ADQ to acquire a strategic stake in Limagrain Vegetable Seeds and launch joint R&D partnership in UAE

Zawya

26-06-2025

Contemplated investment is aligned with ADQ's commitment to building and scaling food security platforms that create value and advance national strategic priorities
Supports the UAE's long-term food security objectives, including increasing domestic food production to 50 percent of total consumption and reducing dependence on imports
As part of the contemplated transaction, LVS and Silal would establish a long-term research partnership to develop desert-adapted vegetable seeds
Partnership would combine Silal's world-class infrastructure with LVS's scientific expertise
Abu Dhabi, UAE – ADQ, an active sovereign investor with a focus on critical infrastructure and global supply chains, and Limagrain, an agricultural cooperative and international seed group, have entered into exclusive discussions for ADQ to acquire a 35 percent stake in Limagrain Vegetable Seeds (LVS), the vegetable seed division of Limagrain.
Headquartered in France, LVS is the global leader in the vegetable seeds industry, with a strong legacy dating back to 1743. Renowned for its best-in-class R&D capabilities and consistent innovation, LVS operates 56 research centers across 20 countries and offers the most extensive product portfolio within the industry, covering 43 of the world's 50 major vegetable crops. Its global manufacturing footprint includes eight facilities across six countries in Europe, North America, and Asia. LVS's seed portfolio includes globally renowned brands such as Vilmorin, Mikado, Harris Moran, Clause, and Hazera, serving growers across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and Africa.
As part of the proposed collaboration, LVS and Silal, an ADQ portfolio company specializing in agri-food technology, plan to establish a research and development partnership, leading to the creation of a joint venture focused on desert-adapted vegetable genetics. The collaboration aims to develop innovative genetic solutions that enhance the resilience of vegetable crops to extreme environmental conditions such as extreme heat, drought, and salinity. Research and development would be conducted at Silal's Innovation Oasis in Al Ain, a purpose-built agritech hub equipped with state-of-the-art greenhouses, growth chambers, and seed testing laboratories, with LVS contributing its global expertise in vegetable genetics. Together, the partners are committed to advancing solutions for sustainability and food security in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly across the Gulf.
The envisaged transaction represents a strategic entry by ADQ into a vital segment of the food value chain. In parallel, the research and development partnership between Silal and LVS would accelerate local innovation in desert adapted seeds and contribute meaningfully to the UAE's national food security agenda. Developing climate resilient seed varieties is essential for enhancing crop yields and ensuring reliable food supply, both of which are central to achieving the UAE's long-term objectives, including increasing domestic food production to 50 percent of total consumption and reducing reliance on imports.
Mansour Al Mulla, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer of ADQ, said: 'Over the past years, ADQ has focused on building and growing its Food & Agriculture cluster, anchored by fully integrated market leaders across key segments of the value chain. As part of our commitment to strengthening the UAE's economic resilience, expanding into the seeds segment represents a natural next step. It enables us to deepen our exposure to one of the most critical components of the food value chain. By combining Silal's world-class infrastructure and innovation capabilities with the scientific excellence of LVS, we are well positioned to deliver seed innovation solutions that create commercial value while supporting the UAE's food security. We look forward to working with a likeminded partner to help secure a sustainable and resilient food system that delivers safe, nutritious food to a growing global population.'
Sébastien Chauffaut, Chief Executive Officer of Limagrain, said: 'We chose ADQ as our potential partner because we not only have a shared vision and values, but are united in a strong commitment to long term sustainable investment and a clear focus on innovation. This potential partnership reflects our mutual dedication to advancing agricultural technologies that address global challenges. ADQ's planned investment in our vegetable seeds business would provide important strategic support to strengthen our position as a global leader in the vegetable seed market and accelerate the development of climate resilient crop varieties. We are also excited about the potential to benefit from ADQ's reach into attractive markets, including but not limited in the Middle East and North Africa, as part of our ongoing global expansion.'
This transaction will need to undergo the consultation process of LVS employees' representative bodies, and its closing will be subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals.
About ADQ
Established in 2018, ADQ is an active sovereign investor with a focus on critical infrastructure and global supply chains. As a strategic partner to the Government of Abu Dhabi, ADQ invests in the growth of business platforms anchored in the Emirate that deliver value to local communities and long-term financial returns to its shareholder. ADQ's total assets amounted to USD 251 billion as of 31 December 2024. Its rapidly expanding portfolio encompasses companies across numerous core sectors of the economy, including energy and utilities, transport and logistics, food and agriculture, healthcare and life sciences, financial services, infrastructure and critical minerals, real estate investments, and sustainable manufacturing.
ADQ's Food & Agriculture portfolio includes investments in Louis Dreyfus Company, a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods; Unifrutti, a global champion in the production, trade and distribution of more than 100 varieties of fresh produce; Agthia Group, one of the region's leading food and beverage groups; Al Dahra Holding, an Abu Dhabi-based global leader in forage and other agribusiness sectors; Lulu, the leading hypermarket and supermarket chain in the Middle East; and Silal, Abu Dhabi's leading food and agriculture technology company.
For more information, visit adq.ae or write to [e-mail].
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About Limagrain
Limagrain is a leading international seed and agri-food group, employing 9,600 people across 53 countries. The group achieved sales of €2.5 billion in 2023–2024. While global in scale, Limagrain remains firmly anchored in its agricultural heritage through its parent organization—an agricultural cooperative rooted in the Limagne-Val d'Allier plain, in the heart of France's Auvergne region.
Limagrain breeds, produces, and commercializes high value-added field and vegetable seeds, building on a long-standing tradition of excellence in plant improvement. Furthermore, the Group also operates agri-food businesses in France and internationally, enabling the transformation of agricultural output from its 1,300 cooperative farmer members. As the world confronts mounting climatic, environmental, and demographic challenges, Limagrain contributes through its diversified activities to addressing key issues in global food and agricultural systems.
www.limagrain.com