MAS Seeds History

An ambitious group of farmers from south-west of France joined forces to improve their cereal production and farming activities. The year 1936 marks the creation of the Farmers' Cooperative, today known as Group Cooperative MAISADOUR.

With a new ambition to create, produce and supply high-quality corn hybrids to a fast expanding French market, the farmers of the cooperative start their seed activity with producing maize seeds. First produced maize seed variety was IOWA 4417, harvested 70 deciton. The year 1949 marks the birth of the seed branch of the Cooperative, today under the brand of MAS Seeds®.

As production activities grew, investments increased. The first complex factory for drying and processing seeds was built in 1952.

Soon seed production volume increased. Seed collect reached 4 tons in 1957. Increasing capacity and expansion plans stared right after.

New silos with a railway 🚂 marks the moment of increased efficiency and capacity.

A second processing facility in Saint Vincent de Tyrosse was built to manage the collection logistics and increase further the production.

With an ambition was to create high yielding and locally adapted maize hybrids, the seed department of the Cooperative created the first R&D activities by acquiring parental lines, selecting and crossbreeding.

As the Cooperative grows, its brand increases importance. Farmers select MAISADOUR as their new name to mark the maize activities (MAIS in French) around the ADOUR river.

with dedicated greenhouses and laboratories.

Maïsadour stand at Salon de l'agriculture in France.

As the maize activities mature, the seed branch starts diversifying the offer. The new R&D department registers its first hybrid VIKI.

The new headquarter building is placed at the entrance of the large complex of 29 hectares.

Creation of biotechnological division to apply new breeding techniques for creating maize and sunflower hybrids 🔬

International development begins with creation of the first subsidiary outside France.

Field days with the team

Sales meeting

The first subsidiary abroad with seed production facilities.

The seed branch of the Cooperative Group becomes officially a subsidiary under the brand Maisadour® Semences.

Diversification of the seed activities continues with the launch of Oilseed Rape breeding program in the R&D station 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 as we have purchase the company SEMFOR together with the seed mixture portfolio and the processing facility.

to strengthen our growth worldwide.

Maïsadour® Semences becomes MAS Seeds®, a new name and the new brand fitting better to challenging ambitions, international growth and the diversified seed business.

In this 1 500 m2 building, which stands next to the experimental fields, MAS Seeds R&D team selects hybrids adapted to local conditions, creates new lines. This site also becomes the main office for the subsidiary gathering administration, 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 new step to bring more diversity in our maize breeding program and in our commercial portfolio to support our international development. The location also serves as winter generation production base to increase our breeding capacities.

The new subsidiary near the Ivorian capital includes an R&D center and a commercial unit responsible for testing and developing a tropical maize portfolio adapted to the climatic and agricultural specificities of the territory.

MAS Seeds® purpose becomes the new baseline of the brand emphasising the importance of our ambition and purpose TO ACT TOGETHER with our teams, with our farmers and with our customers towards an agro-ecological transition FOR A CHANGING AGRICULTURE.