Semences de France

What Semences de France does

Semences de France is a French seed company headquartered in La Chapelle-d'Armentières (62, Rue Léon Beauchamp) and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of InVivo, one of France's largest agricultural cooperative groups. Founded in 1997, the company develops and commercializes certified seeds across a comprehensive portfolio covering straw cereals (wheat, barley, durum wheat, rye, triticale, oats, hybrid barley), oilseeds (rapeseed, sunflower, flax, soybean), maize segmented by maturity, sorghum (grain and forage), forage crops (alfalfa, multiple clover types, grasses, meadow mixes of varying duration), cover crops, organic seeds, methanization-oriented crops, and professional turf seeds marketed under the Carneau brand. The company was ranked first in seed sales on French territory for four consecutive years as of 2016, with a projected €150 million in revenue for fiscal year 2015-2016.

The product platform combines proprietary seed treatments (SemBOOST for maize combining protection with a germination activator, Rhizactiv for alfalfa root development and nitrogen fixation, Nutriplus Stim biostimulant for cereals, Covermix companion-plant blend for rapeseed) and variety innovations including V2MAX dual-variety maize mixtures, the CAPP and SF+ variety selection programs, Black Collection rapeseed, and a dedicated inoculant range for soybean and alfalfa. A suite of decision support tools (Meteoscope for local weather via connected probes, Prairiescope for forage selection, Visualiz for variety choice, Semscope for seed information, Defiscope for cost comparison between farm-saved and certified seed) extends the offering to farmer customers.

The business operates on a B2B, sales-led distribution model, moving seeds primarily through the InVivo cooperative network and other agricultural distributors across France. International reach was added through the October 2016 acquisition of Italian seed company Novasem (Genola-based) after more than 20 years of prior collaboration, and the 2015 acquisition of the Carneau professional turf brand. Revenue is generated through one-time certified seed sales across multiple crop categories, with pricing not publicly disclosed and negotiated through cooperatives based on variety, quantity, and region.

Name

Semences de France

Legal name

Semences de France

Website

https://semencesdefrance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Semences de France is a French seed company and wholly-owned subsidiary of the InVivo cooperative group, developing and selling certified seeds across cereals, oilseeds, maize, sorghum, forage, cover crops, organic, and turf categories to French and Italian farmers via agricultural cooperatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Seeds

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Seed Production & Multiplication (Contract Growing, Foundation/Certified Seed) (AFABAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hybrid Seed Production (AFAGAIAD), Seed Distribution & Wholesale (Channel Sales) (AFAGAIAM)

Keywords

• Certified seed production
• Agricultural seed varieties
• Cereal seed breeding
• Forage crop seeds
• Cover crop seeds

Headquarters

HQ city

La Chapelle-d'Armentières

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certified Seed Sales: Production and sale of certified seeds across multiple crop categories including cereals (wheat, barley, durum wheat, rye, triticale), maize, rapeseed, sunflower, sorghum, forage crops, cover crops, and organic seeds. Revenue generated through direct sales to cooperatives and agricultural distributors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Semences de France is a French seed company that develops, multiplies, and commercializes certified seed varieties across cereals, maize, oilseeds, sorghum, forage crops, cover crops, organic seeds, and professional turf (Carneau). The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the InVivo agricultural cooperative group, distributing its varieties primarily through France's agricultural cooperative network and, internationally, through its Italian subsidiary Novasem.

Product overview

Semences de France is France's leading seed company (semencier), operating as a subsidiary of the InVivo cooperative group. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized by crop type: straw cereals (wheat, barley, rye, triticale, oats), oilseeds (rapeseed, sunflower, soybean, flax), corn (with maturity-based segmentation), sorghum, and forage crops. The portfolio extends through cover crops, organic seeds, turf/lawn seeds (via Carneau brand), and methanization-focused crops. The product line is supported by seed treatment services (SemBOOST, Nutriplus Stim), inoculant products for soybean and alfalfa, and innovative variety programs including V2 Max mixed corn varieties, Black Collection rapeseed, and CAPP wheat selection. Decision support tools (Météoscope, Prairiescope, Visualiz, Semscope, Défiscope) complement the product offering for farmer customers. The company has expanded internationally through acquisition of Italian seed company Novasem in 2016.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carneau: Professional lawn seed brand acquired by Semences de France, specializing in turf grass seeds and related products for professional landscaping.

