Paine Schwartz portfolio company enters into seeds partnership

Paine Schwartz Partners portfolio company Suba Seeds Group has struck a partnership with Gallatin Valley Seeds to jointly produce, market and sell pea and bean varieties in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Suba, which Paine Schwartz (then Paine & Partners) acquired in October 2015, is a leading producer, packer and distributor of specialty vegetable seeds and a contract supplier to a global seed companies. 

Founded in 1974 in Italy, the company is the leading global producer of coriander and provides an additional portfolio of bean, pea, radish, cabbage, alfalfa, carrot, chicory, and onion seeds, with operations in Italy, France and the US, according to a company announcement.

Boise, Idaho-based Gallatin is a breeder and producer of pea, bean and sweet corn seeds for the North American market.

Marcello Tumedei, chief executive officer with Suba, said in a statement that the partnership will merge Gallatin’s “innovative research and development initiatives in peas and beans with Suba’s European large seed vegetable production platform.

“We look forward to working together to deliver industry-leading pea and bean seed offerings to new and existing customers across Europe, Africa and the Middle East,” he said.

A spokesperson for Paine Schwartz and Suba declined to provide additional details.

Paine Schwartz’s previous investments that helped multiply its seed business included the purchase of Seminis, previously the world’s leading global developer, producer and marketer of vegetable and fruit seeds; and an investment in Advanta Netherlands Holdings, previously the largest independent agronomic seed company in the world, according to the company press materials.

Paine Schwartz currently invests through its $893 million Paine Schwartz Food Chain Fund IV, which is solely dedicated to agribusiness investing.