BASF’s vegetable seeds business has acquired ASL, the privately-owned French company based near Avignon, France. The two companies had already been working together successfully for more than three decades.

The transaction covers all aspects of ASL’s current business, including seed production, intellectual property rights, germplasm, research and development facilities as well as staff.

With this acquisition, BASF will continue to develop new innovative concepts of healthy and tasty melons, which can contribute to consumers’ loyalty to our partners in the value chain. “The acquisition of ASL strengthens our market position and creates new opportunities for growth of our hybrid melon seed portfolio marketed under the Nunhems brand,” said Maximilian Becker, senior vice president of BASF’s vegetable seeds business. “With the expertise and knowledge of the colleagues joining, we will be able to offer a broader and more innovative melon pipeline to our value chain partners and consumers.”

ASL is specialized in orange-flesh type melons, such as the Cantaloupe and Charentais types including the successful varieties Magenta, Red Falcon, Torum, Bernini and the Golden Cantaloupe, covering the major markets around the world. The seed production and breeding facilities near Avignon will now be integrated into BASF’s existing network of 23 breeding stations for vegetable seeds worldwide, creating the first R&D location for breeding and screening in France.

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Source: BASF January 3, 2023 news release