Who is KWS? The German seed company that maintains its independence in a market dominated by giants

KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA, better known as KWS, is one of the oldest and most emblematic seed companies in the world. Its history began in 1856 in the small town of Klein Wanzleben, Germany, when Matthias Christian Rabbethge began selecting sugar beet with the idea of increasing its sugar concentration. From that artisanal work was born Klein Wanzlebener Saatzucht, literally the seed house of Klein Wanzleben, from which the three letters that today identify the company come. More than a century and a half later, KWS remains under family control and continues to focus on what it does best: research, genetic improvement, and seed production for various crops. Unlike other agricultural multinationals that were absorbed by large chemical groups, KWS remains independent. Its capital is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, under the ticker KWS, but the founding Rabbethge family retains the majority shareholding through a controlling company, which allows it to make long-term decisions ...