Queen® Genetics
Queen® Genetics, the Danish family-owned A/S Knud Jepsen business founded in 1939, breeds and supplies proprietary ornamental plant cuttings and genetics — primarily Kalanchoe plus succulents, roses, and Euphorbia — to commercial growers in 75+ countries via a global weekly door-to-door delivery network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1939
- HeadquartersHinnerup, Denmark
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Queen® Genetics does
Queen® Genetics, legally A/S Knud Jepsen, is a third-generation Danish family-owned ornamental plant breeder founded in 1939 and headquartered in Hinnerup, near Aarhus, Denmark. The company specializes in developing and propagating proprietary plant genetics and cuttings across Kalanchoe, succulents, roses, Euphorbia, Hebe, Asters, and Dahlia, positioning itself as the world's largest producer of Kalanchoe. Core technical differentiation rests on a 50-year breeding program (formalized in 1979) targeting ethylene tolerance, extended shelf life, and extended flowering longevity — Queen® CutFlowers™ carry a minimum 3-week flowering guarantee and the Kalanchoe range includes the only commercially available ethylene-tolerant assortment on the market. Production is supported by 120,000 m2 of breeding and growing facilities at the Danish headquarters, supplemented by 100,000 m2 of mother stock sourcing capacity in Turkey (via Queen® Turkiye, founded 2010) and 65,000 m2 in Vietnam (via the Dalat Hasfarm partnership established in 2004).
The business model is anchored on B2B sales of live plant cuttings and finished plants to commercial ornamental growers, complemented by sales and cultivation consultancy, POS/packaging solutions, and the SmartGrower™ digital grower platform. The company operates a direct enterprise field-sales motion through category-specific sales managers (Kalanchoe, CutFlowers, Roses) and a global agent network delivering weekly door-to-door shipments to customers in 75+ countries; a dedicated North America Department in St. Catharines, Ontario serves the USA and Canada. Annual production capacity stands at approximately 150 million cuttings globally and 35 million finished plants/CutFlowers in Europe, with quality-controlled propagation in insect-free greenhouses and over-pressured elite material cabinets. The workforce totals approximately 520 employees globally, including 25 full-time R&D staff, and Queen® holds registered trademarks across its product sub-brands (Queen® Kalanchoe, Queen® CutFlowers™, Queen® Roses™ Romantic, Queen® Euphorbia™, Queen® Hebe™ Kiwi, Queen® Asters™ Regent, SmartGrower™).
Queen® Genetics is privately held with no institutional capital, public listing, or disclosed revenue, and is led by CEO Frands Jepsen, indicating continuing family ownership. Certifications include MPS (Multi-Produce Sustainability) compliance and GDPR, supporting European market access and retailer procurement requirements. The company's competitive positioning combines biological IP, multi-geography production scale, and integrated grower support services — a combination that is rare among ornamental breeders and underpins its leadership position in Kalanchoe globally.
Queen® Genetics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Queen® Genetics
- Legal name
- A/S Knud Jepsen
- Website
- https://queengenetics.dk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1939
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Queen® Genetics, the Danish family-owned A/S Knud Jepsen business founded in 1939, breeds and supplies proprietary ornamental plant cuttings and genetics — primarily Kalanchoe plus succulents, roses, and Euphorbia — to commercial growers in 75+ countries via a global weekly door-to-door delivery network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Queen® Genetics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ornamental Plant Genetics & Young Plants
- NAICS
- Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114)
- SIC
- Agricultural Production-Crops (100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Greenhouse Floriculture (Cut Flowers) (AFAGAHAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Vegetative Propagation (Cuttings, Clonal Forestry, Tissue Culture) (AFAMADAE)
Keywords
Where Queen® Genetics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hinnerup
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Queen® Genetics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Plant Cuttings Sales: Production and sale of high-quality plant cuttings including Kalanchoe, succulents, roses, Euphorbia, Hebe, and Asters to commercial growers worldwide. Quality-controlled propagation material sold to professional horticulture businesses.
