July 2026 | Industry Leaders

READ THE ARTICLE AT: Issue #14 – Biologicals Latam by Redagrícola

BY RODRIGO PIZARRO YÁÑEZ

“Building a group capable of leading the transition towards more productive, sustainable and science-based agriculture”

In less than five years, Agronova has built a group of six companies with a presence in more than 70 countries and a valuation exceeding €200 million. Its CEO explains the strategy behind this expansion, why biocontrol will be a major growth driver in the coming years, and the role Latin America plays in that strategy.

Probelte was a family-owned company based in Murcia with half a century of history. What followed, however, was a complete transformation of the business. In less than five years, the company evolved into Agronova, a group of six companies specialising in agricultural biotechnology, with production facilities in Europe and the Americas and a commercial presence in more than 70 countries. Its CEO, Joel Jerónimo, describes this transformation not as the result of a series of opportunities, but as the outcome of a clear roadmap: to build a global leader in biological solutions for agriculture.

The timing is no coincidence. The reduction in authorised chemical active substances, European Union regulatory pressure on maximum residue limits, and growing consumer demand for more sustainable food are reshaping the agricultural inputs landscape. In this context, biocontrol, biofertilizers and agricultural microbiology are no longer niche alternatives; they have become a market necessity. Agronova, with its proprietary collection of more than 230 selected strains and an expanding pipeline, aims to be at the heart of this transition.

Latin America occupies a prominent place in this strategy. The region accounts for around 75% of global tropical fruit exports and is home to some of the world’s most dynamic agricultural export systems. For Agronova, it is not simply a market; it is also a region where its technologies face some of their most demanding and relevant applications.

—In less than five years, Agronova went from being Probelte —a 50-year-old family-owned company from Murcia— to a platform comprising six companies valued at more than €200 million. Has this growth been planned, or has it developed in response to the opportunities currently available in the market?

—It has been a combination of strategic vision and the ability to seize market opportunities. There is a clear roadmap: to build a leading group in agricultural biotechnology by bringing together companies with a strong technological component and a culture of innovation. Our acquisitions have not been driven solely by specific market opportunities, but by a very clear strategic criterion: bringing into the group companies with complementary technologies, strong innovation capabilities and deep agronomic expertise.

Thanks to this strategy, Agronova now brings together six specialised companies, has a commercial presence in more than 70 countries, operates production facilities in Europe and the Americas, and maintains continuous investment in R&D to develop the next generation of biological solutions. Our objective has never been simply to grow in size, but to build a group capable of leading the transition towards more productive, sustainable and science-based agriculture.

—Integrating six companies with different corporate cultures, across three countries and with diverse technologies, is a major management challenge. Is there a single operating model, or does each company retain its autonomy?

—Today, Agronova operates as a single group, with a shared strategic vision, corporate culture and common objectives. Integrating the different companies has enabled us to combine knowledge, scientific capabilities and experience, creating a stronger and more innovative organisation.

Naturally, we continue to leverage the know-how and specialisation that each team has developed over the years, but we all work under the same strategy, sharing resources and technology and pursuing a common commitment to innovation, sustainability and service to growers. This integration is precisely one of Agronova’s greatest strengths.

“Integrating the different companies has enabled us to combine knowledge, scientific capabilities and experience, creating a stronger and more innovative organisation.”

Joel Jerónimo, CEO of Agronova.

SEEKING COMPANIES THAT BRING DIFFERENTIATING CAPABILITIES

—What profile does Agronova look for in a potential acquisition target —technology, geography, size, crop specialisation?

—Technology is the main criterion. We look for companies that bring differentiated and complementary capabilities to our agricultural biotechnology model, particularly in areas such as biofertilizers and biocontrol. Rather than focusing on a specific geography, company size or crop specialisation, we assess the technological value that a company can bring to the group: its innovation capabilities, the robustness of its developments, its scalability potential and its fit with our vision of more efficient agriculture.

Naturally, a presence in strategic markets can be a positive factor, but we always start from the same premise: to incorporate technology that strengthens our value proposition and enables us to offer increasingly comprehensive solutions to growers.

—Which products do you see as the main growth drivers in the coming years?

—Our portfolio is structured around three major areas: biofertilizers, biostimulants and biocontrol. Although biofertilizers continue to be…

The final answer is cut off in the image, and the article continues on the following page …a fundamental part of our business, biocontrol will undoubtedly be one of Agronova’s main growth drivers in the coming years. This evolution reflects the reality of the market. Agriculture needs increasingly effective solutions that make it possible to produce food with ever-lower residue levels, while complying with the stringent maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by international markets and, in particular, by the European Union. At the same time, the reduction in the number of authorised chemical active substances and growing consumer demand for more sustainable food are accelerating the transition towards biological solutions.

