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Agri Genomics, Company News

First soybean variety in 00 category paves the way for further product portfolio expansion across Europe

Protealis, the specialist seed and seed technologies developer for high-performing legume crops in Europe, today announces the launch of three new soybean varieties, following five new registrations obtained in Belgium and Germany. One of the newly registered soybean varieties that received registration both in Belgium and Germany is PRO Denali, the first variety launched by Protealis in the 00 maturity group. These are tailored to grow in the more moderate regions in northern-central Europe. The launch marks the company’s rapid product portfolio expansion to 9 soybean varieties since its foundation in 2021, with the launch in the 00 soybean maturity group paving the way to commercial growth across new regions in central France, southern Germany, Austria, and Hungary.

Benjamin Laga, CEO of Protealis, commented: “We are very pleased to launch these three new soybean varieties, further showing our commitment to expand high-performance soybean cultivation in Europe. With the introduction of our first 00 category PRO Denali soybean, we have now moved into the field of the 00 maturity group that opens up vast acreages across Europe. As from now, farmers in these more temperate regions will be able to reap the benefits of high-performance soybean farming. Overall, our new varieties were selected as they consistently outperformed many of their peers in trials across multiple European regions. Together with our recently expanded sales & marketing team, we are now ready for the next wave of our commercial expansion.”

Protealis’ soybean varieties PRO Taranaki (000 group) and PRO Denali (00 group) were formally approved and registered in both Germany and Belgium. PRO Taranaki was already registered in Germany in 2024 but is now also registered in Belgium. The variety combines high yield with exceptional protein content and is well-suited for food applications. PRO Denali stands out with its excellent first pod height for efficient harvesting and delivers stable, high yields. Other approved and registered new soy varieties in Belgium include PRO Fogo (000 group), characterized by its high yield in drier conditions, and PRO Volcano (000 group), offering a great adaptability to northern climates, combined with a good yield-protein balance.

Protealis’ new soybean varieties, all suited for organic agriculture, respond to the rising demand for high-quality, non-GMO and locally grown soy for both food and feed applications in Europe. Historically, soybean cultivation struggled to gain traction in northern Europe due to a lack of high-performance varieties adapted to cooler climates. Today, cutting-edge breeding technologies, including AI-driven selection—one of Protealis’ core strengths—are changing the game in a soybean market in the EU-27 that is expected to grow by 13% by 20351. While 000 varieties excel in areas like the UK, Belgium, and Germany, the newly introduced 00 group is ideal for central France, southern Germany, Austria, and Hungary.

To support its current product portfolio of now nine high-performance soybean varieties, Protealis recently grew its sales & marketing team with three new roles. A new sales agronomist will focus on German-speaking and rapidly growing Eastern European markets, while new roles in both Market and Business Development will focus on the expanding regional soy acreage and develop partnerships with the food and feed industry, increasingly demanding locally grown high-quality, high-protein legume crops.

First soybean variety in 00 category paves

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Company News, Europe, R&D, Seeds

The company’s portfolio expansion includes first-time registrations in France and Germany.

 Protealis, a leading seeds and seed technologies developer for sustainable plant proteins, announced the launch of four new soy seed varieties. The company’s portfolio expansion includes first-time registrations in France and Germany. This underlines Protealis’ dedication to commercially expand its footprint in Europe, as announced on 23 January 2024 upon the successful conclusion of its EUR 22 million B-Round funding. All newly registered soybean varieties are from the very early 000 category, tailored to thrive in the colder, northern European climate. This aligns with Protealis’ mission to develop and commercialise legume crops that are better adapted to the European environment, facilitating the adoption of local soybean to novel and rapidly growing markets in Northern-Europe.

Protealis’ four new soy varieties – PRO Vesuvio, PRO Helicon, PRO Taranaki and PRO Jacinto – have been bred specifically to deliver both high yield and high protein content despite the shorter (colder) growing season in Northern Europe. These are essential traits for European farmers looking to switch from traditional break crops such as canola, to a more sustainable and profitable legume crop. The official variety trials in France, Belgium and Germany confirmed such enhanced performance in yield and/or protein compared to the commercially relevant checks. The new varieties complement the existing soy seed portfolio of Artemis and Hermes, which immediately topped the official charts in Belgium upon launch in 2021.

Benjamin Laga, CEO of Protealis, commented: “We are excited to launch no less than four new soybean varieties this year, including first-time registrations in France and Germany. Registration procedures are rigorous and include the need to demonstrate both high performance and uniqueness of a variety. As such, the launch of these four new Protealis soybean varieties clearly demonstrates the high-quality product offering we are building for European farmers. As from now, we will be presenting these new varieties to several large B2B players in key expanding soybean markets, looking for premium soybean varieties for both the food and feed market.”

According to Donau Soja, a non-profit European independent multistakeholder organisation, the soy area in Europe has doubled in the past 10 years to over 5 million soy has recorded in Europe in 2023[2], driven by its many benefits. Legume crops such as soy are an excellent source of protein for both the food and feed market. Soy can be grown sustainably since it does not require nitrogen fertilization. With their fibrous roots, legumes improve soil quality and are an excellent addition for farmers in any crop rotation and indispensable for regenerative agriculture.

In addition to soy, Protealis continues to advance its yellow pea breeding program and is investing in the development of supporting technology platforms focused on the prediction of for example crop yield and quality, based on a combination genetic fingerprinting and AI. This will allow the company to further accelerate the introduction of new and better protein crop varieties to the market.

The company’s portfolio expansion includes first-time registrations