Over the years, I
have learned that nothing is forever in this business. I
believe that the smaller companies which are well run,
hands-on, and have the ability to develop long term plans and
goals will be the successes of the future.
I believe that the vegetable seed business is for people
who understand it. It seems that the big groups want to make
money in this business by owning some technology which enables
them to dictate price. I have heard a lot of arguments that
seed companies are not getting enough of the profits -- of the
total income generated from the processed and fresh vegetable
market, we receive approximately 1%. I imagine it would be a
good argument for potential investors, who are unfamiliar with
the vegetable seed business, to hear about the great profit
potential in a company's future and about future product
developments which will command a higher market price due to
some new and unique technology. This would generate a high
profit potential, enabling an increased participation in the
profit pie, from the 1% to up to 30%. What businessman
wouldn't like to see this happen?
But this shouldn't be your business strategy.
To make a comparison, in my mind the seedsman is not the
DELL of the vegetable market who is marketing the finished
product and taking that risk – I see us as the INTEL of
vegetable business, supplying an integral piece of the
production chain. I for one am very happy to be in this
present position. If we can double our participation of this
pie, I would consider this a real accomplishment.
