Biobest Uk Limited

What Biobest Uk Limited does

Biobest Group NV/SA is a Belgium-headquartered biological crop protection and pollination company founded in 1987 by veterinarian Roland de Jonghe, who began by breeding bumblebees for organic tomato pollination in his own garage. The company serves commercial greenhouse growers, high-value fruit and vegetable producers, and ornamental crop operations in protected cultivation across roughly 70 countries, supplying beneficial insects and mites (e.g., Andersoni-Breeding-System, Cucumeris-System, Adalia-System), beneficial nematodes, bumblebee hives for buzz pollination, biopesticides, biostimulants (Bluestim), and biofungicides (ASPERELLO T34, based on Trichoderma asperellum T34). The portfolio targets crops including tomato, cucumber, pepper, eggplant, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, gerbera, rose, chrysanthemum, and poinsettia.

The technology stack combines proprietary biological breeding and microbial production methods with hardware-enabled delivery and digital monitoring. The Entomatic family of automated dispensers (Row, Multi-Row, and Handheld models) replaces manual beneficial release, with manufacturer-reported labor savings of up to 75%. PATS-C delivers camera-based automated pest monitoring with population-tracking dashboards, and the Crop-Scanner mobile/web app converts manual scouting into structured visual data with heatmaps, feeding personalized advisor recommendations. AI is applied selectively — computer vision in Crop-Scanner and anomaly detection in PATS-C — rather than as a core product layer.

Biobest operates a consultative, advisor-led enterprise sales model backed by country-level subsidiaries, distributors, and an own-brand webshop. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales across biological agents, pollination hives, biostimulants/biopesticides, and Entomatic hardware; the Biobest Academy e-learning platform contributes a smaller recurring training stream. Group-level ownership rests with Belgian diversified conglomerate Floridienne following the founder's 2022 departure, with Sofina holding a major institutional stake after a €98.5 million investment in 2023 earmarked for UK and US expansion. The Group reports €500 million in turnover and 2,000–3,000 employees worldwide.

Name

Biobest Uk Limited

Legal name

Biobest Group NV/SA

Website

https://biobest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Biobest Group NV/SA, headquartered in Belgium, supplies biological crop protection and pollination products to commercial greenhouse growers and high-value fruit and vegetable producers across 70 countries. Its portfolio spans beneficial insects, mites, nematodes, bumblebee hives, biopesticides, biostimulants, and digital IPM monitoring tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biological Crop Protection and Pollination

NAICS

Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253), Apiculture (11291), Apiculture (112910), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870), Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Biological Pest Control (Beneficial Insects, Nematodes, Microbials) (AFABAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbial Biopesticides (Bacterial, Fungal, Viral) (AFABAEAA), Beneficial Mites (AFABAEAI), Botanical Biopesticides & Plant Extracts (Essential Oils, Neem, Pyrethrins) (AFABAEAF), Biologicals Distribution & Field Application Services (AFABAEAN)

Keywords

• Biological crop protection
• Beneficial insects
• Bumblebee pollination
• Integrated pest management
• Biopesticides

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Biological Crop Protection Products: Sale of beneficial insects, mites, nematodes, and biopesticides for pest control in agricultural and horticultural crops. Products sold as breeding sachets, loose material, and bulk formulations.
2. Bumblebee Pollination: Sale of bumblebee hives for pollination services, particularly for tomato, cucumber, eggplant, pepper and fruit crops. Includes specialized hives for artificial lighting conditions.
3. High-Tech IPM Solutions: Automated release systems (Entomatic), scouting apps (Crop-Scanner), monitoring traps and software. Equipment sales combined with ongoing technical support services.
4. Biostimulants: Sale of plant performance enhancers like Bluestim for abiotic stress management.
5. Training and Education: Biobest Academy offers paid courses for advanced IPM training, with some free content. Course sales through dedicated e-learning platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Biobest breeds, produces, and sells biological crop protection agents (beneficial insects, mites, nematodes, biopesticides), bumblebee pollination hives, biostimulants (Bluestim, ASPERELLO T34), and high-tech IPM solutions (Entomatic automated release systems, Crop-Scanner app, PATS-C monitoring). The company supplements its product portfolio with personalized technical advisory services, scouting apps, monitoring tools, and training through the Biobest Academy e-learning platform.

