Vilmorin & Cie has adopted a policy of targeted acquisitions and establishes numerous cooperation agreements throughout the world, whether scientific, industrial or commercial.
Through these operations major challenges can be met:
Vilmorin & Cie announced the creation of a joint venture in Ghana, Seed Co West and Central Africa. Primarily dedicated to corn seeds, it will enable the company to develop the West and Central African market specifically.
Vilmorin & Cie announces the creation of a joint venture in South Africa dedicated to field seeds, particularly corn. Operational as of July 2020, this structure groups together all the field seeds activities in South Africa of the companies Vilmorin & Cie, Klein Karoo Seed Marketing and Seed Co. Called Limagrain Zaad South Africa, it is controlled by Vilmorin & Cie. This joint venture constitutes a major player in South Africa, proposing a specific multi-crop approach and benefiting from critical mass in an already highly consolidated field seed market. The joint venture stands out on the market by offering a wide product range, including soybean, sunflower, wheat, sorghum and forage, as a complement to corn.
Vilmorin & Cie has just finalized the acquisition of two independent South American companies, Sursem (Argentina) and Geneze (Brazil). The two companies breed, produce and distribute mainly hybrid corn seeds, but also wheat, sunflower and soybean seeds. With this acquisition, Vilmorin & Cie has crossed a new important threshold in the internationalization of its Field Seeds business, with significant reinforcement of its organization and its commercial positions in South America in major crops.
Vilmorin & Cie has just finalized the acquisition of the Danish company AdvanSeed, specialized in the breeding, production and distribution of seeds for hybrid spinach and leafy vegetables. Through this acquisition, Vilmorin & Cie has complemented its product portfolio, with a new business position for spinach, a crop which it has not worked on until now, and has thus strengthened its global presence in leafy vegetables.
Vilmorin & Cie has acquired* the business activities of the French company Graines Gondian through its Business Unit Vilmorin Jardin. The 3rd largest player on the French market, Graines Gondian produces and sells vegetable and flower seeds, and also grass seeds, for home gardeners. This acquisition allows Vilmorin & Cie to consolidate its positions on a market for home garden seed packets. *Acquisition completed in July 2018.
Vilmorin & Cie has just finalized the full take-over of the company Genica Research (United States. Vegetable seeds) which is headquartered in Dixon, California. Genica Research is specialized in research, breeding, production and distribution - by delegation - of hybrid seeds on major crops as sweet and hot peppers and cucumber.
Vilmorin & Cie and KWS announced the conclusion of additional long-terme licensing agreements with Syngenta for corn traits. The agreements authorize Vilmorin & Cie and KWS to make commercial use of current and future genetically improved traits developed by Syngenta.
Vilmorin & Cie obtained, in september 2015, the autorisations of chinese government  to create a joint-venture of production and sale of corn seeds, with the chinese company Anhui Hengji Seeds. Vilmorin & Cie,  has 45% of the capital, already benefits in China of a network of sites of search to select seeds adapted to the local agronomic conditions. It's a major stage in its development on this key market.
Vilmorin & Cie and Canterra Seeds has announced the creation of joint-venture, specialized in development and cereales selection and based in Saskatoon in Canada. Held in 70% by Vilmorin & Cie, and 30% by Canterra Seeds, the new joint-venture has to develop news varieties of cereales, mainly in wheat, with the best technologies. Beyond this joint-venture, Vilmorin & Cie purchases a minority stake of 30% in Canterra Seeds with a capital increase.
Vilmorin & Cie, with AgReliant, has concluded in july 2015 the acquisition of Golden Acres, based in Texas and completes its business network on north-american territory. Created in 1999, Golden Acres is a independent local company, specialized in corn and sorghum seeds and solidly implanted in the United-States.
At the end of March, 2015, Vilmorin & Cie finalized the full acquisition of the company Tropdicorp (Vietnam. Vegetable seeds). Tropdicorp is a Vietnamese family company founded in 2007, specialized in cucurbit seeds. This site on the Vietnamese market will enable Vilmorin & Cie to strengthen its facilities in South East Asia by penetrating the most dynamic country in the region in terms of vegetables seeds development.
On May 22, Vilmorin & Cie completed an inaugural public bond issue for a total of 300 million euros, maturing in 7 years. At the same time as its bond issue, Vilmorin & Cie has just finalized the refunding of its existing bank loan. These two operations optimize its financial capacities, supporting the implementation of its development strategy, on both the vegetable seeds and field seeds markets.
