Semo

What Semo does

SEMO a.s. is a privately-held Czech joint-stock company headquartered in Smržice that breeds, produces, and sells vegetable, flower, herb, medicinal, and aromatic plant seeds for both hobby gardeners and professional growers. Founded in the early 1990s and operating since at least 1993, the company runs an integrated breeding-and-production operation on a single site that also hosts a cash-only company retail store. Its product portfolio spans 577 vegetable varieties and 411 flower and herb varieties in the hobby range, with 15+ themed sub-brands (BIO, Chuť Asie, Do nádob, DUO line, Jedlé květy, MAXI, MINI zahrádka, etc.) targeting specific gardening use cases. The professional (PROFI) range includes proprietary SEMO-bred lines as well as exclusive Czech representation of international genetics from TAKII (Japan), Pop Vriend Seeds (Netherlands), Crookham (USA), De Bolster (Netherlands), and Top Onions (Netherlands) — including Crookham's Noa F1, the most-grown sweet corn variety in the Czech Republic.

The company's proprietary technology centers on conventional plant breeding, with a notable in-house innovation being the Falcon F1 self-cleaning geranium series (pollen-sterile, continuous-bloom varieties producing up to 20% more flowers lasting more than 7 days longer than conventional varieties). SEMO's business model is a direct, sales-led physical-goods operation: hobby gardeners buy branded seed packets via own e-commerce, the company store, and independent garden centers across the Czech Republic and Slovakia, while professional growers place direct quote-based orders via email, phone, or fax. Pricing is unit-based — hobby packets range from approximately 29 to 79 CZK, while PROFI pricing is negotiated per order. The company claims 95% in-stock availability across its catalog and supports customers through an online Poradna (consultation forum) and downloadable PDF catalogs. No funding rounds, ownership changes, or revenue figures are disclosed.

Name

Semo

Legal name

SEMO a.s.

Website

https://semo.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SEMO a.s. is a Czech seed company that breeds, produces, and sells vegetable, flower, and herb seeds to hobby gardeners and professional growers, distributing 988+ proprietary and exclusively represented international varieties through retail, e-commerce, and direct sales channels in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horticultural Seeds

NAICS

Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Plant Breeding & Variety Development (Conventional) (AFAGAIAF), Seed Distribution & Wholesale (Channel Sales) (AFAGAIAM)

Keywords

• Vegetable seeds
• Flower seeds
• Herb seeds
• Seed breeding
• Horticulture supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Smrzice

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Seed Sales (HOBBY): Sale of branded seed packets to amateur gardeners through retail channels and company store. Products include vegetables, flowers, herbs in colorful packaging.
2. Seed Sales (PROFI): Sale of professional-grade seeds to commercial growers, typically in larger volumes. Includes both proprietary SEMO varieties and represented international brands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Semo breeds, produces, and sells vegetable, flower, and herb seeds under two distinct commercial lines — HOBBY (retail seed packets for amateur gardeners priced 29-79 CZK) and PROFI (professional-grade seeds for commercial growers, sold via quote-based direct sales in trade packaging). The portfolio includes 577 vegetable varieties and 411 flower and herb varieties, supplemented by exclusive Czech and Slovak distribution of partner brands from Japan, the Netherlands, and the USA.

Product overview

SEMO a.s. is a Czech seed breeding, production, and sales company offering a comprehensive portfolio of vegetable, flower, and herb seeds. The company operates two distinct market segments: HOBBY for home gardeners (featuring colorful seed packets with 577 vegetable varieties and 411 flower/herb varieties) and PROFI for professional growers. SEMO distributes its own bred varieties alongside exclusive partnerships with Japanese company TAKII (brassicas, onions), Dutch firm Pop Vriend Seeds (spinach, beans, corn), and American company Crookham (sweet corn). The product line includes curated seed collections such as BIO, Chuť Asie, and others, supported by breeding services and an advisory Q&A service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SEMO BIO: BIO seed collection featuring organic/bio seeds for hobby gardeners
• DUO line
• MAXI
• MINI zahrádka
• NAŠE NEJ
• RACIO
• Chuť Asie
• Do nádob
• Jedlé květy
• K dekoraci
• Kuriozity
• Květiny k řezu
• Květinový koberec
• Nektar párty
• Paleta barev
• Pro mlsné jazýčky
• Roubuj s námi
• Zelená lékárna

