Next step to develop vegetables business: KWS announces name and brand change for Pop Vriend Seeds

Date:09-13-2024

Seed specialist KWS announces that subsidiary Pop Vriend Seeds (PV) will officially change its name to KWS Vegetables Netherlands B.V. as of October 1, 2024. With this move, PV becomes also by name a full KWS family member including a brand change.

Since KWS entered the vegetable seed business by acquiring the Dutch company Pop Vriend Seeds in June 2019, this new Business Unit has continuously expanded and developed. Today, the Vegetables Business Unit has more than 300 employees in 12 countries. With Pop Vriend changing its name and corporate branding, KWS follows a clear integration plan, leveraging the full potential of vegetable breeding activities.

″We are delighted to see two brands with such clear similarities become one″, states Dr. Peter Hofmann, member of the KWS Executive Board and responsible for the BU Vegetables.″We trust that this will take our activities to the next level, allowing the Pop Vriend colleagues full access to the KWS resources in all areas, while keeping the spirit and enabling growth″.

While branding and packaging of Pop Vriend products will change toward the official KWS look and feel, a PV endorsement will secure a smooth brand transition in the next years. This will make it easier for customers and other stakeholders to identify the change.

″This is another important step to set the KWS Business Unit Vegetables up for the future″, explains Simon Walter, Head of Business Unit Vegetables. ″We want to position KWS as a key player in the vegetables seed business. To take the next step in our ‘Vegetables journey’ we need to increase the visibility of the KWS brand as strong selling brand for all vegetable crops around the globe″.

For customers and partners, the impact will be minimal and known contacts will stay the same. The famous ″PopFest″, a yearly open-door event for growers, distributors and value chain partners, will mark the brand change. This year’s event, happening September 23 - 27, will be the first ″PopFest″ edition, clearly displaying the new orange branding.