EMCO CAL

What EMCO CAL does

EMCO CAL (Ekland Marketing Company of California, Inc.) is a private agricultural intellectual property licensing company founded in 1982 and headquartered in Dover, Florida, with secondary operations in Santa Maria, California. The company holds master licensing rights to proprietary berry, citrus, apple, and stonefruit varieties developed by public breeding programs at the University of Florida (strawberries), University of Arkansas (blackberries), USDA/Oregon State University, Washington State University (apples), and INIA Uruguay (stonefruit).

The company's core business is sub-licensing these protected varieties to a global network of nursery propagators, exporters, and commercial growers in more than 70 countries, generating revenue through royalty streams on plant sales and production volumes. EMCO CAL operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, Cal-Pacific Egypt, Ltd., which provides nursery operations and propagation services supporting Mediterranean and North African markets. The company manages a curated "white list" of licensed exporters who distribute proprietary varieties under controlled conditions, maintaining genetic integrity and royalty capture across the value chain.

EMCO CAL maintains a small organization of approximately 30 employees and has operated continuously for more than 40 years. The business model is asset-light and IP-driven; the company's principal assets are its portfolio of exclusive licensing agreements with public-sector breeding institutions and the relational network it has built with international propagators. No funding rounds, acquisitions, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed in the available data.

Name

EMCO CAL

Legal name

Ekland Marketing Co., Inc.

Website

https://emcocal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EMCO CAL is a private agricultural IP licensing company founded in 1982 that sub-licenses proprietary berry, citrus, apple, and stonefruit varieties from public breeding programs to nursery networks, exporters, and commercial growers across more than 70 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant Variety Licensing and Agricultural Intellectual Property

NAICS

Berry (except Strawberry) Farming (111334), Strawberry Farming (111333), Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113), Citrus (except Orange) Groves (11132)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Berry Farming (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries) (AFAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Citrus Orchards (Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit) (AFAGACAA)

Keywords

• Plant variety licensing
• Berry variety sublicensing
• Citrus variety licensing
• Agricultural intellectual property
• Nursery propagation rights

Headquarters

HQ city

Dover

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Variety Licensing: EMCO CAL generates revenue through licensing fees for berry and citrus varieties. They hold master licenses for University of Florida varieties outside the United States and sublicense to nurseries, growers, and exporters who pay for propagation and export rights.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EMCO CAL (Ekland Marketing Company of California, Inc.) licenses proprietary berry and citrus plant varieties developed by leading university and government breeding programs (University of Florida, University of Arkansas, USDA/OSU, Washington State University, INIA Uruguay, Berryplasma). The company holds master licenses and sublicenses propagation, production, and export rights to commercial nurseries, growers, and exporters operating in more than 70 countries. Revenue is generated through licensing fees and royalties on strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, and citrus varieties, supported by a White List system governing authorized exporters.

Product overview

EMCO CAL (Ekland Marketing Company of California, Inc.) is a berry and citrus variety licensing company with over 40 years of experience, operating in more than 70 countries. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of licensed varieties including strawberry varieties (primarily from University of Florida, INIA Uruguay), blackberry varieties (from University of Arkansas and USDA/OSU programs), raspberry varieties (from USDA and Washington State University), blueberry varieties (from USDA/OSU and Cuna de Platero Spain), and citrus varieties (Sugar Belle from University of Florida). The product portfolio is structured as multiple product lines organized by crop type, each containing specific branded or catalog varieties licensed to growers, nurseries, exporters, and retailers worldwide. The company does not sell physical products but licenses plant material and provides technical support for variety adoption.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strawberry Varieties Portfolio Licensed strawberry varieties sourced from University of Florida breeding programs (Florida Fortuna, Festival, Sensation, Brilliance, Beauty, Winterstar, Winter Dawn, Florida Pearl, Florida Felicity, Medallion, Florida Ember, Florida Encore, Marys Peak) and INIA Uruguay (INIA Ágata, INIA Valentina, INIA Yrupe), plus Berryplasma varieties (Phaedra, Kallisti), made available to growers, nurseries, and exporters for production of fresh and processed strawberries.
• Blackberry Varieties Portfolio Licensed blackberry varieties from University of Arkansas (Mary Carmen, Traveler, Prime-Ark 45, Natchez, Osage, Ouachita, Caddo, Kelly, Amanda, Danna, Blakely, Ponca) and USDA/OSU (Columbia Giant, Columbia Sunrise, Hall's Beauty, Eclipse, Galaxy, Twilight, Thunderhead) programs, covering primocane and floricane types for fresh, IQF, and processing markets.
• Raspberry Varieties Portfolio Licensed raspberry varieties developed by USDA (Kokanee, Finnberry) and Washington State University (Cascade Harvest, Cascade Premier), covering primocane and floricane types for fresh, industrial, and home garden markets.
• Blueberry Varieties Portfolio Licensed blueberry varieties including Mini Blues from USDA/OSU and Cupla from the Cuna de Platero cooperative in Spain, covering Northern Highbush types for fresh, IQF, and processing markets.
• Sugar Belle Citrus Variety Sugar Belle (LB8 9 cv.) mandarin hybrid developed by Dr. Fred Gmitter at the University of Florida. Described as the most HLB-tolerant citrus variety on the market, combining tangelo shape with clementine size and color, 14.2 Brix, 40% higher vitamin C than most varieties, and mid-season maturity (late November to early January Northern Hemisphere).
• Blackberry School Educational Program Seasonal training program on blackberry production best practices delivered in partnership with University of Arkansas extension specialists through webinars and class materials, supporting licensee success with Arkansas-bred blackberry varieties.

