Europlant and BNA announce merge

December 2022

‘Europlant was founded thirty years ago, the beginning of our journey. We’re really proud when we look back on the successful and dynamic history of our company, which was driven by trust and collaboration’, said Jörg Renatus during the festive evening who, together with Jörg Eggers, forms the Management Board of the German seed potato trading company. ‘With annual sales of over 500,000 tons of potatoes, of which 260,000 tons of seed potatoes, we’ve also acquired an important market position internationally,’ he confirms. ‘Over those thirty years, currently with 250 employees, Europlant has built up sales channels in more than seventy countries, established thirteen subsidiaries and can now announce that it is active on all continents. According to Renatus, the foundation for the company’s success is decades of successful research and breeding by its sister company Böhm-Nordkartoffel Agrar­pro­duk­tion. In addition to researching and breeding varieties for both the French-fry, crisp, table, starch potato and export markets, BNA supplies pre-basic and certified seed potatoes.

Merger of Europlant and BNA

Renatus not only looked back during the festive evening, he also looked forward. ‘We’ll take on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Think of climate change, the growing world population and decreasing free trade conditions in the international potato trade.’ In order to further build a strong condition, he announced that Europlant and BNA have decided to merge at the start of the 2023-2024 financial year. ‘The integration of the two companies will create an even stronger Europlant, which combines the business units of R&D, breeding, cultivation, seed potato propagation, and sales.’ Also, Dr Justus Böhm, the current director of BNA and son of the founder, will join the management board of Europlant. ‘This will also lay a solid foundation for future management’, Renatus responds.

Böhm takes retirement

‘Without your dedication, your entrepreneurial foresight, your confidence and your continued support, our successful path over the past thirty years wouldn’t have been possible’, Jörg Renatus thanked the retiring Böhm, who was a long-time managing director of Kartoffelzucht Böhm GmbH & Co. KG and BNA. According to Olaf Feuerborn, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the German UNIKA potato organisation, Böhm has made a major contribution to global potato breeding. ‘In addition, Dr Böhm is known as a proved, resolute expert who thinks and acts far beyond the boundaries of his own company. He has contributed significantly to the fact that the German potato sector is now taken seriously both professionally and politically, at home and abroad. Böhm laid the foundation for his successful breeding and propagation work (he developed the Agria variety, among others) with his studies in agricultural sciences and his doctorate in plant breeding. In addition to his activities at BNA, he was also involved in many plant breeding committees and professional organisations outside the Europlant organisation. ●

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