The ZKI Zrt. - ZKI Zrt.

PLANT BREEDING

Ever since our company’s founding, our most important mission has been to respond promptly and effectively to the needs of our partners both in the processing industry and on the fresh market. In today’s ever-faster moving world, customer needs, technologies, biotic and abiotic factors and the change in global climate make the fast variety change necessary. The life cycle of varieties/hybrids have undergone extreme changes by now. Such a challenge can only be met by a variety breeding which can continuously and promptly follow the direction of changes. Every year, we test dozens of new vegetable varieties which are resistant to diseases, respond better to unfavourable weather conditions, and can have good yield even in the soils with unfavourable nutrient content or soil structure.

These new varieties are results of thousands of crossbreedings, intensive and innovative research and continuous selection.

ZKI Zrt.’s vegetable variety portfolio has been traditionally one of the best in the processing industry and on the fresh market. Satisfying market needs and providing outstanding quality through GMO-free breeding methods remains to be our main objective. Special attention is paid to create varieties for profitable and effective growing, with resistances to the most challenging diseases of the production. Efforts of our breeders are supported by a specialized pathology group. We firmly believe that this way we can guarantee the sustainability of the agricultural production and satisfy the growing global demand for food at the same time.

To realize our objectives we are helped by large, specially designed breeding greenhouses, many heated and unheated plastic tunnels, growers tests and by our pathological team. In our growing facilities we can grow more generations during one season.

SEED PRODUCTION

Seed production is considered as strategically important activity of the company. Our team dedicated to organising and controlling the seed production ensures the availability of excellent quality seeds. Before packaging we check genetic purity of all our seed lots offered to professional growers. Seed production sites are located in many parts of the world, both in the northern and southern hemispheres, in disease-free areas, in regions and timings which are best to the given species’ needs.

SEED PROCESSING

Seeds of our varieties are processed using the newest technologies to ensure a product of outstanding quality and purity. All phases of processing are controlled and supervised by ZKI Zrt.’s specialized team. After receipt, seed lots are subjected to our seed and virus laboratory checks and are then transferred to species- and lot-size-specific cleaning lines, and for certain species, to disinfection equipment. After application of the right technologies, the seeds are treated with chemical or organic treatments, according to legal and environmental criteria, and to the needs of the partners and of the target markets.

After all these steps, the laboratory check is repeated.

PACKAGING

Depending on seed size, packing is made with automatic packing or bagging machines. This ensures outstanding packaging quality both for keeping the germination quality of the seed lots and both for packing the exact quantity needed. Professional packaging is carried out using so called seed flow-based technology which – by counting the number of seeds – ensures the accurate, seed count-based filling and sealing of packages.

We can provide packaging in different languages, with all the informations required by the different countries’ and markets’ legislation and requirements.

QUALITY MANAGEMENT

In order to provide the most complete and highest possible level of satisfaction for its customers, ZKI Zrt. has been consistently implementing all measures set forth in the requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 standard. Our quality management system was certified by SGS Hungária Kft. The company’s management and our employees are all committed to the application and the continuous improvement of our quality management system.

We provide continuous training for our colleagues to make sure that they carry out their duties at the highest possible level and in compliance with all current legislations.

Management of ZKI Zrt. declares its commitment to do everything in its power to realize all the undertakings set forth in the QUALITY POLICY for the future development of the company. Throughout the whole seed production process, we are determined to maintain the efficiency and quality achieved by previous improvements and to ensure the consistent high quality of the output through regular and documentable controls.

Click here for the detailed quality policy.

MARKETING AND SALES

Before the market introduction we test our varieties with the widest possible group of growers. We decide about introduction of the varieties according to the results of the growing trials. Selection and market positioning of our varieties is a team-work led by our product managers. In Hungary and in the countries of the region we reach our customers with the help of our own trade organisations. In these countries our regional trade representatives are present in all of the major production areas. In more remote regions we work with our strategic distribution partners to provide high quality professional support to our customers who choose our varieties.

In the case of strategic species, our breeding is continuous. Through the constant renewal of our product range, we are aiming to provide a competitive solution to all farmers choosing our varieties as well as an outstanding gastronomic experience for the consumers.

In our marketing activities we combine traditional tools with the latest technology to meet the demands of today.

Our objective is to become and maintain ourselves as one of the major players in the vegetable breeding and vegetable seeds market.