What Meijer Potato does

Meijer Potato (legal entity C. Meijer B.V.) is a Dutch family-owned potato breeding company founded in 1920 and headquartered in Rilland, Netherlands, now in its fourth generation of family leadership. The company develops, protects, and commercializes roughly 21 conventional (NON-GMO) potato varieties across three end-use segments: table potatoes for fresh consumption, French fry varieties for processors, and crisping varieties for chip manufacturers. Its R&D programme is delivered through a dedicated team reinvesting more than 16% of net profit annually, supported by an in-house DNA marker-assisted selection platform, drone-based crop phenotyping, and laboratory robotics for seedling selection, all operated without genetic modification under EU Directive 2001/18/EG. Meijer Potato is run by Managing Director Erika den Daas, with R&D led by Guus Heselmans and commercial direction by Johan van der Stee.

The business model combines two revenue streams: sale of certified seed potatoes (propagating material) produced by contracted propagators in the Netherlands and France and under own management in T\u00fcrkiye, and licensing of plant variety rights to distributors in 60 countries. Distribution is executed through wholly-owned subsidiaries in the United Kingdom (Meijer Potato UK) and Poland (Agriana), joint ventures in Spain and Portugal (Meijer Iberica S.L.) and T\u00fcrkiye (Inan Meijer Tohumculuk), and a network of more than 250 professional propagators and licensed distributors globally. The company employs approximately 85 permanent staff across six countries, with more than 85% of turnover generated outside the Netherlands.

Customer segments span seed potato growers, wholesale traders and packers, and industrial processors including French fry factories and crisping plants. The company maintains a relationship-led sales motion supported by international sales managers, joint research collaborations with Wageningen University & Research, University of Amsterdam, University of Utrecht, and a technology partnership with Keygene. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled quote-based through sales representatives, with economics shaped by the 7-12 year average development cycle from breeding to full commercialization.

Name

Meijer Potato

Legal name

C. Meijer B.V.

Website

https://meijerpotato.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Meijer Potato is a Dutch family-owned potato breeder, founded 1920, that develops and licenses roughly 21 NON-GMO potato varieties for table, French fry, and crisping markets across 60 countries via subsidiaries, joint ventures, and licensed propagators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seed Potato Breeding

NAICS

Potato Farming (111211)

SIC

Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Plant Breeding & Variety Development (Conventional) (AFAGAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vegetable Seeds (Open-Pollinated & Hybrid) (AFABAFAE), Seed Distribution & Wholesale (Channel Sales) (AFAGAIAM), Seed Conditioning & Processing (Cleaning, Grading, Treating) (AFAGAIAH)

Keywords

• Potato breeding
• Seed potatoes
• Table potato varieties
• French fry varieties
• Crisping potato varieties

Headquarters

HQ city

Rilland

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Seed Potato Sales: Sale of certified seed potatoes (propagating material) produced by contracted growers in Netherlands and France, and under own management in Türkiye.
2. Variety Licensing: Licensing of potato variety rights to propagators and distributors in 60 countries worldwide. Depending on phytosanitary regulations and market needs, varieties are sold as propagating material or under license.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Meijer Potato is a Dutch potato breeding company that develops and markets high-value, non-GMO potato varieties for global table, French fry, and crisping markets. The company sells certified seed potato tubers through subsidiaries and licensed distributors, and licenses its proprietary variety rights to international partners. Its breeding pipeline combines conventional cross-breeding with DNA-marker-assisted selection, drone/robot technology, and tissue culture to deliver stress-resistant, disease-tolerant varieties.

