Agrovista has completed its acquisition of the independently-owned agrochemical distributor and agronomy services business Zantra Holdings. It says the move brings together some of the most experienced and progressive teams in the plant protection sector and further strengthens Agrovista’s position as a leading supplier of agronomy advice, seed and crop protection products.
Zantra was founded in 2003 by Murray Mackay. For its first decade it concentrated on agrochemical supplies to farm, adding an agronomy services operation from 2013.
Agrovista, a Marubeni Corporation company, can trace its UK operations back more than 60 years. The business had a 2023 turnover of £225 million, while Zantra reported revenues of £31.3m in the year ended July 31st 2024. The management team is now working on the smooth integration of the two businesses.
“Zantra is a business we have long admired, and we’ve witnessed the many years of hard work that have gone into building it into what it is today,” says Agrovista UK managing director Chris Clayton. “It is a perfect fit for Agrovista, with very little overlap with our core business and geography. The agronomy teams are highly complementary, and this acquisition will further enhance Agrovista’s ability to deliver market-leading offers to our customers.
“Both businesses pride themselves on a technically led approach to supporting growers, and we look forward to combining our knowledge and sharing it across our customer bases. This will be supported by an expanded depot network, delivering best-in-class customer service.
“Agrovista’s strategy is rooted in long-term, sustainable growth across the entire business, and this acquisition once again demonstrates our commitment to that goal. We are all very excited about the future,” Mr Clayton concludes.
Mr Mackay, managing director of Zantra, adds: “I’m very pleased to announce the sale of Zantra Holdings to Agrovist. Agrovista shares our customer-focused approach and understands the importance of independent in-house trials to support product selection and advice.
“I am certain that together, we can build on the success of both businesses. I look forward to working in the new combined business with my team to continue to enhance our services to our valued customers.”