Takii Buys Sahin

By Greenhouse Grower staff|September 26, 2007

Japanese flower and vegetable seed breeder Takii will strengthen its positioning in Europe and enhance its product offerings with the purchase of Dutch flower breeding company, K. Sahin Zaden B.V.

Sahin was founded by Kees and Elisabeth Sahin 25 years ago. He loved plants and she was a botanist. Together, they introduced award-winning varieties, including achillea ‘Summer Pastels’ and the first F1 hybrid delphinium, ‘Centurion Sky Blue.’ Kees died one year ago and Elisabeth has been managing the business. Here, Elisabeth is pictured at Greenheart Farms displaying Sahin varieties during the California Pack Trials.

“Sahin has bred exciting new classes of professional products, which are ready for introduction,” she says. “Takii’s strength in sales and technology would be a strong party to take these products successfully into the international market.”

Denichi Takii, president of Takii & Co., says, “I am quite positive about the acquisition of Sahin. I am confident it will result in an excellent synergy of the two companies’ strengths. Takii’s breeding technologies and Sahin’s broad spectrum of genetic resources will combine to benefit both companies, providing a unique base for breeding completely new varieties for professional and consumer markets.”

We asked Bonnie Marquardt of America Takii what this will mean for the American market. “News has traveled very fast on Takii’s new venture,” she says. “We are still waiting to hear specific details.”