The leading company in the agrifood sector Planasa, is celebrating its 50-year anniversary in one of the finest moments of its history. The company closes 2023 with excellent results as one of the most innovative leaders in the sector: Planasa is forecasting more than 70 million EBITDA for this fiscal year.

In this period, the Company continued to make progress in meeting its strategic objectives, despite a volatile international environment. Investments in R&D during the year have exceed 10 million €.

50 years ago, the Darbonne family together with Caja de Navarra founded a small agricultural company in Valtierra, in the northern Spanish region of Navarra, an area traditionally known for its excellent vegetable crops. Over the decades, Planasa increased its products and locations, and moved from breeding and developing new strawberries and asparagus varieties to include blueberry, raspberry and blackberry R&D programs.

In 2010, the company took its operations to a next level and expanded to new markets such as the United States and Mexico. Today, Planasa has evolved from a small, family-run enterprise into a global leader in the agrifood sector with more than 225 varieties registered, presence in 25 countries and over 4,000 employees.

All this tremendous growth and evolution would not have been possible without the contribution of all those people, some of which have been at Planasa for decades. Thanks to an incredibly qualified and committed team, the company has grown to lead the sector worldwide.

Moreover, Planasa’s key driver throughout the years has been innovation. Seeking to produce more and better with less, sustainability and innovation have always been part of the firm's DNA. Proof of this are its four R&D centers, located in Spain, France, USA and Mexico, where they inaugurated a brand-new facility in Michoacán last February for 80 engineers dedicated mainly to plant breeding programs for strawberry and blackberry with a total area of 17 hectares.

During the first nine months of 2023, Planasa took firm steps to advance in its transformation to achieve worldwide leadership in the berry sector, reinforcing its technological profile, and providing better varieties to customers.

The focus on innovation is reflected in one of the company’s main objectives over these 50 years, which is to achieve an almost perfect balance between technological transformation and sustainability by developing new varieties that are available all year round. This entails researching breeds adapted to different climatic conditions with lower input requirements, in term of water consumption, environmental sustainability and pest protection, as well as supporting farmers with the most efficient and top-quality technology and crop knowledge. 

Planasa aims to shape the soft fruit sector for decades to come and is committed to promoting a responsible and sustainable business model. Their goal is to generate a positive impact on the environment and contribute to the fight against climate change, helping local communities and the food requirements of our society. 

Finally, turning 50 in such great shape would not have been possible without strong investments in different markets, such as China, Peru and the US. 

On top of the opening of the R&D center in Mexico, in the last year Planasa strengthened its presence in China with the acquisition of Meiming, a company focused on blueberry nursery activity. 

Planasa has now joined forces with EW Group, a German family-owned company in the life sciences sector with presence in more than 50 countries and more than 19,000 employees worldwide. Both companies share the same innovative and environmental values and aim to contribute to the food requirements of our society. 

In all, Planasa has made a commitment that has evolved over the past 50 years to achieve an almost perfect balance between technological transformation and sustainability, leading the agriculture of the future. 

As Michael Brinkmann, CEO, puts it: “This year, we have improved our operations, expanded our international presence and launched innovative varieties to become a world leader". 

Planasa is a global leader in the agri-food sector, specializing in breeding the next generations of berry varieties: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries. Apart from berries, Planasa has also substantial experience and a long-standing tradition in other products such as garlic, asparagus, or avocado. 

EW Group 

The EW Group is a German multinational family-owned livestock breeding group with headquarters in Visbek. It is the world market leader in breeding and genetics of poultry and tilapia and comprises 53 German and 220 foreign companies under the parent company EW Group GmbH.