New Zealand
June 2020
Thirty-three years after it first teamed up with a family-owned seed business in the Netherlands, Barenbrug Agriseeds will be known as Barenbrug, effective 1 July.
Michael Hales, Managing Director and Graham Kerr, Marketing Manager
Managing director Michael Hales says the Royal Barenbrug Group has been part of the NZ company since it was founded, providing unique access to plant genetics, science and knowledge.
“This collaboration has been a key part of our success in the NZ pastoral industry – we would not be where we are today without it.”
While the name on the distinctive yellow seed bags will be different as of this season, Michael says farmers can be reassured everything else remains the same: “Our people, products and strategy remain the same.”
So too is the company’s long commitment to providing NZ pastoral producers the best seed they can grow and all the advice they need.
“The Royal Barenbrug Group has always given us the scope here in NZ to tailor the business to the needs of NZ farmers. As a result, we’ve been able to develop many innovative and successful varieties which are widely used throughout the country. We also to export these varieties to several countries, including through our subsidiary in Chile”
Founded in 1904 by Joseph Barenbrug, the Group is now a fourth generation family business with 22 research programmes across six continents, and operating companies in 18 countries.
Global head of the Royal Barenbrug Group, John Thijssen, worked on a Waikato dairy farm in his younger years, and ‘fell in love’ with NZ and its unique grass based dairy systems.
John Thijssen, global head of the Royal Barenbrug Group, says this long history of stability is no coincidence.
“We are proudly family-owned, and like their predecessors, the current owners Bastiaan and Frank Barenbrug have always been focussed on further growing the company and investing for the future generations. Rather than try and satisfy short term interests, like publicly listed companies, which think quarter to quarter, we think generation to generation.”
Likewise the Group’s truly global footprint sets it apart, both in terms of seed production and research, he says.
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