Rose Breeder Partnership Programme

Creating a variety is not the same as bringing it to market

The traditional rose-licensing model developed at a time when professional breeding companies named and documented a variety, arranged large-scale production, introduced it into commercial networks and created demand before granting licences. Under that system, a grower paying royalties received an already recognised, market-ready product.

Today's market works differently. The range of ornamental plants is far more diverse, sales are spread across multiple channels, and individual varieties are needed in smaller quantities that are harder to forecast. An outstanding new rose variety therefore does not become a commercial success by itself. Someone must build the production, documentation, digital and sales infrastructure around it.

Who is the partnership programme for?

Independent breeders

• who have created a valuable variety but do not have a complete international market-introduction infrastructure;
• for whom the absence of CPVR protection should not prevent professional and financial recognition;
• who want their name to be a visible part of the variety's commercial identity;
• who are seeking long-term variety maintenance and genuine market feedback.

Professional breeding companies

• seeking a flexible, non-exclusive European sales and market-development channel;
• wishing to work with a partner able to handle a broad range of varieties and small or medium batches economically;
• planning to build on own-root production, digital content and a transparent royalty system;
• wishing to gain access to new industry-scale leads when a variety succeeds.

What makes the pharmaROSA® partnership model different?

• Non-exclusive collaboration: the breeder retains the freedom to develop their own markets and enter into other agreements.
• Own-root technology: the variety can be propagated flexibly in small and medium batches, including against advance orders.
• Long-term variety maintenance: the variety does not disappear from the market between two sales seasons.
• Multilingual market development: online shops, variety profiles, articles, videos and social-media content operate as one integrated system.
• Visibility of the breeder's name: the creator is presented throughout the variety's commercial identity.
• Royalty after actual success: the basis of the calculation is not the cutting placed into propagation, but the commercial product unit actually sold.
• Digital transparency: we create a platform on which the breeder can follow ordering and sales events relating to their varieties.
• Market-led production: there is no artificially imposed minimum sales quantity; production follows genuine demand.
• Industry-scale leads: as a general rule, we refer concrete professional enquiries exceeding 5,000 plants of a variety to the breeder.

Own-root roses: the technological foundation of a variety-rich market

pharmaROSA® produces its roses vegetatively on their own roots. This is not simply a cultivation choice, but one of the fundamental areas of know-how underpinning the entire market-development model.

Young plant material ready for growing on can be produced from a maintained variety in a propagation cycle of approximately twelve weeks. This means that an unnecessarily large stock of every variety does not have to be produced in advance. Quantities can be aligned with genuine demand and advance orders.

What does the technology make possible?

• long-term maintenance of rarer varieties;
• small-quantity B2C and B2B supply;
• rapid supply to growing-on nurseries;
• flexible production when demand emerges;
• continuous commercial availability of the variety.

How does the breeder benefit?

• The variety is not pushed out of the market simply because sales volumes are initially modest;
• continuous presence gradually builds recognition and demand;
• nurseries can trial and grow on the variety in small quantities;
• a successful variety can be scaled more rapidly;
• actual sales success generates royalty income.

We build more than a variety profile: we create a complete commercial identity

We observe, verify and document the initial variety information supplied by the breeder in our own system and transform it into market-ready content. Each variety receives an independent, expandable long-term digital knowledge and content system.

• our own photographs and videos;
• structured technical and commercial variety data;
• multilingual variety presentations and product pages;
• an article and knowledge base developed for each website;
• social-media posts on the relevant platforms;
• search categories and classifications by colour, type, use and quality;
• our own product nomenclature and a unique product code.

The pharmaROSA® variety nomenclature

VARIETY NAME – colour description – rose type – breeder | pharmaROSA® product type – quality grade – product code

This system connects the genetic, physical, digital and commercial identification of the variety. At our nursery, every plant has an identification label, variety code and physical stock location – effectively its own “identity card”.

Continuous market presence creates distribution and reputation

A variety's market value is not the result of a one-off launch campaign. It requires continuous availability, regular communication and trust built over many years.

Maintained stock can supply collectors, private customers, smaller nurseries and growing-on businesses. The purchased rose is planted. Neighbours, visitors, gardeners and professional partners see it. Every healthy, well-performing rose planted in a garden becomes another ambassador for the variety and its breeder.

Digital transparency that the breeder can verify directly

In place of traditional on-site inspections, we are building a digital system that presents turnover for the breeder's own varieties directly from online ordering and invoicing events.