For this reason, our focus is on a new generation of biocontrol products based on naturally derived molecules, microbial metabolites and plant extracts, capable of acting through different modes of action, reducing selection pressure for resistance and minimising the presence of residues in food.

“Although biofertilizers continue to be a fundamental part of our business, biocontrol will undoubtedly be one of Agronova’s main growth drivers in the coming years.”

—R&D is part of your DNA. How much do you currently invest in R&D? How many proprietary strains or molecules are currently in your development pipeline?

—Innovation is part of Agronova’s DNA and is one of the main drivers of our growth. Every year, we allocate a very significant proportion of our resources to research and development activities, working in close collaboration with universities, technology centres and international scientific teams.

We currently have a proprietary collection of more than 230 selected strains with high biotechnological potential, and every year we characterise around 500 new strains to identify microorganisms and metabolites with innovative applications in agriculture. This process allows us to continuously expand our development pipeline and generate differentiated solutions based on scientific evidence.

In addition to strains, we research new bioactive molecules, metabolites and formulation technologies that will enable us to develop the next generation of biological solutions for more efficient and resilient agriculture.

—With production facilities in Europe and the Americas, how is the group’s production network currently organised?

—Agronova has a network of production facilities strategically located across Europe and the Americas, with a total production area of 80,000 m². This enables us to manufacture close to our main markets and ensure an agile, efficient and resilient supply chain.

All our facilities operate under the same quality standards and work in a coordinated manner, sharing knowledge, processes and technological capabilities. This structure allows us to optimise logistics, reduce lead times, adapt quickly to the needs of each market and provide reliable service to customers in more than 70 countries.

The combination of international industrial capacity and global coordination is one of the factors that enables us to continue growing without compromising on quality, flexibility or proximity to our customers.

“The importance of the region to Agronova is reflected in our commitment to having our own teams and a local presence in virtually all of Latin America’s strategic markets.”

Peru, a strategic market in Latin America

For Agronova, Peru is much more than a commercial destination. It is a strategic commitment within the company’s expansion across Latin America. “Peru is undoubtedly one of the great success stories of global agriculture,” says Joel Jerónimo, CEO of Agronova, highlighting how the country has consolidated a highly technologically advanced, export-oriented agricultural model in recent years.

The figures support this assessment, as Peru has established itself as a major global player in the production and export of blueberries, table grapes, avocados and citrus fruits.

To keep pace with this dynamism, Agronova has built a strong local presence: it has technical and commercial teams on the ground, as well as a production facility in Chile, enabling the company to operate quickly and closely throughout the Pacific coast. “This allows us to provide a close service, specialised technical support and a strong capacity to respond to the needs of growers throughout the region,” Jerónimo explains.

The challenges facing Peruvian agriculture are significant. Producers must combine productivity and sustainability while complying with strict international export standards, particularly regarding pesticide residues. This is where Agronova aims to make a difference, with biocontrol, biostimulation and agricultural microbiology technologies that, according to the company, help growers “improve crop performance and respond to the increasing demands of international markets.”

The conclusion is clear: “We are convinced that Peru will continue to be one of Agronova’s markets with the greatest growth potential and a key part of our expansion strategy in Latin America,” says Agronova’s CEO.

A STRONG COMMITMENT TO LATIN AMERICA

—Latin America is home to some of the world’s most dynamic agri-food systems (Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Colombia). How important is this region to Agronova?

—Latin America is a strategic region for Agronova and one of the markets with the greatest growth potential for agricultural biotechnology. It is one of the world’s leading agri-food regions: it is the second-largest fruit-producing region globally and accounts for around 75% of worldwide tropical fruit exports, with countries such as Mexico, Chile and Peru ranking among the leading international exporters.

The importance of the region to Agronova is reflected in our commitment to having our own teams and a local presence in virtually all of Latin America’s strategic markets. This proximity allows us to understand growers’ needs first-hand, provide specialised technical support and develop solutions adapted to the specific conditions of each country.

Brazil, due to its scale and potential, is a priority market that we continue to assess very closely as part of our expansion strategy. The diversity of crops, the different agroclimatic conditions and the growing adoption of biological solutions make Latin America a key environment for the development and validation of our technologies.

For Agronova, the region represents not only a market with enormous commercial potential, but also a strategic partner in advancing more efficient, profitable and sustainable agriculture.

Agronova at a glance

• Agronova currently brings together six specialised companies.
• It has a commercial presence in more than 70 countries.
• It operates production facilities in Europe and the Americas.
• It continuously invests in R&D to develop the next generation of biological solutions.
• It has a proprietary collection of more than 230 selected strains with high biotechnological potential.
• Every year, it characterises around 500 new strains to identify microorganisms and metabolites.
• It has a network of production facilities strategically located across Europe and the Americas, with a total production area of 80,000 m².