Agrico UK
Agrico UK Ltd, founded 1986 in Forfar, Scotland, develops and supplies high-grade conventional and organic seed potato varieties (including the Next Generation late-blight-resistant line and established Markies, Arsenal and Manitou varieties) to UK potato growers and table, chipping, crisping and processing customers as the UK arm of the Dutch Agrico cooperative.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersForfar, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Agrico UK does
Agrico UK Ltd, founded in 1986 and headquartered at Castleton of Eassie, Forfar, Angus, is a specialist developer and supplier of high-grade seed potatoes serving UK table, chipping, crisping and processing markets. The company operates as the UK arm of the Dutch cooperative Agrico, with a portfolio spanning established conventional varieties (Markies, Arsenal, Manitou, Picasso) and the 2018-launched Next Generation line of Phytophthora-resistant varieties (Alouette, Beyonce, Jacky, Levante, Twinner, Twister), plus the BioSelect UK organic sub-brand. Agrico UK employs 10 permanent staff covering sales, production, technical, storage/grading, logistics and research, with additional sales and product management presence in Lincolnshire and Derbyshire.
Revenue is generated through two streams: contracted and wholesale sales of certified conventional and organic seed potatoes to growers and processors, and chargeable storage (6,000-tonne capacity, half ambient, half cold) and grading (9,000-tonne annual capacity via Dijkstra/Dijstra-equivalent grader, approximately 100 tonnes/day) plus palletising and bagging services. Distribution runs through a UK-wide haulier network and a wholesale customer base, with technical advisory on cultivation, IPM, harvesting and storage embedded in the offering. The technical backbone relies on sister-company Agrico Research's breeding programme in the Netherlands (4,000 m² glasshouse complex, 30 hectares of trial fields), augmented by DNA marker-assisted selection, BioSS pedigree/EBV analytics, Abertay University KTP-developed AI sensory evaluation, and drone-based canopy computer vision.
The company holds Safe Haven accreditation, ISO 26000 (since 2015), Investors in People Silver (2012), Soil Association certification for organic lines, and partnerships with APHA, SASA, DAERA, DAFM, BPTA, BSPB, James Hutton Institute, Celtic Renewables and others. Notable enterprise customers include P J Lee & Sons, Spearhead Marketing, Mertoun Estate Farms, Lour Farms, AKP, A D Brain & Son and High Tree Packers, with named volume commitments in the tens of thousands of tonnes annually across leading varieties.
Agrico UK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Agrico UK
- Legal name
- Agrico UK Ltd
- Website
- https://agrico.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Agrico UK Ltd, founded 1986 in Forfar, Scotland, develops and supplies high-grade conventional and organic seed potato varieties (including the Next Generation late-blight-resistant line and established Markies, Arsenal and Manitou varieties) to UK potato growers and table, chipping, crisping and processing customers as the UK arm of the Dutch Agrico cooperative.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Agrico UK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Seed Potatoes
- NAICS
- Potato Farming (111211), Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112)
- SIC
- Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Starch Potato Farming (Industrial Potatoes) (AFAGAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Vegetable Seeds (Open-Pollinated & Hybrid) (AFABAFAE)
Keywords
Where Agrico UK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Forfar
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Agrico UK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Seed Potato Sales: Agrico UK generates revenue through the sale of high-quality seed potatoes, both conventional and organic, to customers in the table, chipping, crisping and processing industries. They market seed potatoes through contracted agreements and network of wholesale customers.
- Storage and Grading Services: Chargeable services including storage capacity of 6,000 tonnes, grading up to 9,000 tonnes annually, palletising and bagging equipment available to growers and customers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Agrico UK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Agrico UK develops and supplies high-grade seed potatoes to commercial potato growers and to the table, chipping, crisping, and processing industries in the United Kingdom. Operating from Forfar, Scotland, as the UK arm of the Dutch cooperative Agrico, the company supplies both conventional and organic seed potato varieties, including the Next Generation portfolio bred for natural late blight resistance, alongside complementary storage, precision grading, and technical agronomic advisory services.
