RZ-100-wt4-E-flipbook-240702 - Flipbook - Page 107
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Excel RZ
Endive
About five seed companies took the initiative to set
shareholders. External companies also have a great
up KeyGene in 1988. It means that the cost of the
deal of their research done by the Wageningen
expensive research associated with biotechnology
company.
can now be shared. This way, the founders can keep
in step with multinationals that have their own dedi-
Besides being part of KeyGene, which conducts
cated laboratory facilities and scientific personnel.
research in molecular biology, Rijk Zwaan is also
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Nadine RZ
Lettuce
active in other technology fields. Until the manageWhen KeyGene was founded in 1988, Rijk Zwaan was
ment buyout, the focus is on regular breeding
not involved because it was still part of BP at the
methods. After the buyout, the company also
time. This changes after the management buyout,
focuses on other disciplines such as cell biology,
of course. So Rijk Zwaan becomes a shareholder of
biochemistry and seed technology to support
KeyGene in 1989. This stake in KeyGene is further
breeding and product development. As part of this,
expanded in 1993. The investment pays off because
Rijk Zwaan collaborates with various universities
soon after its foundation, the company – which
and institutes to apply results from these areas
by 2024 has one hundred and fifty employees –
of research. In cell biology, the focus is on the
has gained a market-leading position in marker
vegetative conservation of breeding material,
technology with an ‘AFLP marker system’ that it
developing parental lines and cutting through
has developed in-house. AFLP is a DNA analysis
species barriers (cell fusion, embryo rescue).
method that is vastly superior to previous marker
At Rijk Zwaan, biochemistry focuses on measuring
systems and greatly accelerates breeding projects
the quality aspects of vegetable varieties, both
and quality control. KeyGene also has a great deal
before and after harvest. Seed technology is aimed
to offer its shareholders in other biotech areas. And
at optimising seed cultivation and improving the
the company doesn’t conduct research just for its
quality of harvested seeds.
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President RZ
Celeriac
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Avanti RZ
Spinach
1993-1994
1990-2000 | Employees first | A new beginning
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