- Finished Plant Sales: Production and sale of finished ornamental plants, particularly in Europe where 35 million finished plants and CutFlowers are produced annually
- Sales and Cultivation Consultancy: Professional support services including cutting selection, propagation guidance, production advice, and marketing support for customers throughout the supply chain
- Marketing Support and POS Solutions: Point-of-sale presentation support, packaging solutions, and marketing materials to help growers and retailers maximize product appeal
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Queen® Genetics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Queen® Genetics breeds, propagates and supplies high-quality ornamental plant cuttings and genetics — including Kalanchoe, cut flowers, succulents, roses, Euphorbia, Hebe and Asters — to professional commercial growers worldwide. The company sells young plants and cuttings, supports customers with cultivation consultancy and point-of-sale materials, and operates the SmartGrower™ digital platform for growers. Production takes place at its Danish headquarters plus mother-stock facilities in Turkey and Vietnam, with weekly door-to-door global delivery.
Product overview
Queen® Genetics is a plant breeding company owned by A/S Knud Jepsen, offering a diversified portfolio of ornamental plant varieties. The core offerings consist of Queen® Kalanchoe (the original and flagship product featuring ethylene-tolerant varieties with large vibrant flowers), Queen® CutFlowers™ (cut flowers with minimum 3-week flowering longevity), Queen® Succulents (low-maintenance varieties including Echeveria, Aloe, Haworthia, and Crassula), Queen® Roses™ Romantic (ethylene-resistant roses), Queen® Euphorbia™ (large-flowered Euphorbia), Queen® Hebe™ Kiwi (outdoor shrubs), and Queen® Asters™ Regent (volume-efficient aster varieties). Additionally, the company offers SmartGrower™, a digital platform for growers requiring login access. All products emphasize extended shelf life, ethylene tolerance, and optimal growing habits developed through decades of dedicated breeding innovation since 1979.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Queen® Kalanchoe: The Queen® assortment is known for perfectly formed large flowers in bright vibrant colors. Queen® is the only breeder offering a unique assortment of ethylene tolerant Kalanchoes.
- Queen® CutFlowers™
- Queen® Succulents
- Queen® Roses™ Romantic
- Queen® Euphorbia™
- Queen® Hebe™ Kiwi
- Queen® Asters™ Regent
- SmartGrower™
Products and services
- Queen® Kalanchoe cuttings Proprietary Kalanchoe cuttings and genetics featuring perfectly formed large flowers in bright vibrant colours and the highest ethylene tolerance on the market, supplied to commercial ornamental plant growers worldwide.
- Queen® CutFlowers™ cuttings Cut flower cuttings bred for a minimum 3-week flowering longevity, including Meadow series varieties in white, yellow, pink, red and purple, supplied to commercial cut flower growers.
- Queen® Succulents cuttings Diverse succulent cuttings including Rosette Succulents, Aeonium, Aloe, Gasteria, Gasteraloe, Haworthia, Crassula, Adromischus, Stapelia and Cacti varieties that require only sparse watering and exposure to light.
- Queen® Roses™ Romantic cuttings Rose cuttings bred for documented ethylene resistance and large luxurious flowers in vibrant long-lasting colours, including Beyza, Soft White Romance, Velvet Red Romance and Pink Romance varieties.
- Queen® Euphorbia™ cuttings Euphorbia Milii cuttings bred for large flowers in vibrant long-lasting colours with compact well-branched growth, including Tiara and Jewel series varieties such as Alexandra, Charlotte, Clementine, Gabriella and Rosalind.
- Queen® Hebe™ Kiwi cuttings Hebe Kiwi cuttings bred as compact outdoor shrubs providing flower spikes in a broad range of lively colours, including Kirikau, Riwaka, Taharua, Tikitiki, Karaka, Matarangi and other blue and violet varieties.
- Queen® Asters™ Regent cuttings Aster Regent cuttings bred for large lush composite flowers and naturally enhanced plant volume with fewer cuttings needed per pot, available in Ivory White, Cherry Red, Pink, Blue and Navy Blue.
- SmartGrower™ digital platform Digital platform offered to commercial growers using Queen® Genetics varieties that provides login-based growing assistance, data-driven cultivation guidance and crop management support.
Quantifiable outcome
- Minimum 3 weeks flowering longevity for CutFlowers products
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Queen® Genetics
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Queen® Genetics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Queen® Genetics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Queen® TurkiyecoreJoint venture founded in 2010 in Turkey to keep up with growing demand for Kalanchoe cuttings worldwide and to supply the Turkish market with finished plants. Turkey facility has 100,000 m2 mother stock sourcing capacity.
