KWS Group

125 years in Ukraine! Some people might know that the history of KWS in Ukraine already began back in 1900, when we opened our first international location in Vinnytsia in 1900 and built a production plant for sugarbeet seeds 🌱🇺🇦. With the establishment of KWS Ukraine LLC in 2000, our business activities gained momentum. Today, 192 employees work for KWS in four main locations and as sales representatives throughout the country, where we mainly breed, produce and distribute high quality sugarbeet, corn, sunflower, cereals and oilseed rape seeds. And KWS Ukraine keeps growing: In November 2016, we opened a state-of-the-art seed plant in Kamianets-Podilskyi, and in February 2024 finalized the second investment stage with a total production capacity of 700 000 units of corn per season. Throughout the 125 years of its existence, KWS Ukraine looks back on a very moving time. The past three years have been a particularly difficult time with our colleagues facing the war initiated by Russia. But one thing has never changed: We are still incredibly proud to see how our colleagues, together with the Ukrainian farmers, have stood up against all odds and we as KWS are ready to support and develop the Ukrainian agricultural market further. #seedingthefuture #standwithukraine

A new home for our breeding material 🌱 In June 1945, the British military transported the owner families of "Rabbethge & Giesecke Aktiengesellschaft" (now KWS) with 60 tons of elite seed from Klein Wanzleben to Einbeck in a dramatic "cloak-and-dagger operation” 🚚 In the following month, the village in Saxony-Anhalt where our company was founded would become part of the Soviet occupation zone. The first storage building at the new site, which remains our headquarters to this day, was completed in 1948. Over the past several decades, it has been utilized to process and safely store high quality seed from our breeding programs. With the inauguration of the new "Seed Inventory", we are not only significantly expanding our capacity, but also continuing to write the history of KWS ️📖 Learn more about our new “treasure trove” in the #kwsportrait ➡️ ️https://ow.ly/yYKU50Vi0oR #LetsTalkBreeding #seedingthefuture #futurewithheritage

🌍 At KWS, the Global Transaction Center (GTC) in Berlin, plays a vital role in keeping our operations running smoothly. Led by Christoph Hengst, who heads a team of over 300 colleagues, the GTC delivers essential administrative services to KWS worldwide. In this video, Christoph shares his unique perspective on KWS's international culture, the role his team plays in the organization, and how they navigate both challenges and successes. Watch now for an insider’s look at life at KWS! 💡🌟 #KWSCropCast #KWSpeople

Today we would like to introduce you to our colleague Silke Wieckhorst 👋 Silke grew up on a farm, trained as a technical assistant in plant breeding and, after studying agricultural biology 🔬, was a doctoral student at the Technical University of Munich at the time. She joined KWS in 2010 as a scientist and then set up a group for sunflower and sorghum breeding technologies, trait integration and inducer research. “For me, working in a team and building a strong network with other departments is very important. By working together, we can combine different skills and come up with innovative ideas that can be put into application quickly. As a woman in this field, I stand up to diversity and a supportive working environment.” Last year, Silke took up the position as Head of Breeding Technologies for maize 🌽 and oilseed crops. Together with her team, they ensure that our breeding programs are supported by a wide range of innovative breeding technologies to accelerate breeding progress and develop varieties with advantageous traits. She still sees balancing work and family life as a challenge. "Gender equality will only exist when it is a matter of course that men and women take care of their children equally and in addition reliable childcare is available ". Silke took over her new role from her colleague Milena Ouzunova who retired after 28 years at KWS. Long-term succession planning preceded the handover. Read more about their journey: https://ow.ly/lZra50VeHVF #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction #seedingthefuture #makeyourselfgrow

