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The unprecedented success of the Extase tomato fueled an extreme demand, driving us to rapidly scale up—expanding our workforce, boosting greenhouse capacity, and establishing new seed production sites worldwide. This rapid growth allowed us to enter key international markets, including Belgium, Great Britain, Eastern Europe, and Turkey, strengthening our global presence. By the 1960s, it was clear that the demand for high-quality, high-yield vegetable seeds was rising. Growers everywhere began turning to us as a trusted partner in innovative vegetable breeding.
In 1966, we took a pioneering step by partnering with another seed trader to breed high-quality bean varieties in Tanzania, East Africa. The tropical climate in the high region of Arusha was temperate and relatively dry, making this perfect for selecting vegetable varieties. At the time, this was a bold and visionary move—one that led to the establishment of our own seed production facility. Decades later, our Tanzania operation continues to thrive, playing a key role in our global seed production network!
'Quite an adventure, there were hardly any directions in English or even anyone who spoke a few words of English.’
The strongest partnerships grow from trust—and nothing builds trust like a connection between families. That’s exactly how our long-standing collaboration with Takii Seed Company in Kyoto, Japan began. Back in 1968, after spotting an ad in a foreign seed catalogue, Piet Mazereeuw followed his instinct and reached out. When he finally met the Takii family, it was clear: a shared passion for vegetable breeding and innovation united us. What started as a simple outreach sparked a powerful, cross-continental partnership that still flourishes today. This early leap into East Asia marked the beginning of a deep-rooted relationship—proof that entrepreneurial spirit knows no borders.
More attractive products – with beautiful lady names – were added to our portfolio in the 60s. Renate and Cynthia were popular lettuce varieties that helped us to meet the demands of the growers. As we diversified our crops and expanded into new markets, our business became stronger, more stable, and better equipped with weather industry shifts. But perhaps most importantly, British growers fell in love with our lettuce varieties—a roaring success that helped fuel rapid growth. By 1985, demand had skyrocketed, and our UK office was overflowing. That’s when we made it official: Enza Zaden UK Ltd. was established, deepening our roots in the region and strengthening our partnership with local growers.
Around 1987, we moved our Mediterranean breeding activities from Crete to a new home in Almería, Spain—a region with the ideal climate for cultivating vulnerable winter crops. Thanks to its unique conditions, Almería quickly evolved into Europe’s leading horticultural hub during the 1980s. This strategic shift allowed us to support year-round vegetable production, helping retailers across Northern Europe keep shelves stocked no matter the season.
Ewindo was established in 1990 as a joint venture with East West Seeds to develop vegetable seeds resistant to plant diseases and climate conditions prevailing in Indonesia. The goal? To help local farmers boost their yields, incomes, and long-term success. But we don’t stop at productivity—our varieties are also tailored to match the tastes and preferences of consumers in Indonesia and throughout Asia, encouraging greater consumption of fresh, nutritious vegetables like cucumber, tomato, chili pepper, bitter gourd, and yard-long beans. Today, Ewindo collaborates with over 7,000 seed-producing growers in West and East Java, supplying high-quality vegetable seeds to more than 10 million professional growers across the country.