Products and services

• HOBBY vegetable, flower, and herb seed packets A complete line of retail-size seed packets for amateur gardeners in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, covering vegetables, flowers, and herbs, intended for cultivation in home gardens, balconies, and containers.
• PROFI trade seeds for professional growers Professional-grade seeds in trade packaging supplied to commercial growers, market gardeners, and horticultural producers for large-scale cultivation, with quantities and pricing arranged by individual offer.
• Falcon F1 Self-Cleaning Geranium series Proprietary self-cleaning geranium (Pelargonium) F1 hybrid series bred and sold by Semo, available to both hobby and professional growers.
• BIO organic seeds Sub-brand line of organically produced vegetable, flower, and herb seeds marketed to hobby gardeners seeking organic cultivation options.
• Exclusive-distribution international breeder seeds (TAKII, Pop Vriend, Crookham, Top Onions, De Bolster) International vegetable and flower seed varieties from partner breeders that Semo distributes exclusively on the Czech and Slovak markets as part of its own HOBBY and PROFI catalogs.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TAKIIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese seed company specializing in brassicas, onions, and bunching onions. SEMO offers TAKII varieties suited to Czech growing conditions and market requirements. TAKII varieties are available through the professional (PROFI) sales channel.
• Pop Vriend SeedscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch company producing professional varieties of spinach, bush beans, and sweet corn. SEMO is exclusive representative in the Czech Republic for Pop Vriend Seeds products.
• CrookhamcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmerican family wholesale company founded in 1911, producing sweet corn and popcorn seeds. Crookham seeds are among the world's best. SEMO is the exclusive sales representative for Crookham sweet corn seeds in the Czech Republic. Key variety Noa F1 is the most-grown sweet corn variety in Czech Republic.
• Top OnionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch company serving as SEMO's primary supplier of onion sets and shallots.
• De BolsterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch seed company represented by SEMO in the Czech Republic.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• HM.Clause: French vegetable seed company (Limagrain subsidiary) developing varieties for professional field and fresh-market growers worldwide — comparable to SEMO in vegetable seed specialization and B2B-led model; larger scale gives it incumbency in PROFI accounts SEMO targets.
• Bejo Zaden: Dutch family-owned vegetable seed breeder producing a broad range of vegetable varieties for both professional growers and hobby markets worldwide — closely comparable to SEMO in breeding focus, dual hobby/professional positioning, and mid-size European family business profile.
• Sakata Seed Corporation: Japanese breeder and producer of vegetable and flower seeds for both hobby (packeted) and professional markets globally — comparable to SEMO in dual hobby/professional go-to-market, flower + vegetable portfolio, and mid-size international specialist profile.
• Thompson & Morgan: UK-based mail-order and online retailer of flower, vegetable and herb seed packets to hobby gardeners across Europe — directly comparable to SEMO's HOBBY segment in retail channel, packeted seed positioning, and broad hobby SKU range, though without SEMO's breeding and PROFI depth.
• Rijk Zwaan: Dutch family-owned vegetable seed breeder with extensive variety development for greenhouse and open-field crops, serving professional growers worldwide — directly comparable to SEMO in breeding-led model, vegetable focus, and family-owned European specialist positioning.
• Enza Zaden: Dutch vegetable seed company breeding and producing varieties for global professional and hobby segments across more than 30 crops — comparable to SEMO in vegetable seed specialization, breeding-driven model, and global reach from a mid-size European base.

Broad incumbents

• Bayer Crop Science: Global crop science giant owning the Seminis and De Ruiter vegetable seed brands — competes broadly with SEMO in PROFI vegetable genetics and increasingly reaches into hobby channels via global retail; represents the largest competitive threat through its R&D and distribution scale.
• Vilmorin & Cie (Limagrain): France-based seed group with one of the world's largest vegetable seed businesses via HM.Clause and other subsidiaries — broad incumbent competing with SEMO in field and vegetable genetics for professional growers across European and global markets.
• Syngenta: Global agrochemical and seed company with a sizeable vegetable and flower seed division serving professional growers across all major regions — a broad incumbent competing with SEMO in PROFI seed supply and increasingly in hobby channels, though at vastly larger scale and portfolio breadth.

Regional players

• East-West Seed: Dutch-founded tropical vegetable seed company serving smallholder growers across South and Southeast Asia — comparable to SEMO in vegetable seed specialization and small/mid-size specialist profile, but operates in a different geography and climate focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Semo.Smrzice
• Instagraminstagram.com/semo_smrzice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/semo-a-s-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Semo