Product overview
Agrico UK is a specialist developer and supplier of high-quality seed potatoes operating as part of the Dutch cooperative Agrico. The company offers a portfolio spanning conventional and organic seed potatoes through its core product lines and the BioSelect UK sub-brand for organic varieties. The flagship Next Generation Potatoes portfolio (launched 2018) features Phytophthora-resistant varieties including Alouette, Beyonce, Jacky, Levante, Twinner, and Twister. Established varieties include Markies, Arsenal, Manitou, and Picasso. The product ecosystem is supported by technical advisory services covering cultivation, IPM, harvesting, storage, and grading operations with on-site 6,000 tonne storage capacity and 9,000 tonne annual grading capability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BioSelect UK: An Agrico brand that brings innovative and sustainable potato varieties to the UK organic market. Offers agronomic support to organic seed potato growers, production of high grade input seed of all organic varieties, and breeding new blight resistant varieties.
- Next Generation
Products and services
- Next Generation Seed Potatoes Agrico-bred seed potato varieties developed for natural late blight resistance, aimed at UK commercial potato growers seeking to reduce fungicide inputs and stabilize yields.
- BioSelect UK Organic Seed Potatoes Organically certified high-grade seed potato varieties supplied to UK organic potato growers under the BioSelect UK brand.
- Conventional Seed Potato Range High-grade conventional seed potato varieties sourced from the Agrico breeding programme and supplied to UK potato growers serving the table, chipping, crisping, and processing markets.
- Seed Potato Grading Service (Gejo Smart Grader) Precision seed potato grading service using the Gejo Smart Grader to deliver accurate sizing, separation, and quality classification of seed potato lots.
- Seed Potato Storage Service Controlled seed potato storage service to maintain tuber condition, dormancy, and quality between harvest and delivery to growers.
- Agronomic Advisory Service Technical advisory service provided by Agrico UK agronomists to support potato growers with variety selection, agronomic practice, and seed handling decisions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Next Generation varieties with Late Blight resistance can reduce routine preventative spraying and save input costs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Agrico UK
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Agrico UK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature4 records
Agrico UK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency)coreGovernment agency partnership for crop certification and regulatory compliance. All Agrico UK crops are independently inspected in partnership with APHA to ensure crops meet required market standards and protocols.
- SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture)corePartnership for independent seed potato certification ensuring crops are grown following necessary protocols and meet required market standards.
- DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs)corePartnership for certification and regulatory compliance in Northern Ireland for seed potato classification and market standards.
- DAFM Ireland (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)corePartnership with Irish government department for seed potato certification and market standard compliance.
- BPTA (British Potato Trade Association)coreAgrico UK employees sit on BPTA boards and committees to help guide and influence the UK potato industry.
- BSPB (British Society of Plant Breeders)coreIndustry body membership supporting plant breeding and variety development in the UK potato sector.
- Soil AssociationcorePartnership for organic seed potato production through BioSelect brand, with Soil Association certification for organic varieties.
- Abertay UniversitycoreCollaboration on Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project using games technology and AI to develop perfect potato varieties. Project involves designing AI solutions for sensory evaluation of home use tests to describe potato varieties based on taste attributes combined with agronomic properties.
- Queen Margaret UniversityminorPartnership for sensory and consumer testing to compare eating quality of varieties through central location testing and consumer acceptability research.
- Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS)coreCollaboration on pedigree analysis project to determine estimated breeding values of parent plants for various traits prior to crossing, using complimentary statistical analysis methodologies.
- Advanced Pest Solutions (ASP)corePartnership in bacteriophage project to develop phage product capable of curbing negative effects of bacterial infection (Pectobacterium) known as Blackleg. Project has conducted 6 years of field trials demonstrating efficacy and is seeking first label approval from CRD.
- Celtic RenewablesminorAgrico awarded feedstock supply contract to provide co-product for manufacture of Biobutanol, Acetone and Ethanol, supporting sustainable production and environmental protection.
- James Hutton InstitutecoreAgrico UK employees sit on committees helping to guide and influence the UK potato industry.
- Pre-Basic Growers AssociationcoreAgrico UK employees participate in association activities to guide and influence UK potato industry.
