Rijk Zwaan Among R&D Top 50 Ranking
04 December 2025, Netherlands: Fruit and vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan has secured 12th place in this year’s R&D Top 50, the annual ranking of Dutch companies based on investment in research and development. The list, compiled by TNO and VNO-NCW, emphasises the importance of R&D for achieving economic growth, driving technological progress and tackling social challenges such as the energy transition and digital transformation.
Official presentation of the R&D Top 50
The official presentation of the R&D Top 50 was held on 2 December. During the ceremony, Rijk Zwaan board member Ben Tax participated in a panel discussion on the role of innovation in strengthening the Dutch economy. “In the food sector, continuous innovation is not only of huge economic importance, but also has a societal purpose. After all, we are continuously working on further strengthening the foundation of the worldwide food supply. It’s great to see so many other breeding companies and agri-food businesses in this R&D Top 50 list,” he said. His comments underlined the importance of continued investment in research and public/private-sector collaboration to strengthen the industry’s future.
AI as an innovation accelerator
Rijk Zwaan’s R&D activities are focused on the following key areas: biotechnology, phytopathology, seed technology and (genomic) breeding. We use DNA marker technology and genomic selection to improve the predictability of crossing and selection, enabling our breeders to make data-driven decisions faster. Meanwhile, machine learning gives us a better understanding of protein interactions in plants. As a result, we can recognise patterns, predict which proteins could work together to provide resistances against pests and diseases, and gain insights into how plants respond to stress factors such as drought. Thanks to this knowledge, we are able to accelerate the development process and shorten the time to market for new varieties.
Investing in a healthy and sustainable food chain
As an international fruit and vegetable breeding company, we invest 30% of our annual turnover back into research and development. This enables us to develop varieties with resilience: less susceptible to plant diseases, less dependent on chemical crop protection agents, and better able to cope with extreme heat or drought. Moreover, our varieties are aligned with local cultivation methods, food traditions and consumer preferences. This is how our seeds contribute to both food security and future-proof food production.
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