Enza Zaden

Enza Zaden is an independent Dutch vegetable-seed breeding company headquartered in Enkhuizen, North Holland. It develops, produces, and sells seed varieties for professional vegetable growers in open-field and protected-cultivation systems around the world. Its portfolio covers more than thirty vegetable crops, including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, onions, and melons. The company’s breeding work targets commercially important traits such as yield, flavor, shelf life, ease of cultivation, adaptation to different climates, and resistance to diseases and pests. The business began in 1938 when Jacob Mazereeuw founded De Enkhuizer Zaadwinkel. The original enterprise served home gardeners and sold vegetable seeds, seed potatoes, and legumes. In 1944 it adopted the name De Enkhuizer Zaadhandel. After the Second World War, the company moved away from its consumer-gardening origins and concentrated on professional open-field and greenhouse growers. The name Enza is derived from the earlier Dutch name Enkhuizer Zaadhandel. A major turning point came in 1959, when Jacob Mazereeuw’s son Piet became involved in breeding activities. In 1962, the company introduced the Extase tomato variety. Its success provided resources for additional employees, technology, and breeding programs, helping the company transition from a seed seller into a specialized vegetable-breeding business. From 1985 onward, Enza Zaden pursued international expansion. It opened its first foreign office in the United Kingdom and subsequently established research, breeding, and commercial operations in countries including Spain, Italy, Indonesia, the United States, France, Turkey, and Germany. The company developed a worldwide operating presence in less than fifteen years and now has more than 3,000 employees across 45 locations in 26 countries, according to the referenced company and encyclopedia material. Enza Zaden uses conventional breeding rather than genetic modification, while applying advanced technologies to support breeding, seed quality, and performance. Its varieties are developed for different production systems, climates, and market requirements. The company also operates in organic seed through Vitalis Biologische Zaden, an international brand focused on fully organic vegetable and herb seeds for professional organic growers. Vitalis conducts organic research and development at its Expertise Centrum in Voorst, Gelderland, with work covering cultivation under organic conditions, seed-production research, and farming methods intended to support resilient production. The company remains family-owned and independent. Jaap Mazereeuw became chief executive officer in 2011 and represents the third generation of the Mazereeuw family to lead the business. Enza Zaden is also associated with Seed Valley, a regional network of horticultural companies in the Kop van Noord-Holland. Its current positioning combines long-term family ownership, global distribution, specialized vegetable breeding, and research focused on productivity, quality, and crop resilience.

Enza Zaden traces its origins to 1938, when Jacob Mazereeuw founded De Enkhuizer Zaadwinkel in Enkhuizen in the Netherlands. The early business sold vegetable seeds, seed potatoes, and legumes primarily to consumers who maintained home gardens. In 1944, the company changed its name to De Enkhuizer Zaadhandel. The later Enza name reflects this historical identity: it is an abbreviation associated with Enkhuizer Zaadhandel. Following the Second World War, the company changed its commercial focus. Rather than concentrating on home gardeners, it began serving professional growers cultivating vegetables in open fields and greenhouses. This shift created the basis for its later development as a breeding and genetics business rather than merely a seed merchant. In 1959, Jacob Mazereeuw’s son Piet started breeding activities at the company. The introduction of the Extase tomato variety in 1962 was an important early commercial breakthrough. The variety’s success enabled the business to invest in people, technology, and a broader set of breeding programs. This period marked the transition toward systematic development of vegetable varieties designed for professional cultivation. Internationalization began in earnest from 1985. Enza Zaden established its first foreign office in the United Kingdom and then expanded its research, breeding, and commercial footprint to other countries, including Spain, Italy, Indonesia, the United States, France, Turkey, and Germany. Within fewer than fifteen years, it had evolved from a Dutch seed enterprise into a company with a broad international presence. In subsequent decades, Enza Zaden continued to professionalize its breeding operations and expand its geographic and crop coverage. Its activities came to include the development, production, and worldwide sale of varieties for more than thirty vegetable crops. Breeding objectives include improved yield, taste, shelf life, cultivation efficiency, disease resistance, and pest resistance. The company adapts its products to different climate zones, production methods, and cultural or market preferences. Enza Zaden’s organic activities are conducted under the Vitalis Biologische Zaden brand. Vitalis focuses on fully organic vegetable and herb seeds for professional organic growers. Its expertise center in Voorst, Gelderland, has supported organic research and development for more than three decades, including work on organic cultivation conditions, seed-production research, and innovative approaches to organic farming. The company states that its breeding programs use traditional methods and do not use genetic modification, although advanced technology is used to improve the breeding process and seed performance. Enza Zaden also participates in Seed Valley, a collaborative network of horticultural companies based in the Kop van Noord-Holland region. Leadership has remained connected to the founding family. Jaap Mazereeuw became CEO in 2011, representing the third Mazereeuw generation to lead Enza Zaden. The company is described in the reference material as independent and family-owned. It operates through more than 3,000 employees at 45 locations in 26 countries, supplying professional growers internationally while maintaining its base in Enkhuizen.

