Free of chemicals or genetically modified organisms
For over 25 years, Bioma SA has been supplying customers all over the world with its unique products, which contain no chemicals or genetically modified organisms. Wine, for example, is usually preserved by adding sulfites, which trigger intolerances, allergies or breathing problems in around 10 percent of consumers. With Epyca, Bioma SA has developed a product range based on grape seeds that has a higher antioxidant potential than sulfites. This prevents the taste or smell of the wine from changing for the worse. Epyca is particularly suitable for wines that promote themselves as organic.
Environmental compatibility and sustainability as clear success factors
Ampelos is another innovation and is used in viticulture. The product stimulates the colonization of indigenous microbiology and reduces the use of fertilizers by up to 70 percent, meaning winegrowers need less water, can keep soil in a balanced state, and can significantly increase the yield of a vineyard.
“More and more people are becoming sensitized to the preservation of the environment and the health of humans and animals. Our products have always been characterized by their high level of environmental sustainability and absolute safety for users and consumers,” says Bioma CEO Paolo Bassanini.
The innovation here is to produce natural products that are integrated into normal production processes. Bassanini: “This enables a higher yield and better quality compared to other systems.”
Impressive results in livestock breeding
To reduce harmful ammonia emissions in livestock breeding, Bioma SA developed Kopros. The results following use of the product are impressive: 90 percent less ammonia leakage, cleaner and healthier animals, one-third less manure, and lower mortality as animal weight increases. In poultry farming, for example, the growth cycles of chickens are often shortened without the need for vaccines. All in all, these improvements increase the yield in poultry, but also in other livestock species. This is made possible by a solution that restores the ideal balance of natural microbial flora without the use of chemicals. Like all Bioma SA products, it is based on the Geolife Technology developed by the company itself, a production process in which the numerous organic compounds in the products are activated and stabilized without losing their original effect.
Impressive export share of 60 percent
With its environmentally friendly solutions, Bioma SA achieves an export share of 60 percent, its main markets being Italy, France, the USA, Mexico and Georgia.
Bioma CEO Bassanini says: “Many of our target markets are nations with very high agricultural production, so exports are hugely important to us. Offering products with the ‘Swiss Made’ logo, which stand for quality, precision and effectiveness, is one of the most important guarantees thanks to Switzerland's reputation.”
Between 1994 and 2004, the Swiss company was already operating in Mexico via a distribution company, but the working relationship ended badly, as the distributor was responsible for serious failures at customs and other agencies. Although Bioma products were known and widely used in Mexico, exports to the country had to be stopped – a bitter setback for the Ticino-based company.
New launch in Mexico in 2015
In 2015, Bioma SA decided to undertake another launch in Mexico, this time by founding a subsidiary. S-GE actively supported this process. It arranged contact with a reliable trust office and a lawyer and assisted with setting up the Geolife Swiss subsidiary, entering it into the commercial register and registering it with the “Foreign Investment Authority”. At the administrative level, S-GE helped with entry into the tax register and opening bank accounts. In addition, an important customer event was jointly organized at the end of 2018.
From Mexico to neighboring countries
Initial experiences on the Mexican market have been so encouraging that Bioma SA is considering becoming active in other Latin American countries as well.
“Latin America is the most important agricultural market in the world. However, there is nowhere else that uses such large quantities of environmentally harmful chemicals,” says Bassanini. “Our products can make the difference when it comes to meeting the food requirements for 2050 as calculated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). For this to happen, production must be increased by an estimated 70 percent.”
