Sakata acquires Sana Seeds

Sana Seeds, a Dutch company specializing in the breeding, production, and sale of high-quality cucumber varieties, joins Sakata Vegetables Europe. Through this acquisition, the Japanese seed company invests in the high-value Dutch cucumber segment.

Following the acquisition in 2017 of a Jordanian company specializing in Beit Alpha cucumbers, Sakata strengthened its position in the global cucumber markets and continues to develop a broad crop portfolio.

Sana Seeds is a company that has very quickly been able to offer commercial varieties adapted to market requirements. A collaboration was initiated with Sakata several years ago. The first outcome of it was the marketing by Sakata of two high-performance cucumbers: Dorian, a product grown in unheated greenhouses, with a high yield and adapted to high temperatures, and Izal, presenting a very open plant structure and excellent fruit quality throughout the cycle.

"This acquisition is in line with Sakata's strategy of always investing in innovation with a long-term approach, explains Basile de Bary, Sakata EMEA Chief Executive Officer. Our partnership with Sana Seeds has been closer and closer over time. It led, naturally, to Sana Seeds and Sakata joining forces today,"

At the operational level, two of the four Sana Seeds shareholders are joining Sakata's breeding teams. They will be based in Spain at Sakata's Almeria station. "Sana Seeds will have access to a large sales network and solid facilities in terms of research, production, and marketing. It will be a pleasure to see the range we have developed take on a bigger scope", explains Frederik Gerrits, Managing Director of Sana Seeds.

"Sakata combines ancestral know-how and high technology to create vegetable seeds that meet stringent requirements: yield, taste, disease resistance, adaptation to climatic hazards, etc. By continuing to supply high-quality varieties and seeds, we will continue to contribute to improving global nutrition and sustainable agriculture."