E Green Global (EGG), based in Seoul, is opening a new lab at Kennispark in Enschede. This lab will be used to produce micro tubers, an innovative way of producing seed potatoes. EGG’s micro tubers are a breakthrough in potato cultivation because they can be planted into the field directly and do not carry viruses. After the market development phase, the lab will increase its capacity from 2025 onwards. The lab in Enschede is the first location in Europe.
The Netherlands produced more than 736 tons of seed potatoes in 2021, according to calculations by the Dutch Potato Organization. Seed potatoes are traditionally grown in the field before they are tested and planted. EGG’s biotechnology makes it possible to develop potato micro tubers in a lab under controlled conditions. This method produces healthy seed potatoes in a much quicker fashion than conventional methods. In addition, a machine can be used to plant the micro tubers into the field directly, and it is easy to introduce new potato varieties. Last year, EGG received the ‘Gold Innovation Award’ from PotatoEurope for their ‘micro tuber’ technology.
Establishment in Enschede
Oost NL and the NFIA (Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency) helped EGG with settling in Enschede. “The sustainable production of healthy and affordable food is one of the biggest challenges of our time. The Eastern Netherlands has traditionally been strong in developing and testing innovative agricultural solutions. We are pleased that a company like EGG is establishing itself at Kennispark in Enschede. The development of micro tubers fits in perfectly with our ambition to contribute to feeding the world population without losing sight of the climate objectives”, says Francine Hellinga, project manager Food at Oost NL.
First lab in Europa
EGG will start with a small lab and plans to scale up further after 2025. EGG has production labs in the United States, China, South Korea and, of course, the lab in Enschede. “We are happy to settle at Kennispark among other innovative companies. The knowledge, expertise and facilities of Wageningen University & Research are relatively close by, and the University of Twente is a stone’s throw away. We can use our technology to enable better, faster and cheaper food production. We are putting ‘lab to farm’ into practice by using micro tubers for potato cultivation, but we are, of course, also investigating whether this technology can be used for other foods”, says Epi Postma, director EGG Business Development Europe.
