Mar 2, 2022

Sakata expands in Mexico with Culiacan Innovation Center

The next milestone in Sakata Seed America’s continued infrastructure expansion is a recently finalized purchase of 14 hectares (35.6 acres) of land in Culiacan, Mexico. The land and facilities have been leased by Sakata Seed for the past three years. Significant growth in the region led to the decision to secure a permanent location in Culiacan – home to many global seed breeding companies.

This acquisition of land and newly expanded infrastructure will further enable Sakata to operate breeding, sales, marketing, and production efforts in the growing Mexico market. The site will officially be named the ‘Culiacan Innovation Center,’ mirroring Sakata’s naming convention for the company’s most recent expansions, including the Woodland Innovation Center in Woodland, California. Within Mexico the facility will be known as CIEN, or Centro de Innovación y Excelencia Nacional (National Center of Innovation and Excellence).

“The Culiacan Innovation Center is the logical next step in Sakata’s strategic expansion in Mexico,” said Dave Armstrong, president & CEO of Sakata Seed America. “Sakata Mexico has been conducting business for over 34 years and, as we adapt and increase our breeding efforts to support expanding crop production in Mexico, we are proud to invest in the Mexican economy and solidify our leading role in genetic innovation with established infrastructure in Mexico and Central America. The new facility will act as a central R&D hub for Sakata in Mexico and Central America and allow for further exciting collaboration with Sakata Seed America’s four other R&D stations spanning North America.”