Royal HZPC Expects a Total Seed Potato Volume Breaking the 1m Ton Mark
Royal HZPC Group, a seed potato breeding and trading corporation, anticipates a successful fiscal year 2024–2025 (July–June), with global total tonnage perhaps breaking the 1m ton mark for the first time, according to a recent company announcement.
Michael Kester, the Supervisory Board chairman, has also resigned, and John Thijssen has joined the board. The Supervisory Board chairmanship will be assumed by Cor Biemond.
Despite a challenging start, the 2024 seed potato harvest has been significantly better than the previous year.
“We expect the total tonnage that we sell and/or is sold by licensees to break the 1m ton barrier for the first time, an important milestone,” Hans Huistra, CEO of Royal HZPC Group, mentioned.
Driven by strong demand for its varieties, Royal HZPC Group foresees favorable price levels in all key markets.
“We anticipate revenue to increase to around EUR500m, a clear growth compared to the year 2023/2024,” Huistra added.
Royal HZPC Group also expects historically high payout prices to growers, as well as a higher gross margin. The net result of the potato breeding company is estimated to exceed EUR8m, excluding costs of the Connecting Growers program.
High-level Top-management Moves
During the general shareholders meeting (AVA) on Thursday, 21 November 2024, John Thijssen was officially appointed as a member of the Supervisory Board of Royal HZPC Group. On Tuesday, 11 February 2025, he attended his first meeting.
John Thijssen brings extensive international experience. He is currently the CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Royal Barenbrug Group, a company that operates internationally in the grass breeding technology. In this role, John is responsible for the global strategy. The Royal Barenbrug Group has recently made significant progress in sustainability and Research & Development, areas that are also crucial in the strategy of Royal HZPC Group. Additionally, he is well-acquainted with farming practices.
On the other hand, Tuesday, 11 February 2025, marked the last Supervisory Board meeting chaired by Michael Kester. Michael has been part of the Supervisory Board since 2016 and served as chairman since 2021. After the meeting, Michael handed over the chairmanship to Supervisory Board member Cor Biemond.
“On behalf of Royal HZPC Group, I would like to sincerely thank Michael for his extremely valuable contributions and his dedication to our wonderful company. We also wish John and Cor much success in their new roles,” Hans Huistra added.
With the new composition of the Supervisory Board, Royal HZPC Group is once again confident that the current course, which can make a significant contribution to global food security, will be ensured in the coming years.
