Breaking ground in biologicals: Major agricultural companies' brand strategies and market evolution

In recent years, many agricultural companies have prioritized the research, development, and promotion of biological products as a core component of their growth strategies. By launching their own biological business brands, these companies aim to establish differentiated market positions while actively contributing to global sustainable development through concrete actions.

Positioning the biological sector as a core strategic focus enables companies to secure a competitive edge in a challenging market while enhancing brand value and fostering long-term sustainable growth. This approach not only accelerates the transformation and upgrading of the industry but also drives agriculture toward a model of ″green, low-carbon, and sustainable″ development, replacing the traditional ″high input, high consumption″ paradigm.

The following article will review the timeline of leading agriculture companies launching bio-brands, providing an in-depth analysis of their strategic approaches to bio-businesses. 

2019:

• Gowan establishes a new business unit dedicated to biological product R&D, acquires EcoFlora^® Agro SAS, and launches the EcoSwing biofungicide

2020:

• Sumitomo Chemical reorganizes its group subsidiaries to strengthen its bio-business, with Valent BioSciences LLC (VBC) assuming responsibility for all bio-related operations

2021:

• Nufarm incorporates biologicals under the NuBio brand

• UPL establishes the NPP global business unit

2022:

• AMVAC and AVD introduce the Green Solutions™ brand

• FMC launches the Biologicals by FMC brand

2023:

• Acadian Plant Health unveils the Sea Beyond brand

• De Sangosse acquires AlgaEnergy

• The Mosaic Company established the Mosaic Biosciences™ platform

• Syngenta introduces the Syngenta Biologicals brand

2024:

• Corteva unveils the Corteva Biologicals brand

• Bayer launches the Root2Success brand

• Rainbow officially introduces its new biological business brand Rainbow Bio

From 2019 to 2024, global agricultural companies have shown a consistent growth trend in their strategic focus on biologicals. Notably, between 2020 and 2021, companies accelerated the globalization of their bio-businesses. For example, Sumitomo Chemical’s business reorganization and the establishment of UPL’s NPP department. These strategic adjustments reflect not only a response to changing market demands but also highlight the growing importance of biologicals in crop protection industry.

Based on the above timeline, several key market trends can be identified:

Biologicals: evolving from innovative solutions to mainstream bussiness

Early positioning and technology development: The brands launched in 2019 and 2020, such as those by Gowan and Sumitomo Chemical, primarily focused on the early stages of technology research, development, and market positioning. These launches coincided with the growing global emphasis on biopesticides, signaling that companies were beginning to recognize the crucial role of biologicals in the future of agriculture.

James Essinger, Head of Chemistry at Gowan Company, told AgroPages in an interview, ″Gowan has been involved in biologicals since our Natural Cryolite was introduced in the 1960s. Biologicals were once thought to be confined to the organic crop sector. However, recent developments around improving biological product efficacy coupled with the need to reduce the presence of synthetic pesticide residues in the crop and emerging pest resistance are growing the popularity of biological pesticides among some growers."

Intensified market competition and product integration: Starting in 2021, with the growing market demand, the launch of biological brands began to diversify. Companies started integrating existing technologies, expanding their product portfolios, and driving brand globalization. The brand launches by Nufarm and UPL signify that agricultural biologicals are becoming a core component of their business, particularly in terms of globalization strategy, highlighting their emerging market potential.

″A key success for us has been the partnership we signed with Chr. Hansen, the global bioscience company, in October 2021, combining their unique microbial expertise and UPL’s global distribution network to develop new microbial-based pest and disease management biosolutions.″ said Mr. Ezio Costa, NPP Business Unit Leader at UPL, in an interview with AgroPages. ″At NPP, we’re also able to synergise our biosolutions with UPL’s conventional inputs to offer a comprehensive combined package that provides stronger, more sustainable results.″

Increasing demand for biologicals

By examining the timeline, it’s clear that market demand for biologicals has been steadily increasing, driven by rising environmental awareness and stricter regulations on chemical pesticide use. Particularly in 2023 and 2024, as the concepts of green agriculture and sustainable development gain traction, the launch of biological products increases significantly.

″Across the globe we now have more than 120 Green Solutions offerings in our portfolio. These include biofertilizers, biostimulants, biopesticides, specialty nutrition products such as essential minerals and trace elements, and ancillary products such as adjuvants and solar protection.″ said Bob Trogele, COO and EVP at AMVAC, in an interview with AgroPages. ″The regulatory environment is not well defined for the biorational category, sometimes to the point of being either too strident (if you want to have natural solutions, make it easier to register them), or too loosely defined (such as biostimulants).″

2023 marks a significant turning point, with many leading agricultural companies - such as Acadian Plant Health, De Sangosse, and Mosaic - launching new biological brands. This shift indicates that biologicals are no longer merely add-on products for these companies, but have become an integral part of their core strategies.

″Acadian Plant Health is developing new products, including patented formulations with best-in-class performance. Our goal is to revolutionize the industry with innovative solutions that address specific agricultural challenges. This shift will harness the potential of biomaterials to tackle key issues facing agriculture,″ said James Maude, Senior Vice President, Acadian Plant Health, in an interview with AgroPages.

From a particular market segment to full-chain integration

Many companies are no longer limiting biologicals to specific segments but are expanding them across all aspects of agricultural production. For instance, Bayer’s ″Root2Success″ brand focuses on root health management, addressing nematode control, root disease management, and soil microecology optimization, demonstrating a full-chain business approach.

At the same time, companies are increasingly emphasizing cross-field integration and collaboration, leveraging biotechnology resources through acquisitions, partnerships, and other strategies. For example, Syngenta continues to launch new biologics products while enhancing their global applicability through its R&D institutions and partner networks.

″Our real point of differentiation is our passion for innovation. This combination of research-driven innovation and deep market understanding is what sets us apart from most biologicals players.″ said Matt Pickard, Head of Biologicals & Seedcare Europe at Syngenta, in an interview with AgroPages.

From 2019 to 2024, companies such as Gowan, Sumitomo Chemical, Nufarm, and Syngenta have actively expanded their biological businesses and launched new products on a global scale. Whether through technological innovation, market integration, or cross-sector cooperation and resource integration, biologicals have evolved from innovative solutions to a vital component of agricultural production.

In particular, 2023 and 2024 saw a surge in new biological brand launches by major agrochemical companies, driven by the promotion of green agriculture and environmental protection policies. This shift highlights the growing potential of biological solutions in the agricultural sector. It not only underscores the increasing importance of biologicals as a key industry development trend, but also reflects a significant rise in global market demand. In response, companies are moving beyond market segments to embrace full-chain strategies, fostering more comprehensive and diversified business growth.

The 6th Biopesticides, Biostimulants and Biofertilizers Summit (BioEx 2025), taking place from 13 to 14 March in Shanghai, will include a panel discussion on the biological business development and brand building of agrochemical companies. If you are interested in being a panelist at the panel discussion, you are welcome to nominate yourself.

Panel discussion at BioEx 2025

Embracing change: Resource integration and strategic positioning in biologicals for agrochemical companies

• Exploring strategic pathways, organizational transformation, market integration, and technical challenges for traditional agrochemical companies transitioning into biologicals

• Sharing experiences and best practices from industry leading companies

For more information, please contact Christina Xie at christina@agropages.com.