Varieties
of Life
Press release
With ‘Varieties of Life’, Agrico is harnessing the power of a diverse range of varieties
Emmeloord, 5 November 2026 – With a broad and diverse range of varieties, the Agrico Cooperative is responding to the changing needs of growers, processors and consumers worldwide. Managing Director Mark Zuidhof made this point at the opening of the Varieties and Seedlings Show, which is being held this week at Agrico Research in Bant. The day before, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander opened Agrico Research’s new laboratory building.
This year’s Varieties and Seedlings Show is themed ‘Varieties of Life’. “This theme illustrates what Agrico stands for: the power of diversity, the power of innovation and, above all, the power of collaboration,” said Zuidhof. “No two markets are the same. No two growing regions are the same. And no two customers have exactly the same needs.”
“At Agrico, a variety is never just a potato,” said Zuidhof. “It is an opportunity. A solution. An investment in the future.”
“A sector that can adapt”
In his opening speech, Zuidhof looked back on a difficult season. Last year, prices came under severe pressure and demand from the processing industry had fallen. “The past season has placed great demands on everyone in our sector, from our members and growers to our customers and partners.”
A year on, according to Zuidhof, the picture has already changed again. “That is the reality of our sector. But that is also where our strength lies. We are part of a sector that can adapt, that continues to innovate and constantly finds new solutions.”
Royal opening of new laboratory
To ensure it can continue to offer the right varieties in the future, Agrico remains committed to investing in knowledge, research and the development of new varieties. A key milestone in this regard was the official opening of Agrico Research’s new laboratory building by King Willem-Alexander. “That was a special moment for Agrico. A moment of pride for everyone who works hard here every day on new potato varieties,” said Zuidhof. “With this new laboratory, we are strengthening our ability to develop the varieties of tomorrow.”
The new building was erected on the same site in just over two years, whilst breeding work continued as normal. “We are very pleased that the construction – and even a number of additional elements – was completed on time and within budget,” said Peter Oldenkamp, director of Agrico Research. In the new building, Agrico Research can once again carry out quarantine tests for resistance to potato cyst nematodes, free-living nematodes and wart disease in-house, with double the capacity. Visitors to the show can take a look around the new laboratories during a guided tour.
Naturally stronger
According to Zuidhof, the challenges of tomorrow call for varieties that can do more: varieties that are stronger under changing conditions, offer growers greater certainty and require fewer inputs. Agrico’s Next Generation varieties are an example of this. They combine natural resistance to Phytophthora with reduced use of crop protection products and greater yield reliability. In addition, Agrico is working on varieties with combined resistances.
At the same time, the Agrico Originals – including Agria, Fontane, Markies and Sinora – continue to play an important role in various markets. “Diversity is not an end in itself,” said Zuidhof. “Diversity makes it possible to offer the right solution for every situation.”
Extra focus on the processing industry
The global market for potato processing is changing, and the demands for quality, yield and efficiency are constantly rising. With Sidney and Napoleon, Agrico has two promising new varieties for the processing industry in its range.
Sidney is a French fry variety with a high yield and excellent frying quality. Napoleon is intended for the crisps market and stands out for its high dry matter content and excellent storability.
“A variety must do more than just perform well on paper,” said Zuidhof. “It must really make a difference in practice – in the field, during processing and, ultimately, for the consumer.”
New varieties
During the show, Oldenkamp, as is tradition, presented the bronze statuettes for new varieties. This year, six varieties have passed the selection process and are at the start of a commercial career:
- Jamaica (AR 14-0334): an early variety for the traditional market and retail, bred by Agrico Research
- Bente (SW 14-6968): a retail variety, bred by Lantmännen
- Feliz (SW 14-7008): a salad variety, bred by Lantmännen
- Texas (AR 14-3488): a French fry variety, bred by Agrico Research
- Oregon (AR 14-3578): a crisps variety, bred by Agrico Research
- Proton (PL 15-0706): a starch variety for the Danish market, bred by AKV Langholt
The statuettes for Bente, Feliz and Proton were presented to the breeders: Harmen de Vries and Ina Oolbekking-Fikse from Lantmännen, and Henrik Petersen from AKV Langholt.
For the three varieties from Agrico Research, Oldenkamp opted for a special gesture this year. He presented the statuettes to colleagues who are closely involved in the work at the new laboratory: Anne Sikkema (Jamaica), Annemarie Nicolaas (Texas) and Nico Kers (Oregon).
“Breeding is something we do together,” said Oldenkamp. “It only works if we work together, from research right through to the practical cultivation of our varieties.”
About Agrico
Agrico is a cooperative of potato growers engaged in the breeding, cultivation, collection, processing and marketing of potatoes. The company has its own breeding and research division, Agrico Research B.V. in Bant, and numerous trial fields both in the Netherlands and abroad. Commercial and administrative activities are managed from the head office in Emmeloord. Agrico also operates through its own subsidiaries and associated companies in countries including France, Great Britain, Poland, Sweden, Canada, Slovenia, Turkey and Kenya, and has representatives in almost all seed potato-importing countries.
Note to editors
For further information, please contact Daniëlle Hanse, Marketing and Communications Team Manager, at communicatie@agrico.nl or on +31 (0)6 20797487.