Modesto, California
February 2, 2009

Harris Moran and sister company Clause (France) — together a business unit of Vilmorin & Cie (France) — announced today the acquisition of privately held GeneFresh Technologies (Salinas, California). The acquisition strengthens Harris Moran and Clause’s position in the leafy vegetable market, while giving GeneFresh access to the business unit’s well-established upstream technologies, and global distribution platform.

“GeneFresh is a young and innovative company, built by lettuce industry veterans who have a proven record,” said Matthew Johnston, President and COO of Harris Moran, “Uniting their expertise in variety development with our depth of market-reach and scientific resources offers a highly responsive, leadership opportunity within the California and Arizona leafy vegetable sector.”

GeneFresh will continue to operate out of its Salinas and Yuma hubs as a stand-alone division, with Dennis Choate of Harris Moran named as Interim General Manager, Nathan J. Olivas as Director of Research, and Doug Henry as Director of Sales.

Breeding innovative vegetable varieties designed to boost yield and increase freshness, flavor and quality from plow to plate, sister companies Harris Moran and Clause together form a business unit of the largest, independently-owned seed company in the world, Vilmorin & Cie. To learn more about Harris Moran, Clause, and Vilmorin & Cie, please visit: www.harrismoran.com, www.clause-vegseeds.com, and www.vilmorin.info. 

Website: http://hmclause.com

Published: February 2, 2009