Ghent (Belgium)
21 January 2026
Collaboration Supports Acceleration of Premium, Non-GMO Soybean Seed Pipeline for European Farmers
Protealis, the European specialist in non-GMO legume seeds and seed technologies, today announced a strategic collaboration with the University of Guelph, Ontario (Canada), granting Protealis global rights to test, select and commercialize soybean varieties from Guelph’s breeding program. The agreement adds later-maturity soybean genetics and additional food-grade quality to Protealis’ rapidly growing soybean portfolio, complementing its existing range of early-maturing European varieties.
Under the terms of the collaboration, Protealis will have exclusive access to test and commercialize selected soybean genetics, supporting the expansion of its breeding portfolio beyond early-maturing varieties (00 to 0000) to include soybeans adapted to warmer European growing zones.
“This collaboration with the University of Guelph marks an exciting milestone for Protealis. Combining their globally valued soybean genetics with our expertise in European breeding and seed technologies allows us to expand our geographical reach to additional climatic zones across Europe, and match the needs of both farmers and the growing food market in Europe for high-yield, high-protein, non-GMO soy.” explains Benjamin Laga, CEO of Protealis.
David Buckeridge, chairman of the Board of Directors of Protealis, added: “The University of Guelph is one of Canada’s leading research institutions with decades of excellence in soybean breeding. This collaboration puts Protealis on a fast track to build one of Europe’s most complete pipelines of climate-adapted soybean varieties.”
The University of Guelph is known for having the Canada’s largest concentration of plant scientists, extensive research infrastructure and decades of excellence in soybean breeding. Its genetics are widely recognized for reliability and quality. Canada itself is a long-established soybean powerhouse, producing around 7.6 million metric tonnes of soybeans annually[1] and ranking among the world’s notable soybean producers with decades of breeding expertise.
Dr. Istvan Rajcan, Ph.D., Professor Soybean Breeding & Genetics at the Department of Plant Agriculture of the University of Guelph, reacted: “Protealis brings extensive expertise in adapting soybean genetics to European growing conditions, combined with innovative work in seed inoculation and legume breeding. This collaboration allows us to align complementary strengths and support the development of non-GMO soybean varieties that meet the agronomic, quality, and maturity requirements of European growing regions.”
Europe imports over 34 million tonnes of soy annually, largely from Brazil, Argentina and the US. The growing food and feed markets—combined with rising import costs—underscore the need for high-performance, soy varieties produced locally.
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