How We Helped Germains Seed Technology Hire 12 Experts in a Niche Agri-Tech Sector Across 3 Countries
Background
Founded in 1871, Germains has become an industry leader in seed treatment technologies.
Germains is committed to delivering industry-leading innovative seed technologies globally, supported by three state-of-the-art Research and Development centres and five processing sites located in the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Germains specialises in innovative seed treatments aimed at maximising crop productivity and cost-effectiveness for agricultural producers.
They offer a range of solutions for sugar beet, vegetables, and flower seeds, catering to clients globally, including those in the United States, the Netherlands, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Their products include conventional and organic seed treatments, seed coatings, and health-promoting technologies that improve seed performance in various conditions. With a commitment to sustainability, they provide microplastic-free seed coatings and emphasise collaborative partnerships to enhance crop yield and uniformity.
Challenges
Despite a strong mission and deep technical expertise, Germains has faced challenges in expanding its R&D and Production teams. Seed treatments remain a highly specialised and lesser-known segment of agriculture, which, combined with limited HR resources, has made it difficult to attract high-quality candidates. Compared to larger, more visible competitors, the niche nature of Germains’ work has impacted candidate awareness and reduced overall applicant volume for specialised roles.
Louis Savva, our Principal Consultant, partnered with Germains to address these challenges. Louis successfully placed 12 candidates into Germains Seed Technology, including:
- Scientist (Gilroy, CA)
- Research Associate (Gilroy, CA)
- Quality Control Supervisor (Gilroy, CA)
- HSE Manager (Gilroy, CA)
- Maintenance Manager (Gilroy, CA)
- Maintenance Technician (Gilroy, CA)
- Material Scientist (Netherlands)
- Finance Business Partner (Gilroy, CA)
- EU Product Manager (UK)
- Head Operations (Gilroy, CA)
Solution
To support Germains hiring needs, Mackinnon Bruce International provided a strategic and research-driven approach to talent acquisition, ensuring a seamless and efficient recruitment process.
Key services included:
- Market Mapping: Identifying high-potential talent pools within regenerative agronomy, and aligned sectors across the US, UK & Netherlands.
- Mission-Led Outreach: Engaging candidates through storytelling around Germains mission and purpose towards regenerative agriculture, increasing candidate alignment and motivation.
- Headhunting & Personalised Messaging: Outreach efforts focused on values-driven professionals with a demonstrated passion for sustainable agriculture.
- Strategic Advisory: Consulting on organisational structure and defining role profiles that would support both current business needs and long-term growth.
Implementation
The recruitment project was implemented over 2 years, through a structured and collaborative process:
- Candidate Sourcing: Utilising research, networking, and specialised job advertising.
- Interview Process: Two-stage approach with an initial 20-minute pre-qualifying call, followed by a 30-minute online interview.
- Ongoing Communication: Weekly research reports shared with GEA, providing full visibility on candidate outreach, engagement, and reasons for candidate disinterest.
- Regular Client Engagement: Weekly discussions to align on progress, address concerns, and refine the approach as needed.
Results
Mackinnon Bruce International has successfully delivered 12 high-quality placements to date.
Louis has secured high-quality professionals who were aligned with Germains values and long-term growth plans. This has helped boost Germains’ brand awareness, as well as sourcing the right talent for them.
Conclusion
Through its partnership with Mackinnon Bruce International, Germains has significantly strengthened its internal capabilities and broadened its reach across the US and EMEA. With a mission-aligned team in place, they are now better positioned to continue innovating and making contributions to sustainable seed technologies.
Mackinnon Bruce International continues to support Germains' talent acquisition needs, ensuring they secure the best industry professionals to drive their business forward.
To find out more about the agriculture team and the industry challenges they have helped clients overcome, visit our website.