Are you curious about what we do?
Who we are
Axia is a breeding company in vegetable seeds for heated and unheated greenhouse cultivation, with or without artificial light. Our company was founded in 2010. We started with a team of four and we now have more than 80 people working here. Our experts work day in and day out on developing and breeding new varieties. In the breeding process, we focus on taste and quality in combination with good yields. We use state-of-the-art research and development facilities to achieve this.
Philosophy
The philosophy behind the founding of Axia is a strong drive to develop new, distinctive vegetable varieties. Our varieties stand out for their taste, quality and production. That is the value that Axia adds to the tomato range.
Passion
Created with passion is our motto for a reason. Our passionate professionals work hard to develop a range of high-quality produce. The open culture and our team’s commitment are the secret of Axia’s success.
Supported by top growers
Our varieties are now well-known in the tomato sector. Axia’s success has not escaped the notice of tomato growers, both nationally and internationally. Among other things, this is evident from the strategic alliance that a number of growers have entered into with us. With this cooperation, they support us in the further development of our product range.
Research and development
At Axia, the focus is on the customer. By our customers, we don’t just mean the growers but all the links in the supply chain, including end consumers. To develop good new varieties, we listen carefully to wishes of the market. Our specialists use the latest breeding techniques to turn these wishes into good end products.
Facilities
Our employees work on research and development in our modern greenhouses in Naaldwijk. This high-tech greenhouse contains all the necessary facilities. In addition to our headquarters in Naaldwijk, we have a breeding station in Spain and a testing station in Sicily (Italy). We also test our varieties at various locations worldwide. This extensive network of breeding facilities makes it possible for us to develop varieties faster. This enables us to develop the range further for the global market in a shorter time.
Quality assured
The work in the greenhouse is done according to the protocol of Good Seed and Plant Practices (GSPP). GSPP is an international supply chain system set up to prevent contamination of seeds and plants with pathogens. To meet the GSPP standard, we work with a quality management system with established procedures and work instructions.
All our production sites are also audited periodically by an independent auditor. This provides certainty about the production process and provides reliable information about the quality of the production sites or a particular seed lot. This guarantees the availability of healthy seeds and plants.
The Axia way
Axia uses state-of-the-art technology to stand out in the breeding process. It takes time to develop a new tomato variety. When breeders start developing a new variety, they start with thousands of variants. After six years, on average only one remains.
Our techniques allow us to detect the most promising variants at an early stage, which makes our breeding process very efficient. We breed under the same conditions as there are at the grower. In this way, we ensure that our seeds perform well in practice.
International
At Axia we know no boundaries, we are constantly expanding our horizons to also serve a larger market. For example, our sales network in NAFTA is known under the name US Agriseeds and they mainly focus on the mid-tech and open-field horticulture segment. Axia, on the other hand, is responsible for the high-tech horticultural segment.
Certifications & social involvement
Good Seed and Plant Practices (GSPP)
GSPP includes a list of international hygiene requirements to prevent contamination of tomato seeds and plants with Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm). For example, the guidelines state that hands must be washed thoroughly with disinfectant soap after every action. Mobile phones are not allowed in the greenhouses and we work with disposable overalls and hairnets. In this way, we don’t leave anything to chance.
socially engaged
Axia breeds, develops and produces high-quality vegetable seeds with respect for people, the environment and nature. This is reflected in various ways. For example, our varieties generally have a shorter growing time and higher production per square metre than usual. Because of this, less water, fertilisers, energy and crop protection agents are needed per product.
International Seed Testing Assocation (ISTA)
Axia joined ISTA in May 2016. ISTA stands for the International Seed Testing Association. It was established in 1924 at the 4th International Seed Testing Congress in Cambridge, UK. Currently the ISTA comprises 202 laboratories from 77 different countries.
our focus
Our focus is on developing nutritious products that fit within a healthy diet. In this way, we contribute to everyone’s well-being. And by developing good vegetable seeds for cultivation under artificial light, we make a positive contribution to strengthening the international competitive position of the greenhouse horticulture sector.