PepsiCo acquires Australian seed potato business

PepsiCo has announced the acquisition of Dowling AgriTech (DAT), a seed potato business based in Australia. The acquisition is designed to help strengthen its seed supply security across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, drive innovation and further strengthen partnerships with potato growers.

“This acquisition allows PepsiCo to play a more purposeful role in the seed potato ecosystem, as a long-term partner of choice for seed and chipstock growers in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Colin Matthews, Supply Chain Senior Director for PepsiCo APAC. “By integrating DAT’s capabilities and expertise, we can help secure seed supply and bring innovation to the agriculture sector.”

“This is a great outcome for DAT. It’s business as usual in all respects, yet we’re now part of a global food and beverage company, with a high capacity to drive the business forward,” said Ben Dowling, Director at Dowling AgriTech.

“We developed this business with the aim of contributing to potato crop improvement, both in Australia and in export markets. Our mission is to produce high quality seed so that each variety can reach its full genetic potential. PepsiCo is a strong believer in this and we see strong alignment in intentions and capabilities as we move forward.”

APAC Agronomy Team will manage the operation and has plans to invest in the facility to support continued production of seed potatoes servicing both domestic and overseas markets.

Image supplied