in Europe and increasingly in biocontrol adjacencies.
• BASF Agricultural Solutions: Global agrochemical major offering crop protection products and increasingly biocontrol solutions. Competes directly with SBM Crop Protection in European professional markets and has growing consumer garden exposure.
• Scotts Miracle-Gro: Leading North American consumer lawn and garden care company (Miracle-Gro, Ortho, RoundUp consumer brands) with comparable plant protection, fertilization, and pest control product portfolios. Largest direct competitor to SBM's BioAdvanced brand in the US home and garden market.
• Syngenta: Global crop protection and seeds company with a broad product portfolio including biocontrol adjacencies. Represents major competitive overlap with SBM Crop Protection in European agricultural markets.

Emerging players

• Espoma Organic: US-based organic and natural lawn and garden care company offering fertilizers and soil products. Comparable to SBM's Natria and Or Brun natural product brands in the North American consumer market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbmcompany

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries10 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 SBM Life Science