A type of cybercrime targeted potato breeder Royal HZPC Group B.V. on Thursday, September 14, 2023. A sizable sum of money was transferred to criminals’ bank accounts.

“We are working together with the banks and the police to limit the damage. The outcome of this is still far from certain. An external forensic investigation has started. Royal HZPC Group B.V. is in the process of completing the preparation of its annual accounts for the financial year 2022-2023. These annual accounts will normally be adopted at the General Meeting of Shareholders on October 5, 2023. The above-mentioned fact will be affected in the 2022-2023 financial statements. In addition, it may affect the date of adoption,” HZPC representatives stated in an official release.

On Thursday 6 October 2022, the Supervisory Board of HZPC Holding B.V. discussed the annual accounts for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. On the same day, the General Meeting of Shareholders determined the annual accounts. HZPC’s turnover was EUR350m, compared to EUR312m the previous year. In 2021-2022, HZPC sold almost 900,000 tonnes of seed potatoes directly or through licensees.