Vilmorin & Cie has just conclued the full takeover of Seed Asia, company specialized of hybrid tropical corn, whose the head office is based in Bangkok (Thailand). This acquisition corresponds of Vilmorin & Cie's strategic objective of internationalizing its corn seeds activities with locations in a new area, with a high potential: South-East Asia.Vilmorin & Cie will benefit from existing co-operation agreements between Seed Asia and research institutes and universities in the Philippines, Brazil and United States.
Vilmorin & Cie has just implemented the agreement with, the African company, Seed Co and, its reference shareholder, AICO Africa Limited. Vilmorin & Cie acquired a block of Seed Co shares and also subscrided to a reserve stock capital of 15% in the capital stock of Seed Co.
Vilmorin & Cie has just made a new acquisition of the company Eureka Seeds, specialized in the production of sunflower, based in Woodland, California. This acquisition will enable Vilmorin & Cie to diversify its procurement sources, to increase its potential and spread risks better, while continued growth is expected on the sunflower seed market for the foreseeable future.
Vilmorin & Cie has announced the signature of an agreement with Seed Co in Africa, and its reference shareholder, AICO Africa Limited. According to the terms of this agreement, Vilmorin & Cie will acquired a block of shares in Seed Co and will also participate in a reserved capital increase, holding a stake around 15% of Seed Co's stock. Through this operation, Vilmorin & Cie is strengthening the worldwilde scope of its corn seed business and is purchasing its strategic implantation on the African market.
Vilmorin & Cie has recently taken over 100% of Shamrock based in Salinas, California.Speacialized in vegetable seeds, this company has a diversified product portfolio ( lettuce and greens, melon, watermelon and pepper), with a high quality research team. This acquisition will enable Vilmorin & Cie to reinforce its lettuce positions and to benefit from complementary melon and watermelon research programs.
Vilmorin & Cie has just acquired the remaining 39% of the capital stock of Bisco Bio Sciences from its historical family shareholders. This transaction thus means that Vilmorin & Cie has taken full control of the company. The operation aims to accelerate the deployment of Vilmorin’s activities on the field seeds market in India, which is characterized by a high rate of growth and extremely dynamic development perspectives.
Vilmorin & Cie has acquired two gene pools of the highest quality in Brazil: Geneseed, located in the state of Minas Garais (east of Brazil) and KSP, located in the state of Parana (south of Brazil). These complementary genetic resources will contribute directly to the creation and development of new products.
Vilmorin & Cie pursues its deployment on the world market for corn by acquiring the company Link Seed, based in Greytown (State of KwaZulu-Natal), South America. This majority stake of 80% of the company's capital stock will enable Vilmorin & Cie to take up a lasting position on a promising future market where genetically modified seeds have already been very widely adopted by farmers.
This privately held company, specialized in vegetable seeds, owned a wide range of varieties derived from their high quality breeding programs in more than 10 species, including cauliflower, pepper, cabbage, tomato and other vegetables mainly consumed in Asia. Its extensive production and sales networks particularly in the northern part of India, constitute key assets.
The acquistion of the tomato and pepper breeding and sales business of Campbell Soup Company (Davis, California) enables HM.Clause to strenghten its positions, particularly in the strategic tomato and pepper markets intended for North American food processors and other key businesses internationally.
Based in Hyderabad, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Bisco is one of the top Indian players in corn seed. Its product portfolio also covers major local species such as millet, sorghum and rice.This structuring partnership has had the effect of a 61% takeover of the company’s capital stock.
Extending its initial stake, Vilmorin & Cie has taken control of Eurodur, a research and distribution company for durum wheat seeds intented for markets in France and Southern Europe. This operation has enabled Vilmorin & Cie to diversify its genetic resources in wheat and take up position as one of the leading players on the durum wheat market in Europe.
Vilmorin & Cie has strengthened its corn seeds organization in Brazil through the purchase of the research activities of the company Genetica Agricola (Mato Grosso). This breeding program, established in the second largest state for corn production in Brazil, and where areas sown continue to increase regularly, has germplasm quality that is very well suited to the specific growing conditions of these new regions.
As part of its development plan of its wheat seeds activity, Vilmorin & Cie has signed a partnership agreement with Boreal Plant Breeding, a company specialized in the breeding of field seeds for Northern Europe. This partnership is accompanied by the purchase of almost 7% stake in Boreal's capital. This agreement provides Vilmorin & Cie with access to wheat and barley germplasm that is particularly well suited to Northern and Eastern Europe, and also to the Nord of the USA.
