Rijk Zwaan among R&D Top 50 ranking

Fruit and vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan has secured 12th place in this year's R&D Top 50, the annual ranking of Dutch companies based on investment in research and development. The list, compiled by TNO and VNO-NCW, emphasises the importance of R&D for achieving economic growth, driving technological progress and tackling social challenges such as the energy transition and digital transformation.

Official presentation of the R&D Top 50
The official presentation of the R&D Top 50 was held on 2 December. During the ceremony, Rijk Zwaan board member Ben Tax participated in a panel discussion on the role of innovation in strengthening the Dutch economy.

"In the food sector, continuous innovation is not only of huge economic importance, but also has a societal purpose. After all, we are continuously working on further strengthening the foundation of the worldwide food supply. It's great to see so many other breeding companies and agri-food businesses in this R&D Top 50 list," he said.

© Rijk ZwaanBen Tax (second from the right) is taking part in the panel discussion on the Dutch R&D Top 50.

AI as an innovation accelerator
Rijk Zwaan's R&D activities are focused on the following key areas: biotechnology, phytopathology, seed technology and (genomic) breeding. The company uses DNA marker technology and genomic selection to improve the predictability of crossing and selection, enabling breeders to make data-driven decisions faster. Meanwhile, machine learning gives us a better understanding of protein interactions in plants. As a result, the company can recognise patterns, predict which proteins could work together to provide resistances against pests and diseases, and gain insights into how plants respond to stress factors such as drought.

Investing in a healthy and sustainable food chain
As an international fruit and vegetable breeding company, Rijk Zwaan invests 30% of its annual turnover back into research and development. This enables them to develop varieties with resilience: less susceptible to plant diseases, less dependent on chemical crop protection agents, and better able to cope with extreme heat or drought. Moreover, Rijk Zwaan's varieties are aligned with local cultivation methods, food traditions and consumer preferences.