MAY 2026  |  SEEDWORLD.COM/EUROPE  I  SEED WORLD EUROPE   I   19
P
lant breeding rewards patience. It unfolds over sea­
sons, decades and, in some cases, generations. At 
KWS, the timeline stretches back 170 years, but 
the company’s focus remains firmly on what lies ahead. 
What began as an early insight into the potential of 
sugar beet in 19th-century Germany has evolved into one 
of the world’s leading plant breeding companies, driven 
by scientific curiosity, strategic vision and close partner­
ships with farmers.
“At the heart of KWS is a clear identity: we are seed 
specialists — this is our DNA,” explains Felix Büchting, 
KWS CEO. “We develop varieties our customers can rely 
on, today and in the future.”
FROM SUGAR PRODUCTION TO A 
LEADING BREEDING COMPANY
The KWS story begins with entrepreneurial farmer 
Matthias Christian Rabbethge, who recognized the 
potential of the emerging beet sugar industry at an early 
stage. In 1856, he acquired a majority stake in a sugar beet 
factory in the small town of Klein Wanzleben, laying the 
foundation for what would later become KWS. By 1885, 
seed production had overtaken sugar manufacturing as 
the core of the business.
From those beginnings, KWS expanded steadily 
both in terms of geography and crops. While sugar beet 
remains a cornerstone of the portfolio, the company also 
moved into cereals, corn, oilseeds and vegetables in sub­
sequent decades.
Today, KWS runs breeding programs in more than 
20 crops, operates in more than 70 countries, employs 
more than 5,000 people and generates annual revenues 
of approximately €1.7 billion.
LONG-TERM THINKING AND SCIENTIFIC 
EXCELLENCE
The foresight that underpinned KWS’s evolution con­
tinues to guide the company today. Longterm planning 
and scientific excellence are deeply embedded across the 
organization. In the past years, the company continuously 
reinvested around 20% of its net sales into research and 
development, reinforcing its position as one of the seed 
sector’s most innovative players.
“Plant breeding is an inherently long-term business. 
We think in generations, not quarters, and our decisions 
are guided by the goal that KWS will still be strong in 
10, 20 or 50 years,” Büchting says.
That mindset translates into tangible progress across 
a wide range of crops. In sugar beet, years of targeted 
research have resulted in CR+ varieties that help grow­
ers manage rising Cercospora pressure. In oilseed rape, 
InsectPROTECT genetics support early crop protec­
tion against cabbage stem flea beetle. Hybrid rye offers 
another example, combining strong yield potential with 
resilience under challenging growing conditions, while 
the PollenPLUS trait enhances tolerance to pollen-borne 
infections and contributes to greater crop reliability.
Felix Büchting, CEO of KWS and seventh-
generation representative of the founding family, 
leads the company with a focus on long-term 
strategy and scientific innovation.

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