1. 2011Jaap Mazereeuw appointed CEO

   Jaap Mazereeuw became chief executive officer, representing the third generation of the Mazereeuw family to lead the company.

   Source
2. 1985International expansion begins

   Enza Zaden opened its first foreign office in the United Kingdom and began a broader expansion of overseas research, breeding, and commercial operations.

   Source
3. 1962Extase tomato introduced

   The launch of the Extase tomato variety became a commercial breakthrough and supported investment in staff, technology, and additional breeding programs.

   Source
4. 1959Breeding activities begin under Piet Mazereeuw

   Piet Mazereeuw, the founder’s son, took up breeding activities, helping move the company toward specialized vegetable variety development.

   Source
5. 1944Name changed to De Enkhuizer Zaadhandel

   The business adopted the name from which the later Enza abbreviation was derived.

   Source
6. 1938Company founded as De Enkhuizer Zaadwinkel

   Jacob Mazereeuw founded the original seed business in Enkhuizen, initially serving home gardeners with vegetable seeds, seed potatoes, and legumes.

   Source

An independent, family-owned specialist in professional vegetable-seed breeding, positioned around crop innovation, quality, grower performance, disease and pest resistance, and adaptation to diverse climates and cultivation systems.

• Tomato seedsVegetable seeds

  Enza Zaden develops tomato varieties for professional greenhouse and open-field production. Breeding objectives include yield, flavor, shelf life, cultivation performance, and resistance to diseases and pests. The Extase variety, introduced in 1962, was an early landmark in the company’s development.

• Cucumber seedsVegetable seeds

  Cucumber varieties are developed for professional growers and different production environments. The breeding focus includes productivity, crop quality, ease of cultivation, and adaptation to local climate and cultivation conditions.

• Pepper seedsVegetable seeds

  Enza Zaden’s pepper breeding activities serve commercial growers seeking varieties with suitable yield, quality, cultivation characteristics, and resilience. Products are adapted to the requirements of different markets and production systems.

• Lettuce seedsVegetable seeds

  Lettuce is among the company’s vegetable crops. Its breeding programs seek to provide varieties suited to professional cultivation, with attention to crop performance, quality, production conditions, and resistance traits.

• Onion seedsVegetable seeds

  Onion varieties form part of Enza Zaden’s broader portfolio of more than thirty vegetable crops. The company develops varieties for professional production and different regional and climatic requirements.

• Melon seedsVegetable seeds

  Melon breeding is included in Enza Zaden’s international crop portfolio. Development priorities may include quality, taste, yield, shelf life, and suitability for particular production environments and markets.

• Vitalis organic seedsOrganic vegetable and herb seeds

  Vitalis Biologische Zaden is Enza Zaden’s organic-seed brand for the professional organic market. It offers organic vegetable and herb seeds and is supported by research into organic cultivation, organic seed production, and farming approaches intended to improve sustainability and resilience.

1. Enza Zaden
2. Enza Zaden official website