biofirst history

From local bumblebee pioneer to global leader in biological protection

Founded as Biobest in 1987 by a Belgian veterinarian and amateur tomato grower to offer more efficient pollination to fellow greenhouse growers, today’s BioFirst Group has been experiencing continuous growth by expanding its product portfolio and its international reach both organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions.

The additions of Plant Products and BioWorks in North America saw to a significant increase in its horticulture business while the recent acquisition of Biotrop, the leading Brazilian biological protection and nutrition company, provides the Group with access to the large market of open-field crops where farmers and regulators are urgently looking for sustainable alternatives.

biofirst_group_white
2024

BioFirst Group

BioFirst Group forms the new entitiy that unites 4 divisions:

  1. Biobest
  2. BioWorks
  3. Biotrop
  4. Plant Products
Read more about BioFirst Group
biotrop acquisition
2023

Acquisition of Biotrop

  • Biobest successfully completed a EUR 365 Mio capital increase to finance the transaction with participation of its existing and new shareholders.
  • Biobest has acquired approximately 85% of the shares based on an enterprise value of BRL 2.8bn (EUR 532m) on a fully diluted basis.
  • Biobest signs agreement with Aqua Capital and GIC to acquire Biotrop in Brazil.
biofirst investor 2023 sofina
2023

Capital investment and further UK & US expansion

  • €98.5 million investment from Sofina to leverage further growth
  • Fully acquires Real IPM UK.
  • Subsidiary Beneficial Insectary Inc (USA) acquires distributor Sierra Biological Inc.
  • Biobest acquires BioWorks North America
  • Acquisition of Agrotech Gartenbautechnik
2022-micromus-system-wins-greentech-innovation-award
2022

New capital investment, acquisitions & award win

  • New growth investment from Sofina.
  • Micromus-System wins GreenTech Innovation Award. Pronemite wins Bernard Blum Award.
  • Sales reach €300 million.
  • Acquisitions - invests in Plant Products (Canada) and Biopartner sp z.o.o. (Poland).
  • Acquires Agronologica Unip Lda (Portugal).
2021-arugga-robots
2021

Australian expansion

  • Acquires majority stake in subsidiary Biological Services (Australia). Biological Services joins forces with BioResources.
  • Invests in Arugga and gains distribution of pollination robots in US/Canada.
  • Strategic partnership with Biotalys.
2020-eupeodes-corollae-wins-bernard-blum-award
2020

North American expansion & major award

  • Acquires Beneficial Insectary Inc.
  • Eupeodes-System wins Bernard Blum Award.
2019-pollinering-AS
2019

Norwegian expansion

Acquires majority stake in Pollinering AS.

2018-leeuw-van-de-export-3
2018

Export Lion, new capital investment & additional expansion

  • Winner of export Lion.
  • €10 million investment from Mérieux to fuel expansion
  • Acquires majority share in Yad Mordechai Pollination Services (Israel), acquires BKS AS (Turkey) and stake in Bugs for Bugs Pty Ltd (Australia).
  • Sales reach €100 million.
2017-real-ipm-arial-view
2017

30-year anniversary - busy year for acquisitions

  • Real IPM Kenya Ltd (Kenya),
  • Borregaard Bioplant ApS (Denmark),
  • Biobasiq Sverige AB (Sweden),
  • IMEX SA de CV (Mexico),
  • IVOG Biotechnical Systems Gmbh (Germany),
  • Symbiose Protection Biologique (France).
  • Real IPM Tanzania founded.
  • 30-year anniversary.
2015-UK-expansion
2015

UK expansion

  • Biobest UK founded.
  • Sales reach €50 million.
2014-acquisition-the-bug-factory
2014

Further expansion

  • Biobest Nederland BV created.
  • Bug Factory Ltd. Canada acquired.
2013-biobest-china-created
2013

Chinese expansion

Biobest China Ltd. founded.

2011-biobest-usa-created
2011

Expansion in America

Biobest USA Inc. and Biobest Argentina SA founded.

2009-biobest-mexico-created
2009

Mexican expansion

Biobest Mexico SA de CV founded.

2007

New owners

  • Roland de Jonghe leaves Biobest
  • New owners, Floridienne, come on board.
2004-biocontrol-sales-soar
2004

Biocontrol sales soar

Biocontrol sales overtake bumblebee sales.

2002

French expansion

Biobest France SARL founded.

2001-sistemas-biologicos-sl-created
2001

Spanish expansion

Biobest Sistemas Biologicos SL (Spain) founded.

1998-joint-ventures-morocco
1998

First cooperations

  • Joint ventures in Morocco and Turkey.
  • First biopesticide registration.
1995-biobest-canada-ltd-set-up
1995

Import ban leads to first subsidiary

North America bans bumblebee imports-Biobest Canada Ltd founded.

1992-prestigious-award
1992

Prestigious award

Export award received from Prince Albert II.

1990-tomato-bumblebee-pollinating
1990

Demand takes off

Bumblebees demand from tomato growers takes off – thanks to labour cost, yield & quality improvements.

1987 roland de jonghe
1987

Biobest founded

Roland de Jonghe – veterinarian & bumblebee enthusiast sets up Biobest.

In 1987, veterinarian Roland De Jonghe started breeding bumblebees in his own garage to pollinate tomatoes organically.

He was fascinated by the wonderful world of bumblebees used as biological pollinators, an alternative to manual pollination.