- Dalat HasfarmcoreStrategic partnership established in 2004 with Dalat Hasfarm in Vietnam to expand cutting production and ensure optimal conditions for healthy plant growth. Vietnam facility spans 65,000 m2 for mother stock production under ideal climate conditions.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Queen® Genetics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Cohen Propagation Nurseries: Israel-based ornamental young plant propagator serving European and international growers. Comparable to Queen® in producing cuttings for global growers, though focused more on regional/Mediterranean production rather than Denmark-based greenhouse scale.
- Dalat Hasfarm: Vietnam-based cut flower and young plant producer that is already Queen®'s strategic partner for mother-stock production in Vietnam. Comparable as a regional ornamental producer in Southeast Asia and as a downstream user of similar genetics.
Direct peers
- Florensis: Dutch breeder and propagator of bedding and potted plants, supplying young plants to growers across Europe and other regions. Directly comparable to Queen® in breeding, propagating and distributing cuttings to commercial ornamental growers.
- Sakata Ornamentals: Ornamental division of Japanese breeder Sakata Seed Corporation, supplying seed and vegetative ornamentals globally. Comparable to Queen® in serving growers with proprietary genetics, with overlap in cut flowers and potted ornamentals.
- Beekenkamp Group: Dutch family-owned breeder and producer of ornamental young plants, including begonias, poinsettias and potted plants. Directly competes with Queen® as a cuttings/young-plant supplier to commercial growers in Europe and beyond.
- Selecta One: European ornamental breeder producing cuttings of poinsettias, Kalanchoe, calibrachoa and other potted and bedding plants. Directly comparable to Queen® as a cuttings breeder serving commercial growers globally.
- Dümmen Orange: Global Dutch-based ornamental plant breeder and propagator with broad coverage across potted plants, cut flowers and bedding plants. Directly competes with Queen® in Kalanchoe, roses, succulents and other ornamentals across Europe and North America.
- Kientzler Jungpflanzen: German breeder and propagator of ornamental young plants, including calibrachoa, osteospermum and other vegetative crops. Comparable to Queen® as a European-based breeder producing premium cuttings for commercial growers.
Broad incumbents
- Syngenta Flowers: Part of Syngenta's crop protection/seed platform, Syngenta Flowers is a major breeder of potted and bedding ornamentals with global distribution. Overlaps with Queen® in breeding and supplying cuttings to commercial growers, but operates as one segment of a much larger agrochemical/seed conglomerate.
- Ball Horticultural Company: Large US-based ornamental breeder and distributor covering seed and vegetative annuals, perennials and cut flowers. Overlaps with Queen® in supplying growers with proprietary genetics, but spans a wider portfolio including seed-raised crops Queen® does not focus on.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Queen® Genetics social profiles
Digital presenceQueen® Genetics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Queen® Genetics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Queen® Genetics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Queen® Genetics subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Queen® Genetics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Queen® Genetics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Queen® Genetics
What does Queen® Genetics do?
Queen® Genetics breeds, propagates and supplies high-quality ornamental plant cuttings and genetics — including Kalanchoe, cut flowers, succulents, roses, Euphorbia, Hebe and Asters — to professional commercial growers worldwide. The company sells young plants and cuttings, supports customers with cultivation consultancy and point-of-sale materials, and operates the SmartGrower™ digital platform for growers. Production takes place at its Danish headquarters plus mother-stock facilities in Turkey and Vietnam, with weekly door-to-door global delivery.
Is Queen® Genetics a public or private company?
Queen® Genetics is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Queen® Genetics founded?
Queen® Genetics was founded in 1939. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Queen® Genetics based?
Queen® Genetics is headquartered in Hinnerup, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Queen® Genetics make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Plant Cuttings Sales are the primary driver. The others are finished Plant Sales, sales and Cultivation Consultancy and marketing Support and POS Solutions.
Who are Queen® Genetics's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Cohen Propagation Nurseries and Dalat Hasfarm. Direct peers are Florensis, Sakata Ornamentals, Beekenkamp Group, Selecta One, Dümmen Orange and Kientzler Jungpflanzen. Broad incumbents are Syngenta Flowers and Ball Horticultural Company.
Does Queen® Genetics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Queen® Genetics.
What industry is Queen® Genetics in?
Queen® Genetics's product category is Ornamental Plant Genetics & Young Plants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGAHAD, Greenhouse Floriculture (Cut Flowers), with a secondary code of AFAMADAE, Vegetative Propagation (Cuttings, Clonal Forestry, Tissue Culture). Its NAICS code is 1114 and its SIC code is 100.