Product overview

Biobest Group is a biological crop protection and pollination company offering a comprehensive integrated pest management (IPM) platform. The portfolio includes beneficial insects and mites (such as Andersoni-Breeding-System, Anagyrus-System, Adalia-System, Cucumeris-System, Cucumeris-Breeding-System), beneficial nematodes, bumblebee pollination solutions, biopesticides, biostimulants (including Bluestim and ASPERELLO T34 Biocontrol), high-tech IPM solutions (Crop-Scanner App, PATS-C monitoring), application technology (Entomatic automated dispensers in RD, MD, and HD models), monitoring and scouting tools (Bug-Scan Black traps), feeding supplements (Artemac), and supporting products. The platform combines biological control agents with digital tools to enable data-driven pest management while reducing reliance on chemical pesticides.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Biobest Academy: E-learning platform for IPM training and education
• Entomatic
• Crop-Scanner
• Bug-Scan
• ASPERELLO
• Bluestim

Products and services

• Beneficial insects & mites Macroorganisms including predatory insects and mites used for biological pest control across greenhouse and field crops. Sold to commercial growers for integrated pest management.
• Beneficial nematodes Nematode-based biological control agents for soil pest management in agricultural and horticultural crops.
• Bumblebee pollination hives Bumblebee colonies for natural pollination of crops including tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, and peppers, employing buzz pollination technique. Includes specialized hives for artificial lighting conditions.
• Biopesticides Biological pesticide products derived from natural substances and microbials for pest and disease control in commercial agriculture.
• Biostimulants Products including Bluestim that enhance plant performance under environmental stresses and improve yield, shelf life, and fruit quality.
• High-tech IPM solutions Digital and automated solutions including the Crop-Scanner app and PATS-C monitoring systems for data-driven pest management.
• Entomatic automated dispensers Automated beneficial insects and mites release systems (RD, MD, HD models) reducing labor by up to 75% while improving release precision in greenhouses.
• Monitoring and scouting tools Sticky traps, roller traps, pheromone traps, and digital scouting tools for early pest detection and population monitoring.
• Feeding supplements (Artemac) Nutritional products including Artemac for supporting predatory bugs during periods of low prey density.
• Supporting products Additional products and accessories that complement the biological control and pollination portfolio.
• Entomatic Row Dispenser (RD) Automated dispenser for high-volume repetitive releases of beneficials across greenhouse rows, saving up to 75% on labor.
• Entomatic Multi-Row Dispenser (MD) Highly flexible automated dispenser with adjustable dosing, adaptable to crop stage and pest pressure, handling 4-16 rows.
• Entomatic Handheld Dispenser (HD) Handheld model for targeted release of beneficials in complex or hard-to-reach areas.
• Crop-Scanner App Smartphone/tablet app for fast and direct scouting data entry with real-time visualization via web platform heatmaps and graphs.
• Bluestim Osmoprotectant containing pure glycine betaine for enhancing plant performance under drought, temperature, salt, or water stress.
• ASPERELLO T34 Biocontrol Biofungicide based on Trichoderma asperellum T34 for protecting crops against soilborne diseases including Fusarium, Pythium, and Rhizoctonia.
• Andersoni-Breeding-System Predatory Amblyseius andersoni breeding sachets for continuous control of spider mite, gall mite, and russet mite over six weeks.
• Anagyrus-System Parasitic wasp Anagyrus vladimiri for reliable control of several mealybug species.
• Adalia-System Adalia bipunctata ladybirds for fast control of large aphid hotspots at high prey density.
• Cucumeris-System Amblyseius cucumeris predatory mites supplied as loose material for preventative thrips control.
• Cucumeris-Breeding-System Amblyseius cucumeris breeding sachets delivering continuous thrips control over 4-6 weeks.
• Bug-Scan Black Durable black sticky trap with grid for timely detection and monitoring of Tuta absoluta infestations.
• Biobest Side Effects App Comprehensive and user-friendly platform for understanding effects of pesticides on beneficial organisms. Available for Android and iOS.
• Biobest Academy E-Learning Platform IPM training platform with over 30 modular courses covering crop scouting, pest identification, biological solutions, bumblebee pollination and high-tech IPM tools. Offered as paid courses with some free introductory content.
• Home compostable breeding sachet for predatory mites Newly developed home compostable breeding sachet for predatory mites, expanding the company's sustainable biocontrol packaging portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 75% labor savings with Entomatic automated release systems
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and regional.

• MicroflorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between Biobest and Microflor. Microflor committed to becoming completely residue-free using Biobest biological control solutions including ASPERELLO and Micromus-System with monitoring support.
• AruggastrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with Arugga for distribution of pollination robots in US and Canada markets.
• BiotalysstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with Biotalys for product development and distribution opportunities.
• Bogaerts Greenhouse LogisticscoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration to improve compatibility of Entomatic automated release systems with greenhouse transport systems. Enhances integration versatility for greenhouse operations.
• Real IPM Kenya LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquisition of Real IPM Kenya Ltd as part of expansion strategy. Real IPM Tanzania also founded as part of African market development.
• Plant Products (Canada)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInvestment in Plant Products (Canada) - major Canadian distributor of biological crop protection and pollination products. Cascades Canada Ulc mentioned as customer.
• Pollinering AS (Norway)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcquired majority stake in Pollinering AS, expanding presence in Norwegian market.
• Yad Mordechai Pollination Services (Israel)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcquired majority share in Yad Mordechai Pollination Services (Israel) - Israeli pollination services company.
• Biological Services (Australia)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcquired majority stake in Biological Services (Australia). Biological Services joined forces with BioResources, expanding Australian presence.
• Bugs for Bugs Pty Ltd (Australia)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcquired stake in Bugs for Bugs Pty Ltd (Australia) as part of Australian market expansion.
• BioWorks (North America)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBiobest completed acquisition of BioWorks in North America, expanding US market presence and product portfolio.
• Agrotech Gartenbautechnik Gmbh (Austria)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcquired Agrotech Gartenbautechnik Gmbh to step up presence in Austrian market.
• Agronologica Unip Lda (Portugal)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcquired Agronologica Unip Lda (Portugal), expanding Iberian Peninsula presence.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Certis Biologicals: Certis Biologicals (US-based, owned by Mitsui & Co.) is a leading specialist in microbial and botanical biopesticides for row crops and specialty agriculture. It directly competes with Biobest's ASPERELLO T34, Bluestim and biopesticide portfolio, and pursues a similar integrated biocontrol + IPM strategy.
• BioBee Sde Eliyahu: BioBee is an Israeli producer of beneficial insects, mites and bumblebees for biological pest control and pollination in greenhouses and open fields. It is a comparable niche specialist with an overlapping product set (predatory mites, bumblebee hives) and competes in Mediterranean and European horticulture markets alongside Biobest.
• Bioline Agrosciences: Bioline Agrosciences (part of InVivo Group) produces beneficial insects, mites and nematodes for protected and open-field crops across Europe and internationally. It competes directly with Biobest's beneficial-organism core and serves overlapping greenhouse and soft-fruit customer segments.
• Andermatt Biocontrol: Andermatt Biocontrol is a Swiss-origin global producer of baculovirus-based and microbial biopesticides plus beneficial organisms. It competes directly with Biobest in biocontrol, particularly in European and African horticultural and field-crop markets, and pursues a similar IPM platform strategy.
• Koppert: Koppert is the closest direct competitor to Biobest, also a Dutch-origin global leader in biological crop protection (beneficial insects, mites, bumblebees, biostimulants) and integrated pest management. Headquartered in the Netherlands with a comparable 70+ country distribution footprint, Koppert competes head-to-head with Biobest in greenhouse vegetables, ornamentals and high-value crops.
• Suterra: Suterra is a US-based specialist in mating-disruption and biological pest control for tree fruit, nut, vine and berry crops. While its core technology (pheromone-based) differs from Biobest's macro-organism focus, it competes for the same integrated pest management budgets in high-value specialty crops.

Broad incumbents

• BASF Agricultural Solutions: BASF Agricultural Solutions is one of the world's largest crop-protection companies and a growing biologicals player (including Serifel biofungicide and the AgBiome partnership). While primarily a chemistry-led incumbent, its biologicals expansion places it in direct competition with Biobest's biopesticide and biostimulant products across global horticulture and row crops.
• Bayer Crop Science: Bayer Crop Science is the largest global crop-input company with conventional seeds, chemistry and a growing biologicals portfolio (including BioAct via its acquisition history). It does not specialize in beneficial organisms like Biobest but increasingly bundles biologicals with chemistry, creating competitive pressure across Biobest's segments.
• Syngenta Group: Syngenta is a global agriscience leader with a dedicated biologicals platform (Syngenta Biologicals, formerly Novartis biocontrol heritage, and acquisitions like Valagro and biocontrol assets) that overlaps Biobest's IPM and biostimulant offerings. As a broad incumbent, Syngenta competes on distribution scale rather than specialist expertise.

Emerging players

• Vestaron: Vestaron is a US-based developer of peptide-based biopesticides targeting specialty crop pests. While focused on a different active-ingredient class (peptides rather than macro-organisms or microbials), it competes for the same residue-free pest-control slot in high-value fruits, vegetables and ornamentals that Biobest serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biobest-uk-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries24 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 Biobest Uk Limited