As part of the partnership, we will create a personal Breeder Transparency Portal with verified access for every breeder. The platform will display events relating to their own varieties:

• the date and time of the order;
• the variety and quantity;
• ordering, invoicing, fulfilment, cancellation or credit-note status;
• calendar-year totals by variety;
• the net quantity sold required for the royalty calculation.

The breeder will also be able to test the system with their own test order. If the order and a subsequent cancellation appear in their portal, they can verify directly that the sales and royalty systems are linked automatically.

A fair alignment of economic interests

The model does not promise the breeder an income guaranteed independently of the market, nor does it place the entire stockholding and sales risk unilaterally on pharmaROSA®. The breeder shares in the variety's actual market success.

For the breeder

• The absence of CPVR protection is not, in itself, a reason for exclusion;
• their work is recognised through a contractual royalty;
• they may choose the royalty within the range specified in the Framework;
• their name and professional identity are promoted across all communication channels;
• they will be able to follow turnover data through their own portal;
• a successful variety may also create a substantial professional business opportunity.

For pharmaROSA®

• pharmaROSA® maintains and brings the variety to market at its own cost;
• production and stockholding decisions are aligned with genuine demand;
• its own technology, content and know-how remain protected;
• pharmaROSA® is not placed at a royalty disadvantage compared with a licensee joining at a later date;
• pharmaROSA® receives stable, long-term and non-exclusive market-development rights.

A good variety can create a significant business opportunity

pharmaROSA® technology is optimised for the long-term maintenance of many varieties, the flexible production of small and medium batches, the supply of growing-on nurseries and sustained market development.

If our market-development work generates a concrete professional requirement exceeding 5,000 plants of a single variety, we will generally refer that business opportunity to the breeder. The breeder or a large-scale grower of their choice may supply the industrial quantity.

How does the partnership begin?

• 1. Initial contact: a brief introduction to the breeder and the variety.
• 2. Preliminary assessment: technical, legal and commercial evaluation of the variety.
• 3. Framework: review of the pharmaROSA® Breeder Cooperation Framework.
• 4. Agreement: approval of the cooperation and licence agreement and the Schedule of Varieties.
• 5. Starter package: provision of healthy, true-to-type starting plant material and a complete information package.
• 6. Development: own-root propagation, verification, documentation and creation of digital content.
• 7. Market introduction: continuous sales, digital transparency and annual royalty accounting.

What do we require from the breeder?

• healthy, propagation-ready and guaranteed true-to-type starting plant material;
• all available technical, commercial and legal information about the variety;
• an accurate and truthful description of the variety and the associated rights;
• mutual confidentiality and protection of know-how;
• a commitment to a long-term partnership founded on trust and aligned interests.

pharmaROSA® then builds the variety's maintenance, propagation, content, IT, communication and commercial system at its own cost.

Frequently asked questions

Is CPVR protection required for the partnership?

No. We fully respect all existing plant variety rights, but we also recognise and reward the work of independent breeders contractually without CPVR protection.

Is the licence exclusive?

No. The breeder retains the freedom to develop their own markets and enter into other agreements. pharmaROSA® receives stable and comprehensive, but non-exclusive, market-development and commercial rights.

When does a royalty arise?

Only for commercial product units actually sold. Placing cuttings into propagation, rooting, building stock, losses or naturally produced new shoots do not, in themselves, create a royalty event.

Who determines the royalty?

The breeder chooses the royalty per unit of the variety within the economically acceptable range specified in the pharmaROSA® Framework. The selected amount also affects the variety's final market price and competitiveness.

Does pharmaROSA® undertake a minimum sales commitment?

No. Production must follow the market. A guaranteed quantity may be ordered under a separate contract-production agreement if the breeder undertakes to accept and pay for it.

How can sales be verified?

We will create a personal Breeder Transparency Portal for the breeder, where they will be able to follow ordering and invoicing events and test the system with their own test order.

May the breeder use pharmaROSA® photographs and content?

During an active partnership, we provide broad rights of use for the breeder's own professional and promotional purposes, subject to mandatory attribution to pharmaROSA®. The content may not be passed on for the marketing of another producer or licensee.

What happens when an enquiry exceeds 5,000 plants?

If a genuine professional enquiry exceeding 5,000 plants is received for a particular variety, we will generally refer it to the breeder, who may fulfil it directly or through a large-scale production partner.

pharmaROSA® Partnership Programmes
We connect stakeholders. We provide structure.