Paulig invests in Swedish agtech startup OlsAro

Paulig's venture arm, PINC, has invested in the Swedish agtech startup OlsAro. The company is developing new wheat varieties using artificial intelligence that are more resilient to climate change stressors such as salt, heat, and drought.

OlsAro's technology significantly accelerates breeding compared to traditional methods. Its first application, salt-tolerant wheat, has shown a yield increase of over 50 percent in initial tests in Bangladesh. The investment aims to support OlsAro's expansion, both technologically and commercially.

The adverse impacts of climate change threaten global food security. Salt-affected soils, particularly in Asia, the Middle East, South America, and Africa, hinder cultivation. According to Paulig, OlsAro's developed wheat varieties can improve global food access by enabling cultivation on previously unusable land.

"OlsAro's results are impressive," said Marika King, Head of PINC. "Food security is important to all of us, and OlsAro can accelerate solutions for wheat and, in the future, for other crops as well." OlsAro CEO Elén Faxö stated that the company's technology, based on over ten years of research, leverages advancements in AI and plant biotechnology to improve global food security.

OlsAro has a commercial agreement for salt-tolerant wheat in the Bangladeshi market and is conducting field trials in several other countries. The company is now targeting Australia and India, as well as other markets affected by saline agricultural land.