Pursuing its establishment on the Brazilian corn market, Vilmorin has just finalized the acquisition of the company Brasmilho's corn and sorghum seed assets. Based in Goianésia, (State of Goiás), Brasmilho owns quality genetic resources, a production and seed treatment factory and a sales network covering the central area of the country.
Vilmorin & Cie has acquired the corn assets of the company Sementes Guerra, based in Pato Branco (State of Parana, Brazil). These assets mainly concern breeding programs, genetic resources, production tools and a sales network, and will thus enable Vilmorin & Cie to develop business in this new area.
Trio Research's germplasm is particularly well-suited to the climate conditions of Kansas, the state that produces the most wheat in the United States.
Vilmorin & Cie strengthen its competitive position on the american sweet corn market through the acquisition of Mesa Maize. This business is a relevant addition to the HM.Clause range wich has the necessary genetic resources to satisfy consumer demands and to position the company more globally on the sweet corn market.
Vilmorin & Cie purchases a majority stake of 51% in the Turkish company Su Tarim. Based in Antalya, Su Tarim is one of Clause's historic partners, and has an excellent commercial and technical network covering all the vegetable production areas in Turkey. The company has invested in recent research facilities and breeding programs suited to the local market, particularly in tomato, pepper and cucumber.
Vilmorin & Cie concluded a strategic and technologic alliance with Arcadia Biosciences, based in Davis (California), through a minority stake. This agreement concerns the development and commercialization of Nitrogen Use Efficient (NUE) wheat. Vilmorin & Cie receives privileged global rights to the use of Arcadia's NUE technology in wheat.
Vilmorin & Cie acquires the business and marketing assets of Dahlco, which is specializing in the distribution of corn, soybeans and alfalfa in the northern Corn Belt, strengthening its competitive position in this area.
Mainly positioned on the market for pre-packaged vegetables, GeneFresh Technologies provides true expertise in lettuce breeding, strengthening Vilmorin & Cie's competitive position for this crop, which is one of the most extensively sold species on the American market.
Vilmorin & Cie continues to reinforce its expertise in onion by acquiring the K&B Development research program. The company's activities involve research in short day onions and will enrich Vilmorin & Cie's current breeding programs, offering short-term possibilities for sales worldwide.
Gentropic is a vegetable seeds research structure belonging to the company Semillas Tropicales. Gentropic conducts research on high-quality tropical pepper and tomato germplasm, with a porfolio of varieties that are particularly suited to the American continent and extensive know-how in plant biotechnology.
As a precursor in the development of long-life tomatoes, LSL Biotechnologies/ LSL Plant Science is one of the main operators on the market for open field tomatoes in Mexico. The company owns top rate germplasm that is highly complementary to that already developed by Vilmorin & Cie.
Vilmorin & Cie extends its expertise in wheat by purchasing a stake in Australian Grain Technologies, leading Australian company for the breeding, development and distribution of novel wheat varieties.
Vilmorin Clause & Cie becomes again Vilmorin & Cie after the integration of the field seeds activity of Groupe Limagrain in its scope of activities.
Vilmorin Clause & Cie takes up a majority stake of 54%. Mikado Seed Growers is a family business, leading Japanese producer of vegetable seeds for the professional market. This operation aims to accelerate business growth of Vilmorin Clause & Cie in the Japanese market and more widely on the Asian region.
Vilmorin Clause & Cie takes majority control of the Israeli company Hazera Genetics, one of the main tomato seeds businesses in the world. Hazera also holds strong positions in pepper, melon and watermelon and is present in Europe, on the Mediterranean basin and on the american market.
Vilmorin & Cie acquires 20% of the shares of Keygene, which is a world leader company in biotechnology and plant genomics. Vilmorin & Cie acquires entrance to Keygene's proprietary technology, its genetic database and its bio-informatic tools.
Vilmorin & Cie acquires Clause, and then, in 1997, becomes Vilmorin Clause & Cie.
Vilmorin & Cie acquires the company Suttons in the United Kingdom, which hold 40% of the garden market in the United Kingdom.
Vilmorin & Cie's shares are introduced in november 1993 to the second market of the Paris Stock exchange.
Vilmorin & Cie joins Limagrain through the integration of vegetable seeds activity. As an international co-operative group, Limagrain encourages Vilmorin & Cie's development by providing regular and consistent support.
Limagrain is an agricultural co-operative created by farmers froms the Limagne plain of Auvergne to produce the seeds they needed to grow their crops. "Peoples's company," its governance is the result of close co-ordination between elected Administrators, who direct and control the Group, and Managers who make proposals and implement them.