As part of International Women's Day, we wanted to introduce you to some of our inspiring colleagues - today, meet Priscilla Rugani Lino 👋 Priscilla is an Agronomist Engineer, graduated from UNESP in Brazil. “Even though I do not come from an agricultural background, I have always seen vegetables as a direct link to food and people’s lives, which inspired me to pursue this field”, she says. Today, she is working as a Product Development Manager for the Southern region of Brazil for our Vegetables Business Unit 🍅 🍉. At the beginning of her journey at KWS, she was a Technical Sales Representative – being the first woman to do this job in both positions. “Women are still underrepresented in agriculture. However, we are making progress, steadily gaining space, and fostering a culture of equality and respect. At KWS, I have always found support and recognition from my colleagues, which reinforces the importance of inclusive environments that value diversity.” Looking into the future, Priscilla has a clear vison: “I still have a long professional journey ahead, and I hope that, in the future, we will see work environments where men and women share opportunities equally. Women should have the independence to make their own choices and follow their own paths, always with support from companies, families, and society.” #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction #seedingthefuture #makeyourselfgrow

Today marks International Women’s Day – a day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women 👏. It’s a call to action for accelerating women's equality, too. And only with the ideas and talents of all can we meet the challenges of the future! Our success story is full of incredible women – and we celebrate that, not only today but each and every day. This is a great opportunity for us to introduce you to some of our inspiring colleagues over the coming days: 👉 Priscilla Rugani Lino is one of our Product Development Managers in Brazil, where she is responsible for developing our vegetables portfolio. With her work she also wants to improve the visibility of women in the industry. 👉 Paloma Moe is one for innovative solutions: as an assistant sugarbeet breeder in the US, she thinks outside the box, often finding innovative ways for her work in insect resistance – even if that means creating her own tools. 👉 Silke Wieckhorst recently took up the position as Head of Breeding Technologies for maize and oilseed crops from her colleague Milena Ouzunova who retired after 28 years at KWS. Long-term succession planning preceded this. #IWD2025 #AccelerateAction #SeedingTheFuture #MakeYourselfGrow #YourSeedPartner

🎯 Thinking about your next career opportunity? Meet Iris van Dorp, who is a key member of our recruiting team, to get her take on the importance of a cover letter in the application process. ✍️ Iris shares that a well-crafted cover letter is a great way to showcase your personality and highlight skills not necessarily found on your resume. It’s a perfect opportunity to stand out and demonstrate what makes you unique! She also advises taking a close look at the job description to understand if the cover letter is required or just appreciated, but either way, it’s an important opportunity to make a great impression. Ready to apply? Take the time to show us what sets you apart! 💼✨ Check our job portal here: https://ow.ly/yZ9o50UFktW? #KWSCropCast #KWSpeople #KWScareers

🌻 Advancing Sunflower Breeding at KWS 🌱 Join Peter Streb, one of our sunflower breeders, as he takes you behind the scenes at our Hungarian breeding station! Even in January, our teams are already preparing for the season—ensuring our hybrids are ready to be tested across Europe. 🌍 At KWS, we combine cutting-edge biotechnology with modern breeding techniques to develop high-yield, high-oil-content sunflower hybrids that meet diverse market needs. 🚜 Watch the full video to see how innovation drives our success in sunflower breeding! #seedingthefuture #makeyourselfgrow

As KWS has grown continuously over the years, so too have the quantities of high-quality seed that need to be processed and stored for breeding purposes 🌱 To meet the growing demand, we started building a new “Seed Inventory” at our Einbeck headquarters in 2022, where it is now fully operational🎉 Covering an area of 13,000 square meters, the facility can safely store up to 1.3 million seed lots of sugarbeet, fodder beet, oilseed rape, catch crops and peas – a significant expansion of our capacity. Explore the Seed Inventory and its role in the breeding process in our #kwsportrait 👉 https://ow.ly/M1KI50V9eT6 #LetsTalkBreeding #seedingthefuture #futurewithheritage

At KWS, every role plays a crucial part in feeding the world. 🌍 While our colleagues in the field work directly with crops, those of us in the office contribute just as importantly behind the scenes. As one of our team members shares, "We may not be out in the fields, but every day we work hard to provide excellent support, ensuring the business can focus on growing the food that feeds us all." No matter the role, together we make it happen! Check our job portal here: https://ow.ly/6qsz50UEkHB? #KWSCropCast #KWSpeople #KWScareers