Meiosis

What Meiosis does

Meiosis Limited is a UK-based intellectual property and variety management company specialising in soft fruit. The firm manages a portfolio of 115 selections and varieties — principally strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, and apples — protected through Plant Variety Rights and related statutory IP mechanisms in multiple jurisdictions including the EU, UK, Switzerland, Canada, USA, Australia, and Mexico. Meiosis works with breeders, propagators, trial operators, and growers to commercialise new varieties, coordinating propagation, sales, and growing-on licence networks globally.

The company monetises its portfolio primarily through royalty-bearing licences granted to propagation licence holders, sales licence holders, and growing-on/transformation licence holders across more than a dozen countries. Pricing is negotiated per variety and territory and is not publicly disclosed. Flagship managed varieties include Malling Centenary, Malling Allure, Malling Champion, Magnum, Mariguette, Karaka Black, Elegance, and Ben Connan. Meiosis operates as part of the Nuclear Stock Association Group alongside Terraplanta Limited, the latter functioning as a global technical investment company partnering with plant propagators.

Meiosis is headquartered in Newchurch, Kent, employs 1-10 people, and is privately held. In May 2020 the firm transferred worldwide marketing and licensing rights for previously managed varieties to NIAB EMR, retaining a fixed-period royalty collection role and repositioning itself toward variety management and plant material supply in more challenging licensing and developing markets.

Name

Meiosis

Legal name

Meiosis Limited

Website

https://meiosis.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Meiosis Limited is a UK-based soft fruit variety management company that manages intellectual property and licensing rights for a portfolio of 115 strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and other fruit varieties, serving propagation, sales, and commercial growers globally through licence-holder networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant Variety Rights Management and Licensing

akta.pro primary industry

Seed Trait Licensing & IP Management (Licensing, freedom-to-operate) (AFABALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seed Licensing & IP/Royalty Management (AFAGAIAL), Seed Testing, Certification & Quality Assurance (Germination, Purity, Phytosanitary) (AFABAFAM), Seed Distribution & Wholesale (Channel Sales) (AFAGAIAM)

Keywords

• Soft fruit licensing
• Plant variety rights
• Fruit IP management
• Licensed propagation
• High health planting stock

Headquarters

HQ city

Newchurch

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Variety Licensing Royalties: Meiosis generates revenue through licensing fees collected from propagation licence holders, sales licence holders, and growing-on/transformation licence holders for soft fruit varieties. They manage marketing and licensing rights for breeders worldwide.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Meiosis manages the global supply and protection of soft fruit varieties (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, and apples) by acquiring, licensing, and protecting intellectual property rights on behalf of breeders. The company coordinates propagation licence holders, sales licence holders, and growing-on/transformation licence holders across multiple territories, generating revenue through licensing royalties on a portfolio of 115 selections and varieties.

