Denmark, France and Belgium
September 17, 2024
DLF Seeds A/S and Groupe Florimond Desprez are pleased to announce the signing of an agreement to merge their sugar beet, fodder beet, industrial chicory seed businesses and the related R&D activities into a new joint venture called United Beet Seeds (UBS). This strategic partnership will position UBS as a leading player in the international beet seed market.
The sugar beet seed industry is facing demanding requirements and market segmentation due to new legislation and the impact of climate change. Recognizing these requirements alongside rapid technological advancements, these factors continue to escalate investment demands in the sector. In UBS, Groupe Florimond Desprez and DLF Seeds A/S combine their extensive experience in breeding, seed production and processing, allowing them to leverage their complementary strengths and shared passions. The new company will prioritize continuous investment in expertise, research and sustainability, which are essential to oƯer competitive and innovative solutions to growers and the industry and to support them to face important agro-ecological challenges.
United Beet Seeds will be led by Lilian Escalon, a seasoned professional with over 14 years of experience in the seed and breeding industry, previously with a global leading potato breeding company. Earlier this year he was already appointed as CEO of SESVanderHave. His operational skills and strategic insight will elevate UBS's business activities to new heights.
François Desprez, Chairman from Groupe Florimond Desprez, stated, "We are delighted with this new stage in the cooperation between our two companies. DLF Seeds A/S is a trusted partner whose values we share, and who, like us, has a long-term vision and strategy for its seed business. We are joining strengths, expertise, and passion to make UBS an innovative key player in the beets & chicory business, particularly in supporting growers to face the challenges posed by climate change."
Søren Halbye, Group CEO from DLF Seeds A/S added, "The opportunity in sugar beet is significant, but competition is fierce. To succeed, we need substantial investment to develop competitive and resilient varieties. Therefore, a partnership with Groupe Florimond Desprez is essential. As we embark on this joint venture, I am excited about the opportunity to share technologies, value chains, and market access, reinforcing our competitive edge."
Lilian Escalon, CEO of UBS, expressed, "I'm enthusiastic about taking up the role of CEO of UBS. With this new company, we’re bringing over 200 years of combined expertise and groundbreaking technologies to the beet seed market. Our dedication to innovation and sustainability is driven by our talented international teams. At UBS, we believe in fostering a culture of collaboration and creativity, enabling us to develop solutions that will deliver high quality, sustainable products and services that will contribute to the future success of growers and industry. "
ABOUT DLF SEEDS A/S
DLF Seeds A/S, headquartered in Denmark with over 2 000 employees globally in 22 countries, is a farmer-owned cooperative. The company stands at the forefront of the global seed industry. With over a century of expertise, the company is dedicated to advancing agriculture with respect to the environment. Focused on breeding and distributing high-performance seeds for forage and turf, DLF Seeds A/S delivers locally-adapted products to more than 100 countries. Their portfolio includes innovative varieties engineered for drought resistance, contributing to climate adaptation. The company collaborates with partners worldwide to ensure resilient and productive crops. DLF Seeds A/S remains committed to driving positive change in agriculture, combining tradition with forward-thinking solutions.
ABOUT GROUPE FLORIMOND DESPREZ
Groupe Florimond Desprez breeds varieties and produces seeds to meet the needs of arable crop farmers, the agro-industrial sectors and consumers, while actively supporting the agro-ecological transition. The group mainly works with species intended for human consumption and is a world leader in sugar beet seeds, a leading European breeder of straw cereal and a major player in the European seed potato market. Florimond Desprez is an independent family-owned company founded in 1830 that operates in 65 countries, devotes 15% of its sales to research and employs 1200 persons.
ABOUT UNITED BEET SEEDS
United Beet Seeds (UBS) is a joint venture between Groupe Florimond Desprez and DLF Seeds A/S and is specialising in all aspects of sugar beet seed research, production, processing and commercialisation. We leverage our combined strengths, extensive expertise and shared passion to expand opportunities for growers and industry in the global beet and chicory seed markets. UBS has a strong focus on innovation and quality, resulting in high performing and sustainable varieties. Headquartered in Belgium, the company employs over 900 people worldwide. Follow us on www.unitedbeetseeds.com and on LinkedIn « United Beet Seeds ».
DLF Seeds A/S og Groupe Florimond Desprez forener kræfter og stifter United Beet Seeds
DLF Seeds A/S og Groupe Florimond Desprez er glade for at kunne annoncere underskrivelsen af en aftale om at lægge sine forretninger inden for sukkerroe-, foderroe- og cikoriefrø samt de tilhørende forsknings- og udviklingsaktiviteter sammen i et nyt joint venture, United Beet Seeds (UBS). Dette strategiske partnerskab vil positionere UBS som en førende spiller på det internationale roefrømarked.
Sukkerroefrøindustrien står over for krævende krav og markedssegmenteringer der tager afsæt i ny lovgivning og ændrede klimaforhold. For at kunne imødekomme disse krav samt behovet for hurtige teknologiske fremskridt øges investeringsbehovet i sektoren vedvarende. I det nye joint venture, United Beet Seed, forener begge parter deres omfattende erfaring inden for forædling, frøproduktion og -forarbejdning, og gør dem i stand til at udnytte deres gensidige styrkeområder og fælles passion for roer. Det er en prioritet for den nye virksomhed at investere i ekspertise, forskning og bæredygtighed, der er afgørende for at kunne tilbyde konkurrencedygtige og innovative løsninger til avlere og sukkerindustrien samt støtte og facilitere tilpasningen til agro-økologiske udfordringer.