- Food and Drink Federation of Scotland (FDF S)coreMembership enabling Agrico to follow and contribute to drafting of primary legislation promoting healthy diets and lifestyles to consumers.
- Scottish Society of Crop ResearchminorAgrico UK employees participate in society activities contributing to crop research direction.
- Angus CouncilminorCommunity engagement at local authority level, part of CSR community involvement activities.
- Dundee & Angus Chamber of CommerceminorActive engagement with local chamber of commerce for business networking and community development.
- Dundee and Angus CollegeminorStaff members fulfil voluntary roles with the college as part of community involvement and development activities.
- Agrico Research BVcoreSister company in Bant, Noordoostpolder, Netherlands with 4,000 m2 glasshouse complex and 30 hectares of trial fields. Provides unique varieties through extensive breeding programme using latest genetics and breeding techniques.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Agrico UK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HZPC: Dutch cooperative and one of the world's largest seed potato breeders and suppliers. Direct competitor in the UK and export markets with overlapping variety portfolios and similar cooperative ownership model.
- Meijer Potato: Dutch seed potato breeder and supplier serving table, processing and crisping segments globally. Directly comparable in breeding-driven variety development and UK-channel distribution.
- Cygnet Potato Breeders: UK-based potato breeding company with a portfolio of commercial varieties. Most direct UK competitor given overlapping geography, customer base (growers, packers, processors), and breeding-led model.
- Caithness Potatoes: Scottish-based seed potato breeder/supplier. Comparable in scale and customer focus on UK ware and processing growers, with a similar breeding-led value proposition.
- Solana: German potato breeding and seed supply company selling varieties internationally. Comparable in breeding, variety licensing, and supply of table, crisping and processing potatoes across Europe.
- Europlant Pflanzenzucht: German potato breeder producing seed potatoes for international markets. Comparable in breeding-based differentiation and global variety distribution including UK-adjacent markets.
- Norika: German seed potato breeder with a wide commercial portfolio. Comparable breeding and seed multiplication business targeting ware, crisping and processing customers in Europe and beyond.
- IPM Potato Group: Irish-origin potato group with breeding, multiplication and seed supply activities. Comparable in combining variety development with international seed potato sales, including into the UK.
Broad incumbents
- Branston Holdings: Major UK potato supplier (pre-pack, processing, crisping). Overlaps with Agrico UK as a customer/competitor at the supply-chain level, though it sits downstream in packing rather than seed breeding.
- McCain Foods: Global processed potato incumbent and large UK buyer of seed and ware potatoes. Comparable in being a major counterparty for crisping/chipping supply, with broad potato category exposure rather than seed specialism.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Agrico UK social profiles
Digital presenceAgrico UK compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Agrico UK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Agrico UK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Agrico UK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Agrico UK 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 Agrico UK
What does Agrico UK do?
Agrico UK develops and supplies high-grade seed potatoes to commercial potato growers and to the table, chipping, crisping, and processing industries in the United Kingdom. Operating from Forfar, Scotland, as the UK arm of the Dutch cooperative Agrico, the company supplies both conventional and organic seed potato varieties, including the Next Generation portfolio bred for natural late blight resistance, alongside complementary storage, precision grading, and technical agronomic advisory services.
Is Agrico UK a public or private company?
Agrico UK is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Agrico UK founded?
Agrico UK was founded in 1986.
Where is Agrico UK based?
Agrico UK is headquartered in Forfar, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Agrico UK make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Seed Potato Sales are the primary driver. The others are storage and Grading Services.
Who are Agrico UK's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HZPC, Meijer Potato, Cygnet Potato Breeders, Caithness Potatoes, Solana, Europlant Pflanzenzucht, Norika and IPM Potato Group. Broad incumbents are Branston Holdings and McCain Foods.
Does Agrico UK have an API?
No public API is recorded for Agrico UK.
What industry is Agrico UK in?
Agrico UK's product category is Seed Potatoes. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGAEAC, Starch Potato Farming (Industrial Potatoes), with a secondary code of AFABAFAE, Vegetable Seeds (Open-Pollinated & Hybrid). Its NAICS code is 111211 and its SIC code is 100.