Products and services

• Straw Cereal Seeds (Céréales à paille)
• Oilseed Seeds (Oléagineux)
• Maize Seeds (Maïs)
• Sorghum Seeds (Sorgho)
• Forage Crop Seeds (Fourragères)
• Cover Crop Seeds (Couverts Végétaux)
• Organic Seeds (Semences Bio)
• Methanization Seeds (Méthanisation)
• Carneau Professional Lawn Seeds (Gazons)
• Seed Treatment Services (Traitement de semences)
• Decision Support Tools (Outils d'Aide à la Décision - OAD)
• Inoculant Range (Gamme Inoculants)

Quantifiable outcome

• Forage maize yield secured through V2MAX variety mixtures
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NovasemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2016Semences de France acquired 100% of Novasem, an Italian seed company based in Genola, in October 2016. The companies had collaborated for over 20 years in the Italian cereal seed sector. The acquisition strengthens Semences de France's international presence and enables development of cereal seed sales in Italy while diversifying into new species.
• ICL Specialty FertilizersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2016Partnership agreement between ICL Specialty Fertilizers and Semences de France (subsidiary of InVivo) to strengthen growth in the professional lawn seed market in France and Europe under the Carneau brand. Agreement enables cross-promotion and distribution synergies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KWS SAAT: German-headquartered global seed company with strong maize, sugar beet, and cereal portfolios and a deep European presence. Directly competes with Semences de France in hybrid maize and cereal seeds across France and broader Europe.
• RAGT Semences: French seed company specializing in cereals, maize, sorghum, forages, and cover crops, headquartered in southern France. Closely comparable in product breadth (cereals, forages, cover crops) and French-market distribution model to Semences de France.
• Caussade Semences Group: French cooperative seed company focused on cereals, maize, oilseeds, and protein crops, distributed via French cooperatives. Closely comparable mid-sized French seed player competing in overlapping categories with Semences de France.
• Florimond Desprez: Independent French family-owned breeder and seed producer focused on cereals, sugar beet, and potatoes. Comparable as a domestically rooted French seed competitor with similar field crop and variety development orientation.
• DLF Seeds: Danish-headquartered global leader in forage and turf grass seeds, with significant European market share. Comparable to Semences de France's forage (alfalfa, clovers, grasses) and Carneau turf grass businesses.
• Advanta Seeds: Global seed company (UPL group) with sunflower, sorghum, maize, and forage seed portfolios. Direct peer in sorghum and sunflower, the crops where Semences de France competes beyond its core cereals.
• Limagrain: France's largest farmer-owned seed cooperative, with deep cereal, maize, and vegetable seed portfolios through Vilmorin-Mikado. Direct competitor to Semences de France in French field seeds, serving farmers through similar cooperative distribution channels and offering competing hybrid varieties.

Broad incumbents

• Corteva Agriscience: Global seed and crop protection major with Pioneer and Brevant brands, dominant in maize and oilseed hybrids. Competes with Semences de France across European maize and oilseed seed markets with biotech-enabled traits.
• Bayer Crop Science (formerly Monsanto): Global seed and crop protection giant with DEKALB maize and oilseed portfolios. Competes broadly with Semences de France in European hybrid maize and oilseeds, with deeper biotech/trait R&D capabilities.
• Syngenta Seeds: Global seed and crop protection major (owned by ChemChina/Sinochem) with broad cereals, maize, oilseeds, and vegetable seed portfolios. Operates across France and Europe as a broad incumbent competing with Semences de France in hybrid maize, cereals, and sunflower.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUgmgvcW1f2YkopQsx9w_pA
• Facebookfacebook.com/semences.defrance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/semences-de-france

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Semences de France