United Beet Seeds vil blive ledet af Lilian Escalon, en erfaren professionel leder med over 14 års erfaring inden for frø- og forædlingsindustrien, blandet andet i en global førende kartoffelforædlingsvirksomhed. Han blev tidligere på året udnævnt til administrerende direktør for SESVanderHave, og hans operationelle erfaringer og strategiske indsigt vil være et stærkt aktiv for forretningsaktiviteterne i det nye joint venture.
François Desprez, bestyrelsesformand fra Groupe Florimond Desprez, tilføjer: "Vi glæder os til denne nye fase i samarbejdet mellem vores to virksomheder. DLF Seeds A/S er en betroet partner, som vi deler værdier med, og som ligesom os har en lang vision og strategi for sin frøvirksomhed. Vi forener vores styrker, ekspertise og passion for at gøre United Beet Seed til en innovativ nøglespiller i roe- og cikoriebranchen, især for at støtte avlere til at klare de udfordringer, som klimaændringerne giver."
"Mulighederne inden for sukkerroer er betydelige, og konkurrencen er hård. For at lykkes har vi brug for betydelige investeringer for at udvikle konkurrencedygtige og robuste sorter. Derfor er et partnerskab med Groupe Florimond Desprez vigtigt. Når vi nu træder ind i dette joint venture, glæder jeg mig over muligheden for at dele teknologier, værdikæder og markedsadgang, hvilket styrker vores konkurrenceevne," udtaler Søren Halbye, administrerende direktør for DLF Seeds A/S.
Lilian Escalon, CEO for United Beet Seed, udtaler: "Jeg er glad for at indtage positionen som CEO for UBS. Med denne nye virksomhed sammenfører vi over 200 års fælles ekspertise og banebrydende teknologier til roefrømarkedet. Vores talentfulde internationale teams er alle motiveret til innovation og bæredygtighed. UBS vil fremme en kultur af samarbejde og kreativitet, der gør os i stand til at udvikle løsninger, der vil levere bæredygtige produkter og tjenester af høj kvalitet, som vil bidrage til avlernes og industriens fremtidige succes."
Le Groupe Florimond Desprez et DLF Seeds A/S s’associent pour créer United Beet Seeds
Le Groupe Florimond Desprez et DLF Seeds A/S annoncent la signature d’un accord visant à regrouper leurs activités de recherche et de production de semences de betterave sucrière, de betterave fourragère et de chicorée industrielle au sein d’une joint-venture appelée United Beet Seeds (UBS). Ce partenariat stratégique positionnera UBS comme un acteur de premier plan du marché mondial des semences de betteraves.
Download het persbericht in het Nederlands
La filière betteravière fait face à des défis majeurs d’ordre climatique, géo-économique et réglementaire. En outre, l’accélération des avancées technologiques nécessite des investissements toujours plus importants. Avec UBS, le Groupe Florimond Desprez et DLF Seeds A/S associent passion et expérience en sélection, production et traitement de semences pour renforcer leurs positions sur le marché betteravier. UBS aura les ressources nécessaires pour investir durablement dans l’innovation et ainsi offrir aux agriculteurs et à la filière, des solutions compétitives, innovantes et résilientes face aux défis agroécologiques.
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United Beet Seeds sera dirigée par Lilian Escalon, nommé PDG de SESVanderHave il y a quelques mois. Au cours des 14 années précédentes, il a acquis une solide expérience dans le secteur des semences et de la sélection, au sein d’une entreprise leader sur le marché du plant de pomme de terre. Ses compétences opérationnelles et sa vision stratégique mèneront UBS vers ses objectifs ambitieux.
François Desprez, Président du Groupe Florimond Desprez, déclare : « Nous nous réjouissons de cette nouvelle étape dans la coopération entre nos deux entreprises. DLF Seeds A/S est un partenaire de confiance dont nous partageons les valeurs et qui, comme nous, a une vision et une stratégie de long terme pour ses activités semencières. Nous unissons aujourd’hui nos forces, notre expertise et notre passion du métier pour faire d’UBS un acteur incontournable du marché de la betterave et de la chicorée, au service des agriculteurs et en soutien à la transition agroécologique. »
Søren Halbye, PDG de DLF Seeds A/S ajoute : « La betterave sucrière est une culture avec de belles perspectives d’avenir, mais la concurrence sur ce marché est rude. Pour réussir, nous avons besoin d’investir de manière significative et développer des variétés compétitives et résilientes. S’allier au Groupe Florimond Desprez et unir nos forces est essentiel. Tandis que nous lançons cette joint-venture, je suis enthousiaste à l’idée de renforcer notre compétitivité grâce à la mutualisation de nos technologies, nos chaines de valeur et nos accès aux marchés. »
Lilian Escalon, Directeur Général d’UBS, conclut : « Je suis très heureux de prendre la direction d’UBS. Nous réunissons au sein d’une même entité 200 ans d’expertise et d’innovation technologique. A travers le monde, nos équipes portent notre engagement en faveur de l’innovation et de la durabilité. Chez UBS, nous croyons en la collaboration et la créativité pour développer des solutions, des produits et des services durables et de haute qualité qui contribueront au succès futur des planteurs et de la filière. »
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