Petoseed Launches Consumer Marketing Plan

Saticoy-based Petoseed Co., one of the world’s leading producers of hybrid seeds, has launched its first brand marketing program aimed at consumers.

Petoseed will provide commercial watermelon growers with blue stickers bearing a white crown and the name Royal Court. The growers will be urged to use the labels on watermelon varieties produced from Petoseed seeds.

The Petoseed brand thus joins Sunkist, Chiquita, Dole and other well-known names in the nation’s produce sections.

“Since watermelons look the same on the outside, the Royal Court stickering program will take the guesswork out of identifying hybrid watermelons,” spokesman Larry Kampa said. He noted that the hybrid fruit has superior color and above-average sugar content.

The move represents a marketing departure for Petoseed, which sells exclusively to commercial farmers and other seed companies. Spokeswoman Lora Burnett said she knows of no plans to attach brand names to the numerous other fruits and vegetables grown from Petoseed seeds.

Petoseed is a subsidiary of Geo. J. Ball Inc. of West Chicago, Ill. A sister company, the W. Atlee Burpee Co., is the nation’s largest marketer of seeds to home gardeners.