We are pleased to have advised the shareholders of F1 Seed Ltd, one of the UK’s leading independent wheat breeding businesses, on its acquisition by Wild Bioscience Ltd, the private equity-backed Oxford University spinout focused on developing more resilient crops through AI-led discovery and precision breeding.
The transaction brings together F1 Seed’s established wheat breeding programme and germplasm pipeline with Wild Bio’s expertise in evolutionary biology, gene editing and artificial intelligence. The combined business aims to accelerate the development of new wheat varieties capable of addressing some of the biggest challenges facing British agriculture, including climate resilience, disease resistance and yield performance.
Founded by respected plant breeder Bill Angus, Suffolk-based F1 Seed has become the UK’s largest independent wheat breeding operation and has developed a significant pipeline of wheat varieties for the domestic market. Through the acquisition, Wild Bio becomes a fully integrated seed business, combining advanced crop science with commercial plant breeding capabilities.
The deal reflects growing investment and innovation within the UK agricultural and life sciences sectors, particularly following the introduction of the UK’s precision breeding regulatory framework.
The transaction was led by our corporate team, working closely with the shareholders throughout the sale process.
Mark Whittaker, Partner, said:
“This transaction brings together two highly complementary businesses at a pivotal time for UK agriculture. Under the stewardship and control of Bill Angus, F1 Seed has established a strong reputation for innovation in wheat breeding and Wild Bio’s technology offers exciting opportunities for the future of crop development. We were delighted to support Bill and the shareholders through this significant transaction and wish the combined business every success.”
The deal also highlights the increasing convergence of agriculture, science and technology, creating opportunities and challenges for businesses operating across the food and farming supply chain. Alongside the notable transactional expertise of our Corporate and M&A lawyers, our specialist agriculture team regularly advises farmers, landowners, agribusinesses and rural enterprises on strategic transactions, succession planning, regulatory matters and business growth.
Congratulations to all parties involved.
