Vegetables are not only healthy, they are also an important part of a sustainable diet. In view of changing eating habits, their economic importance is growing worldwide. Reason enough for KWS to diversify its portfolio and enter the long-term growth market for vegetable seeds: In 2019, the company announced the acquisition of the Dutch breeding company Pop Vriend, the market leader in spinach, and began the long-term, organic development of a new Business Unit with various crops.
How do you develop a new business from scratch? How does vegetable breeding differ from other segments in which KWS is active? And what traits are particularly important to customers along the value chain?
We discuss these and other questions with our experts Simon Walter, Head of Business Unit Vegetables, and Coert Engels, Global Head of Breeding Vegetables.
In the second part of the episode, we talk to an expert who knows a thing or two about communicating complex plant science topics: David Spencer is a molecular biologist, science slammer, author and influencer. In the podcast, he talks about his fascination with science slams, the importance of science communication, the "superpowers" of plants, and the role of genetic engineering for sustainable agriculture.