Fitó

and

Hudson

River

Biotechnology

Partner

to

Accelerate

Innovation

in

Vegetable

Breeding

Fitó will leverage Hudson River’s genome-editing and regeneration technology to conduct research and put traits directly into their own plant lines, getting ready for EU's NGT regulation coming into effect in 2028.

Barcelona, Spain and Wageningen, the Netherlands – October 1, 2026

Family-owned breeding company Fitó and plant genome-editing technology company Hudson River Biotechnology have announced a long-term partnership to create new genetic variation directly in Fitó’s own breeding lines. The work will focus on tomato, with R&D teams of the two companies jointly prioritising disease and pest resistance alongside consumer traits such as shelf life and nutritional value.

The collaboration brings together Fitó’s proprietary germplasm, breeding expertise and market knowledge with Hudson River’s BioMaas platform, trait knowledge and trait catalogue. The partners will jointly prioritise existing trait challenges around vegetable breeding such as changing growth conditions, evolving disease, pest pressure, transition towards lower agrochemical inputs and changing consumer expectations.

“Successful breeding starts with understanding what growers, the value chain and consumers need, and finding the best way to translate that into new varieties. This collaboration helps us broaden what is possible and bring more successful varieties to market faster” said Laia Fito Chief R&D Officer, Fitó.

“Our ambition is to work as an extension of Fitó’s R&D effort: combining our capabilities, learning together and focusing on what is needed to move promising ideas into breeding material. That is the basis on which we want to build this long-term partnership.” said Ferdinand Los, CEO of Hudson River Biotechnology.

Within the partnership, the two companies will work together to set joint priorities, select trait opportunities, make development decisions and adapt projects as results and new insights emerge. Hudson River will operate as a development and knowledge partner to Fitó’s R&D teams, providing the capabilities of its BioMaas platform, which combines genome editing, plant regeneration and trait expertise built over more than a decade to create new crop value.

“By combining BioMaas with our trait knowledge and catalogue, and Fitó’s genetics and breeding expertise, we can work together from biological insight towards material that has real value in a breeding program.” said Lotte Westerhof, CSO of Hudson River Biotechnology.

Both companies are preparing for the EU’s newly established regulatory framework around new genomic techniques (NGTs) coming into effect in 2028 and ensuring they have the capabilities to support as market conditions shift.

About Fitó

Fitó develops, produces and commercializes seeds, with research and breeding at the heart of its Professional Vegetables business. The company combines genetics, crop expertise and market understanding to develop varieties that create value for growers, the food chain and consumers.

About Hudson River Biotechnology

Hudson River Biotechnology is a plant crop genome-editing company helping breeders, trait companies and other plant innovators leverage genome editing to achieve their goals. For over a decade, we have built scientific expertise across crop systems with particular strength in the technically demanding steps required to move from an editing ambition towards a viable commercial programme unlocking new crop value. Today, BioMaas gives customers a flexible route into those capabilities, supported by the transparent, dependable partnership our customers already value.