Abbott & Cobb and Rispens Seeds are Standing the Test of Time

In today’s marketplace, businesses come and businesses go. When a company has not only survived, but thrived through all the marketplace ups and downs, that is a major accomplishment.

Two seed suppliers who have reached this level of accomplishment are Abbott & Cobb and Rispens Seeds. Last year, Abbott & Cobb of Feasterville, PA, celebrated its 90th anniversary. This year, Rispens Seeds of Beecher, IL, is celebrating 80 years in business.

Abbott & Cobb opened its doors in 1917 and began serving the needs of the commercial grower, distributor, retailer, fresh market, fresh-cut, and food services industries. The company has facilities throughout the U.S., Mexico, Europe, and Central and South America.

All In The Family

Rispens Seeds was formed in 1928 by Martin Rispens and always has been family owned. Martin immigrated to the U.S. from Holland when he was 21. Flash forward, and in 1970s, the third generation of the Rispens Seeds family began working for the company: Howard and Ross Rispens.

According to Ross Rispens, variety development has been key over the years. “One of the biggest changes I have seen in the vegetable seed industry since I started in 1976 is in the new varieties,” he says. “In the past 20 years, breeder producers have developed some amazing varieties with incredible yields, great disease packages, and important health benefits. In the future, breeding holds even greater possibilities for growers.”