Biobest invests in Biopartner sp z.o.o.

Added on 27 April 2022

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Biopartner sp z.o.o, a pioneering and leading distributor of biological plant protection products, bumblebees for pollination, fertilizers, and biopesticides in the Polish horticultural market, and Biobest Group NV - global player in biological control and pollination headquartered in Belgium, announced today that Biobest has acquired a 60% stake in Biopartner. This investment builds on a long-standing collaboration in biocontrol and pollination which began in 1992.

Biopartner was established in 1992 and became the first distributor in Poland for Biobest Group NV. Janusz Piatkowski and Tomasz Domagala initially distributed bumblebees to tomato growers in Poland. As the Biobest product range expanded, the Biopartner business grew along with it. Biopartner was one of the first companies in Poland to offer bumblebees and beneficial insects to greenhouse growers. Now, per 2022, Biopartner also offers biostimulants, biofertilizers, biopesticides and monitoring tools. The company deals with a range of crops including protected greenhouse crops, covered and outdoor berries and ornamentals.

Janusz Piatkowski, one of the owners, commented: "We are glad to see the biocontrol industry increase rapidly worldwide. Growers are becoming more experienced with biological crop protection and generally explore all the biocontrol options before applying any agrochemical alternative. With good advice and a preventative approach, growers in Poland are introducing more beneficial organisms year by year. In addition, the increasing availability of biopesticides is helping ensure the growth of IPM control strategies. Biopartner offers reliable biocontrol advice and fast supply of quality products to growers in Poland. I'm very happy to announce our alliance with Biobest - this is a great way to mark the 30 years anniversary of Biopartner and its collaborations with Biobest. This will help us grow faster and explore other markets within Poland."

Tomasz Domagala, co-owner, added: "Establishing a strong network of sub-distributors in Poland was crucial for our company's success. Poland is a large country, and the greenhouses are located in different areas. Our sub-distributors guarantee reliable and regular on-site technical support. Growers value this service, which is supported with our own technical specialists. Technical advice is one of the key aspects whereby we distinguish ourselves."

Marc Mertens, CSO of Biobest Group NV agreed: "We strongly believe in the growth potential of the Polish market. Therefore, we have taken this step to acquire a majority share in Biopartner. With such a longstanding and strong relationship with Biopartner, we will further strengthen our offer and position in Poland. Biobest will increase its support to Biopartner and the Polish growers in order to further promote the use of biocontrol crop protection."

Biopartner's name will soon be changed into Biobest Polska. Biobest Polska continues to focus on the needs of growers and will assist customers in choosing the best solutions, from an integrated portfolio of products and services, to efficiently manage their crops. Our strong position in the market is largely due to the excellent network of sub-distributors. The company will stay a reliable partner for its suppliers.

About Biobest

Biobest Group NV is a global player in biological pest and disease control and bumblebee pollination of high value greenhouse and berry crops, Biobest exports weekly to over 70 countries worldwide. Biobest has local production and/or distribution subsidiaries strategically sited in 20 countries worldwide, plus an extensive network of local specialized distributors located in an additional 50 countries on six continents. Employing 1800 employees worldwide, our extensive production, supply chain, sales and technical advisory network provides an efficient global service delivering fresh quality product to countries every week using our highly specialized cold chain logistics.

Today our product portfolio features a comprehensive range of IPM solutions - including beneficial insects, predatory mites, bumblebees, insect pathogenic nematodes and biopesticides as well as monitoring, scouting and pheromones products.

Our highly skilled technical team - comprising 185 in-house and 250 distributor advisors - assists growers worldwide to provide best-in-class customized technical advice. To further enable the best possible results for growers, Biobest continually invests in research and development projects to innovate and improve our products and solutions as well as to develop digital tools to help growers collect and record information on pest and disease incidence, severity and distribution.

To learn more about Biobest, please visit Biobestgroup.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.