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MAS Seeds’ History
Collaborating with farmers since 1949
The seed branch of Maïsadour® Group was created in 1949, a few years after the creation of a farmers’ co-operative in the southwest of France in 1936. The objective was clear: to create, produce and supply high-quality maize hybrids to the rapidly expanding French market. For 75 years, this adventure has continued with great success. MAS Seeds® varieties have gradually been cultivated all over France and Europe, and now also in Asia, America and Africa. Yet we remain loyal to our founding values and our close relationship with farmers. Farmers who are not only our customers, but also members of our cooperative. This drives our teams to develop solutions day in and day out to increase the sustainability and profitability of farms while optimising crop yields and quality.
Today, MAS Seeds® has become an international seed company working not only with maize, but also sunflowers, oilseed rape and lucerne, among others. With these new and challenging ambitions, a total re-branding was carried out in 2018 with a new name and a new face. This brand is still firmly rooted in its history, but better suited to the international platform and diverse business activities.
In 2023, our purpose, to Act Together for a Changing Agriculture, became the foundation of our brand, highlighting our goal of contributing to the agroecological transition as much as possible, as we are convinced this is the correct path forward.
Our history
An ambitious group of farmers from the southwest of France joined forces to improve their cereal production and farming activities. The year 1936 marks the creation of the Farmers' Cooperative, which is known today as Group Cooperative MAISADOUR.
With a new ambition to create, produce and supply high-quality maize hybrids to the rapidly expanding French market, the farmers of the cooperative started their seed activity by producing maize seeds. The first maize variety produced was IOWA 4417, harvested 70 deciton. The year 1949 marks the birth of the seed branch of the Cooperative, which continues today under the brand of MAS Seeds®.
As production activities grew, investments increased. The first factory for drying and processing seeds was built in 1952.
Soon, the volume of seeds produced increased. Seed production reached four tons in 1957. Plans to increase capacity and expand started soon after.
New silos with a railway 🚂 signal increased efficiency and capacity.
A second processing facility was built in Saint Vincent de Tyrosse to manage picking logistics and further increase production.
The seed department of the Cooperative launched its first R&D activities by acquiring parental lines, selecting and crossbreeding, with an ambition to create high-yielding and locally adapted maize hybrids.
As the Cooperative grows, its brand increases in importance. Farmers select MAISADOUR as their new name to mark the maize activities (MAIS in French) around the ADOUR river.
This facility houses dedicated greenhouses and laboratories.
A Maïsadour stand at the Salon de l'Agriculture trade fair in France.
As the maize activities develop, the seed branch starts diversifying. The new R&D department produces its first hybrid, VIKI.
The new headquarters is located at the entrance to a large 29-hectare complex.
A biotechnological division is created to apply new breeding techniques for creating maize and sunflower hybrids 🔬
International development begins with the opening of the first subsidiary outside France.
Field days with the team.
Sales meeting.
The first foreign subsidiary with seed-production facilities is opened.
The seed branch of the Cooperative Group officially becomes a subsidiary under the Maisadour® Semences brand.
Diversification of the seed activities continues with the launch of the oilseed rape breeding program in the R&D station in Rhodon.
One of the most modern seed factories in Europe was built in Mogilev, Ukraine. The new factory answered the ever-increasing need for high-quality seed supply in eastern Europe.
A major step towards diversifying our portfolio was taken with the purchase of the company SEMFOR, along with their seed-mixture portfolio and processing facility.
The goal is to strengthen our growth worldwide.
Maïsadour® Semences becomes MAS Seeds®, a new name and a new brand better suited to our challenging ambitions, international growth and the diversified seed business.
In this 1,500 m2 building, which stands next to the experimental fields, the MAS Seeds R&D team selects hybrids adapted to local conditions and creates new lines. This site also becomes the main office for the subsidiary, bringing together administrative, commercial and marketing staff.
With the acquisition of FGI’s tropical maize-breeding program the new R&D station and subsidiary in Queretaro opens. Another step to bringing more diversity to our maize-breeding programme and in our commercial portfolio to support our international development. The location also serves as a winter-generation production base to increase our breeding capacities.
The new subsidiary near the Ivorian capital includes an R&D centre and a commercial unit responsible for testing and developing a tropical maize portfolio adapted to the climatic and agricultural specificities of the region.
MAS Seeds® purpose becomes the new foundation of the brand, emphasising the importance of our goals and the purpose TO ACT TOGETHER with our teams, our farmers and our customers towards an agro-ecological transition FOR A CHANGING AGRICULTURE.
