Royal Van Zanten and KeyGene start partnership to accelerate the breeding of ornamental crops

Breeder of ornamental crops Royal Van Zanten, and plant research company KeyGene have agreed upon a multiyear partnership in research and development. The partnership will enable Royal Van Zanten, a leading company in pot plants, cut flowers and flower bulbs, to accelerate the development of market focused varieties in its ornamental crops and strengthen its team of passionate breeders and scientists. Thanks to the new collaboration, KeyGene, which develops and applies innovative technologies for crop improvement, can importantly broaden the use of its proprietary technologies in ornamental crops.

Visible innovation

In ornamental crops, the power and impact of innovation is clearly perceived throughout the chain: from consumer to grower. That generates a very dynamic environment, in which swiftly and powerfully responses to wishes and requirements of the market is key to success.

In that market, Royal Van Zanten has been a flourishing innovative business in the international ornamental horticulture industry since 1862, and will celebrate this year it’s 160 years anniversary. The innovation capabilities combined with the passion of the personnel in The Netherlands, Colombia, New Zealand, Uganda, and South Africa, and the collaboration partners in the supply chain, enable the company to supply a wide range of cut flowers, pot plants and flower bulbs.

Incorporating innovative technologies

Innovative technologies for plant breeding developed at KeyGene will boost Royal Van Zanten’s breeding of ornamental crops, which will allow for strengthening the company’s market position for many years.

‘Now is the time to actively incorporate innovative technologies from gene discovery and trait development to advanced molecular breeding in the field of ornamental breeding. It will strengthen our market position for the coming decades’ says Joost Kos, Head Breeding & Development at Royal Van Zanten. ‘The innovations KeyGene developed, and the continuous investments in next generation technology, will boost our product development. KeyGene’s proven track record over more than thirty years and KeyGene’s experts working in various disciplines with and for partners, can now also bring leaps in breeding ornamental crops at Royal Van Zanten’.

‘For KeyGene, Royal Van Zanten is a great new partner in applying and further optimizing our technologies for breeding of ornamental crops.’ says Arjen van Tunen, CEO of KeyGene. ‘Royal Van Zanten’s passionate way of working and strong market position, and its wide range of crops in pot plants, cut flowers and flower bulbs, mean a substantial broadening of the use of the innovations we develop. We are looking forward to, together with the ambitious breeders and scientists of Royal Van Zanten, bring impact to the development of a wide range and long row of successful varieties and traits in ornamental crops.’