Quantifiable outcome

• Florida Fortuna maintains 35% market share in Huelva, Spain for nearly a decade
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Molari Berries & BreedingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 October 2021New licensee for University of Arkansas blackberry varieties in Italy and European market. Experienced nursery expanding into blackberry plant production.
• Europlant NurserycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2021Chilean nursery licensed to produce and commercialize UF strawberry varieties (Fortuna, Brilliance, Sweet Sensation, Beauty) to Chilean producers.
• Chilealimentos A.G.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Chilean food industry association providing news and market information about berries. EMCO CAL references Chilealimentos articles about frozen berry exports and market opportunities.
• Port InternationalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021European produce company selling Leyre premium strawberries (from MASIA CISCAR S.A.) in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland - potentially using EMCO CAL varieties.
• University of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMCO CAL holds master license for University of Florida berry and citrus varieties (strawberries and citrus) outside the United States. UF varieties include Florida Fortuna, Festival, Sensation, Brilliance, Beauty strawberries and Sugar Belle citrus.
• University of ArkansascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMCO CAL represents the University of Arkansas blackberry breeding program led by Dr. John Clark. Licensed varieties include Mary Carmen, Traveler, Prime-Ark 45, Natchez, Osage, Ouachita, Caddo, Kelly, Amanda, Danna, and Blakely.
• USDA / Oregon State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMCO CAL represents the USDA/OSU berry breeding program at Corvallis, Oregon. Varieties include blackberries (Columbia Giant, Columbia Sunrise, Hall's Beauty, Eclipse, Galaxy, Twilight, Thunderhead) and blueberries (Mini Blues).
• Washington State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with WSU for raspberry varieties developed by Dr. Patrick Moore. Licensed varieties include Cascade Harvest and Cascade Premier.
• BerryplasmaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrawberry breeding program partnership.
• INIA UruguayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMCO CAL represents INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigacion Agropecuaria) Uruguay strawberry breeding program. Varieties include INIA Ágata, INIA Valentina, and INIA Yrupe.
• Cal-Pacific Egypt, Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEMCO CAL subsidiary nursery operation in Egypt producing strawberry mother plants from the most popular UF strawberry varieties (Festival, Fortuna, Sensation, Beauty, Brilliance, Winterstar, Elyana) for growers worldwide.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Planasa: Spanish-headquartered global berry and asparagus plant breeder and nursery operator with exclusive licensing arrangements with multiple breeding programs. Direct competitor to EMCO CAL in plant variety licensing for strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries across Europe, Latin America, and Africa.
• Fall Creek Farm & Nursery: Global blueberry nursery and genetics company breeding and licensing blueberry varieties worldwide. Direct peer in berry plant licensing, with overlapping customer base of commercial blueberry growers and similar distribution through licensed nursery networks.

Broad incumbents

• Hortifrut: Chilean-headquartered global berry producer and genetics company with proprietary blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry varieties. Vertically integrated competitor combining breeding, licensing, growing, and marketing operations across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
• Driscoll's: World's largest berry marketer with proprietary genetics program across strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. While Driscoll's operates its own breeding pipeline, it competes with EMCO CAL for shelf space and grower mindshare in the global premium berry category.

Emerging players

• Berry Genetics Inc. Berry breeding and licensing company focused on strawberry and raspberry variety development with global commercialization. Direct competitor in the same plant variety licensing model, though with a smaller varietal portfolio than EMCO CAL.
• Plant Sciences (Plant Sciences Inc.): California-based berry breeding company developing strawberry and raspberry varieties with global licensing arrangements. Comparable in business model (variety licensing to growers and nurseries) though with a narrower portfolio concentrated in strawberries and raspberries.

Regional players

• Masia Ciscar: Spanish strawberry grower cited as a producer of Leyre premium strawberries supplied to Port International in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Regional customer of EMCO CAL's licensed varieties in the Huelva region, illustrating the licensee ecosystem.
• Agrovision (formerly Alpine Fresh): US-based berry and grape grower-marketer with significant operations in Latin America (Peru, Mexico). Comparable as a downstream user of licensor varieties with operations in similar geographies to EMCO CAL's licensed grower and exporter networks.
• Berry World (Hortifrut subsidiary): UK-based berry marketing arm with operations in Europe, Africa, and Australia. Provides a comparable channel between licensed variety developers and end retailers, partially overlapping with EMCO CAL's nursery and exporter network in Europe and Mediterranean climates.

Others

• INIA Uruguay (partner): Uruguayan national agricultural research institute that develops strawberry varieties (INIA Ágata, INIA Valentina, INIA Yrupe) licensed internationally through EMCO CAL. Relevant as a public-sector breeding program peer and actual upstream partner in EMCO CAL's portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Ekland-Marketing-Co-EMCO-CAL-113199823462192
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ekland-marketing-co.-of-california-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/emcocal_berrybasket

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 EMCO CAL