Product overview

Meiosis is a soft fruit variety management company providing global supply and protection of soft fruit varieties (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, and apples). The company manages a portfolio of 115 selections and varieties in collaboration with breeders, propagators, triallists, and growers. Meiosis works with partners including NIAB EMR, New Fruits s.a.s., Marionnet SAS, Plant & Food Research New Zealand, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, and Washington State University. The company handles intellectual property management, variety licensing, royalty collection, and plant health stock management through its Nuclear Stock Association Group. The portfolio includes branded varieties such as Malling Centenary, Malling Allure, Malling Champion, Magnum, Mariguette, Karaka Black, Elegance, and various others across strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and blackcurrant categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Soft Fruit Variety Licensing Portfolio Licensed portfolio of soft fruit varieties (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, apples) managed on behalf of breeders including NIAB EMR, Marionnet SAS, New Fruits, Plant & Food Research, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, and Washington State University. Licensed to propagation licence holders, sales licence holders, and growing-on/transformation licence holders globally.
• Malling Centenary Strawberry Variety Strawberry variety developed at the East Malling Breeding Club (NIAB EMR) that achieved over 60 million annual plant sales and over 70 million cumulative plants sold, generating nearly €1.4 million gross royalties for East Malling Strawberry Breeding Club members. Established as UK's favourite mid-season strawberry variety.
• Malling Allure and Malling Champion Strawberry Varieties Strawberry varieties launched at Fruit Focus 2019 associated with NIAB EMR's breeding programme, licensed through Meiosis's international licence holder network.
• Magnum Strawberry Variety Strawberry variety bred by Marionnet SAS (France), protected under EU Plant Variety Rights (Grant No. EU 43041), Switzerland PBR, and Canada PVR. Licensed through Meiosis internationally and produced by John Myatt & Co at Mockbegger Farm, winning the Taste of Kent Awards strawberry category three times in four years (2015, 2017, 2018).
• Ben Connan Blackcurrant Variety Blackcurrant variety protected under PVR in Denmark, Netherlands, Poland, and Slovakia. Licensed to propagation licence holders including Blackmoor Nurseries and R W Walpole Ltd, with Berryplants Ltd as the Sales Licence Holder.
• Karaka Black Blackberry Variety Blackberry variety developed by Plant & Food Research New Zealand, protected under EU Plant Variety Rights (Grant No. EU 10720). Licensed internationally through Meiosis; associated with Hugh Lowe Farms which won the Fruiterers Company medal for Most Meritorious Exhibit of soft fruit.
• High Health Planting Stock Management Management and production of Mother Plant and High Health stock for soft fruit varieties, including testing and maintenance of high health Strawberry and Raspberry stock through the Nuclear Stock Association Group, supporting propagation licence holders globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Malling Centenary achieved 60+ million annual plant sales within 5 years of market introduction (2013)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NIAB EMRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2020NIAB EMR (UK's leading horticultural research organisation based in East Malling, Kent) and Meiosis announced a new collaborative working relationship. NIAB EMR gained immediate worldwide control and management of all current and future marketing and licensing rights for varieties previously managed by Meiosis. Meiosis continues royalty collection for a fixed period. The partnership allows Meiosis to focus on variety assessment, promotion and delivery in more challenging licensing territories.
• Marionnet SAScoreTechnology or IntegrationMarionnet SAS is a French plant breeding company that breeds strawberry varieties including Magnum and Mariguette. Meiosis manages licensing and promotion of Marionnet varieties internationally.
• New Fruits s.a.s.coreTechnology or IntegrationNew Fruits is an Italian plant breeding company. Meiosis is a Master Licensee for strawberry varieties bred by New Fruits, managing trialling and licensing of varieties including Olympia and Tea.
• Nuclear Stock Association (NSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNuclear Stock Association is the parent company of Meiosis. NSA provides testing and maintenance of high health Strawberry and Raspberry stock. The NSA Group, through its Meiosis and Terraplanta subsidiaries, specialises in the international management of IP, High Health planting stock and propagation.
• Plant & Food Research (New Zealand)coreTechnology or IntegrationNew Zealand-based plant breeding institute that developed the Karaka Black blackberry variety. Meiosis manages international licensing for Plant & Food Research varieties.
• Agriculture & Agri-Food CanadacoreTechnology or IntegrationCanadian government agriculture research organisation that bred the Saint Pierre strawberry variety. Meiosis manages international licensing for Canadian varieties.
• Terraplanta LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecently incorporated global technical investment company partnering with plant propagators around the world. Part of the Nuclear Stock Association Group alongside Meiosis.
• Washington State University (WSU)coreTechnology or IntegrationUS university with raspberry breeding programme. Meiosis manages licensing for WSU varieties including Cascade Belle and Cascade Gem.
• EMBRAPAcoreTechnology or IntegrationBrazilian agricultural research corporation. Meiosis has been developing blackberry selections from EMBRAPA in trials in Mexico and Guatemala.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fresh Forward: Dutch strawberry and apple breeding and variety licensing company. Directly comparable to Meiosis in breeding-to-licensing pipeline for soft fruit varieties with international royalty capture.
• BerryWorld: International berry variety development and commercialization group. Overlaps with Meiosis in linking breeders to commercial growers through licensing, branding and marketing of premium berry varieties.
• Planasa: Spanish berry breeding and variety licensing company with global reach. Comparable to Meiosis as a competitor for breeder mandates in strawberries, raspberries and blackberries across Europe, the Americas and emerging markets.
• Global Plant Genetics: UK-based soft fruit variety management and licensing company. Closely comparable to Meiosis in business model — managing intellectual property, trialling and licensing berry varieties (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries) on behalf of breeders globally.

Regional players

• Angus Soft Fruits: Scottish soft fruit grower-marketer working with licensed varieties. Comparable as a UK regional soft fruit operator that both consumes licensed varieties and develops its own proprietary lines, mirroring Meiosis's grower counterparty base.
• Haygrove: UK-based berry grower and substrate/tunnel systems supplier. Comparable as a regional soft fruit operator using licensed varieties; a potential large-volume licensee for Meiosis varieties in the UK and overseas.
• Edward Vinson Ltd: UK soft fruit propagator and grower operating primarily in the UK. Comparable as a downstream channel partner and regional soft fruit competitor; participates in Meiosis's licensed propagation network.
• Mazzoni Vivai: Italian soft fruit nursery and propagator. Comparable as a regional licensed propagator competing in the same Mediterranean and European soft fruit supply chain as Meiosis's network.

Others

• NIAB EMR: UK horticultural research organisation and Meiosis's former core breeding partner that assumed worldwide licensing rights to Malling varieties in 2020. Functions as both upstream breeding counterparty and now a controller of the IP Meiosis historically commercialized.

Broad incumbents

• Driscoll's: Global market-leading berry company with a proprietary variety development programme. Not a direct licensing peer but a dominant incumbent in the same soft fruit value chain whose in-house breeding effort sets the competitive bar for independent variety managers like Meiosis.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/meiosis_ltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meiosis-ltd.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Meiosis