History - Germinal Holdings Ltd

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Our History

Germinal is a longstanding company with a great history. Our heritage has been built on the strength of great people who through their skills, knowledge and hard work have made Germinal the market leader it is today.

Germinal Holdings Limited was founded in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1825. Since then, the company has spearheaded some of the most groundbreaking work in seed development and has led the way in major contributions to the farming and amenity industries. It is now the largest family owned British and Irish Forage & Amenity Seed Company.

Direct descendants of the original founder Samuel McCausland still work in managing Germinal today.

1825

Samuel McCausland Ltd opens for business in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

1850–1950

Northern Ireland was the biggest ryegrass seed producer in Europe during this period.

1953

Samuel McCausland Ltd opens for business in Bristol, England following the decline of Northern Irish seed production.

1963

Germinal Holdings Ltd is founded following the merger of Samuel McCausland Ltd and Joseph Morton Ltd of Banbridge, NI.

1969

British Seed Houses is formed following merger of McCausland and Morton in England. Germinal acquire David Bell Ltd (Scotland and England).

1972

Germinal acquires James Coburn & Sons Ltd of Banbridge, NI.

1975

British Seed Houses establishes new site in Lincolnshire, England.

1977

David Bell Ltd (England) is merged with British Seed Houses.

1983

Germinal Ireland Ltd is formed

1985

Extensive new site is acquired to accommodate expansion of Germinal Ireland

1989

Germinal Holdings Ltd forges agreement with the Welsh Plant Breeding Station (IBERS) to secure world marketing rights for new varieties.

2000

Major investment in production and storage facilities for British Seed Houses at Lincoln.

2002

Germinal acquires a shareholding in the New Zealand based grain and seed business Cates Grain and Seed.

2003

Germinal established Germinal New Zealand.

AberDart perennial ryegrass receives the The National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) Variety Cup in recognition of its improved quality combined with excellent agronomic performance. AberDart was the first grass variety to win the NIAB Variety Cup.

2004

David Bell Ltd (Scotland) is merged with British Seed Houses.

2007-2015

The Lincoln site makes further investment in new warehousing and offices.

IBERS receives a number of awards for their development of new varieties: The Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) Award for Technology and Innovation (2007), Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education (2009), UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBRSC) Excellence with Impact Award (2011), Times Higher Education Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and Technology Award (2013) and The National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) Variety Cup (2015).

2015

Germinal repositions and launches a new brand identity impacting all communications across the group and to the market.

The Samuel McCausland Ltd building in Belfast, Northern Ireland (1825).

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