Product overview

Meijer Potato is a potato breeding company that develops and markets high-value potato varieties across three main segments: table potatoes (for fresh consumption), French fry potatoes (for processing), and crisping potatoes (for chip production). The company's portfolio includes approximately 21 distinct potato varieties, each bred for specific market needs including climate adaptability, disease resistance, high marketable yield, and processing quality. Table varieties like Jazzy, Melody, Sound, and Lady Christl focus on consumer appeal and culinary quality. French fry varieties such as Lady Jane, Lady Luce, Lady Olympia, and Lady Terra are optimized for processing with high dry matter and consistent fry color. Crisping varieties including Lady Claire, Lady Rosetta, Lady Alicia, and Lady Avalon deliver low sugar content and high dry matter for optimal chip quality. All varieties are developed through conventional breeding methods (NON-GMO) and are available globally through licensed propagators in over 60 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Acoustic Table potato variety available globally for the fresh potato market.
• Country Table potato variety positioned for the fresh potato market.
• Cupido Table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Accord Table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Drummer Table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Jazzy Small, baby-size table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Lady Christl Early table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Lady Jane Stress-resistant, easy-to-cultivate multipurpose variety suitable for table, French fry, and crisping segments.
• Melody Table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Musica Table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Orchestra Table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Soprano Table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Sound Table potato variety for the fresh potato market.
• Lady Amarilla French fry and crisping potato variety offering dual-end-use suitability.
• Lady Anna French fry potato variety for industrial processing.
• Lady Forte French fry potato variety for industrial processing.
• Lady Luce French fry potato variety for industrial processing.
• Lady Olympia French fry potato variety for industrial processing.
• Lady Terra French fry potato variety for industrial processing.
• Lady Alicia Crisping potato variety for industrial chip production.
• Lady Avalon Crisping potato variety for industrial chip production.
• Lady Britta Crisping potato variety for industrial chip production.
• Lady Claire Leading crisping potato variety for industrial chip production, widely used by European crisp manufacturers.
• Lady Rosetta Leading crisping potato variety for industrial chip production.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7-12 years average development time from breeding to full commercialization
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wageningen University & ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing research partner for potato breeding and agricultural science. Important collaboration for R&D activities and knowledge development.
• University of AmsterdamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner for breeding science and plant genetics research.
• University of UtrechtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner for breeding science and plant genetics research.
• KeygenecoreTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner fostered during and following the OPZuid subsidy project, specializing in plant biotechnology.
• Javier Boceta (Meijer Iberica)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture established in 2007 between Meijer Potato and Javier Boceta. Meijer Iberica S.L. operates directly in Spanish and Portuguese markets with local market expertise and knowledge of potato growing.
• Nejmi Inan (Inan Meijer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture Inan Meijer Tohumculuk with Nejmi Inan, producing seed potatoes under own management in Türkiye. Unlike other subsidiaries, Inan Meijer produces its own high quality seed potatoes with state-of-the-art machines and technology.
• Board for Plant Varieties (Raadvoorplantenrassen)minorOthersDutch regulatory body for plant variety rights.
• Breeders TrustminorOthersTrust organization for plant breeders supporting the interests of breeding companies.
• Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO)minorOthersEU agency responsible for the Community plant variety rights system.
• EuropatatminorOthersEuropean Potato Trade Association representing the potato trade industry.
• European Seed AssociationminorOthersEuropean association representing the seed industry.
• International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)minorOthersInternational organization for plant variety protection.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)minorOthersUN agency dealing with food security and agriculture.
• SicasovminorOthersFrench technical institute for vegetable seeds.
• PotatoBusinessSchool EmmeloordminorOthersEducational institution for potato business training and development.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Europlant Pflanzenzucht: Europlant is a German potato breeder marketing varieties for table, French fry, crisping, and starch use internationally. Its breeding focus on yield, quality, and disease resistance closely overlaps Meijer Potato's value proposition and licensing-based distribution approach.
• Agrico: Agrico is a Dutch cooperative of potato growers that breeds, multiplies, and markets seed potatoes worldwide. It competes directly with Meijer across table and processing segments and runs a comparable licensed propagator and variety licensing model.
• HZPC: HZPC is the world's largest potato breeder, headquartered in the Netherlands. It develops and licenses potato varieties for table, processing, and starch segments globally, with a similar conventional (non-GMO) breeding model, licensed propagator network, and dual seed-sales-plus-licensing revenue structure to Meijer Potato.
• Solana Group: Solana is a German potato breeding company that develops table and processing varieties and markets them globally. It mirrors Meijer's structure: a mid-sized European breeder selling through licensed propagators, focused on conventional (non-GMO) breeding and stress-tolerant varieties.
• Danespo: Danespo is a Danish potato breeding company owned by DLF developing conventional varieties for table and processing markets. It is comparable to Meijer as a specialized, mid-sized European potato breeder with international licensing reach.

Broad incumbents

• KWS Saat: KWS is a major German seed company with a potato breeding division (KWS POTATO) covering table and processing varieties. As a broad incumbent in the seed industry, it competes with Meijer across multiple crops but has dedicated resources and breeding programmes targeting the same end markets.
• Bayer Crop Science: Bayer Crop Science operates a global seed business including a potato breeding programme (originating from its acquisition of Monsanto and earlier Nunhems vegetable seed assets). As a broad incumbent, it competes with Meijer Potato particularly in processing and table varieties for international markets.
• Syngenta Group: Syngenta is a global agricultural input company with a vegetable and specialty crops seed portfolio that includes potato. As a broad incumbent, it offers potato varieties alongside a much wider portfolio, competing with Meijer at the level of major international processors and packers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/meijerpotato.eu
• Xx.com/MeijerPotato
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meijerpotato

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Meijer Potato