Mr. Gideon Bickel

40 years of ongoing
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
SOFIA, 14 March, 2014
Mr. Gideon Bickel,
Chairman of Agrexco Carmel Ltd, Israel
Bickel Enterprises
& Development
Ltd.
Bickel
Flowers Ltd.
Bickel Group
Export & Trade
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Background & Roots
• Gideon Bickel, born in Israel to
an Israeli mother and to a
German-born father, who
immigrated to Israel right after
Hitler got to power.
Background
• 1944 – My father, an agronomist,
established a farm with a mixture
of different agricultural products.
• Such farm was typical to those
times.
• At the early 50’s he transferred it
to a farm specialized with flowers,
which were sold only to the local
market.
During my Education –
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 1
• 1967 – Started my B.sc studies at the faculty of
Agricultural (Hebrew University), specializing in
horticultural.
• Simultaneously, I have started my M.sc studies.
My thesis work was on the gypsophila flower.
• The aim of the research was to find the procedure that
will enable the flower to blossom year-round.
• This led to an export project, that gave to the state of
Israel income of tens of millions of Euros each year
throughout many decades.
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 2
• Until 1973 the Israeli export of produce was
under the monopoly of 2 statutorily government
entities: Citrus Board & Agrexco.
• At the early 70’s – I submitted a claim to the
Supreme Court on the issue of freedom of
trade.
• October 1973 – I won the appeal for freedom of
trade*.
* Bickel vs. Minister of agricultural, Agrexco & Flower board.
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 3
• 1976 - “Bickel Flowers
Ltd” was founded and
included a modern &
large packing house for
flowers.
• The investment was of
over one million Euro
(value at that time).
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 4
• 1981 - “Bickel Custom & Transportation
Services Ltd”, a logistic company, was
established.
• The firm was a IATA agent for cargo
(unique for that time).
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 5
• 1986 – Acquisition of private 25
Hectare of land in Israel that included
a well near Tel-Aviv.
• Building of 18 Hectare of modern
green houses for roses, alongside
with a packing house.
• This project was recognized as a
“National Project”.
1989 – National Awards
• Recipient of the national Kaplan Prize
on "The breakthrough of flower growing
for export….and contribution for
making the flower sector more
efficient";
• Award from the Israeli Association of
Chambers of Commerce for "…
Contribution to developing free
enterprise";
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 6
• 1990 - I have been nominated by the Israeli
government to be the chairman of a national
agricultural strategy committee.
• The committee’s task was to develop strategy
and recommendations to build up a new
national agricultural strategy.
• This strategy became the state policy for
generations to come.
• Most of the recommendations were
implemented.
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 7
• 1991 - Winning the case at the
Supreme Court of Justice to
cancel quotas on roses
production.
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 8
• 1997 - Acquisition of “Flora” – a Belgium
flowers auction that was a Cooperative.
• Through a governmental pre-rolling
process, the cooperative became a Ltd
firm (Such an act was a European
precedent).
• I then turned a Cooperative with more
than 500 members into a private
company.
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 9
• 2000 - Foundation of “Bickel
Group Trade & Export Ltd“.
• An export company with a
wide range of products:
Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs,
Citrus and Organic.
Entrepreneurial Initiative # 10
• In November 2011, I acquired the
governmental company Agrexco, which
held lots of international brand names.
• the most famous brand is:
To simplify the merger and acquisition
procedures, let us look at the next scheme
Agrexco Ltd.
Bickel Enterprises
& Development
Ltd.
Bickel Flowers Ltd
1956
1981
1976
Real Estate
Bickel Group
export & Trade
Flowers Export
Logistic IATA agent
AGEXCO CARMEL
Former Bickel Group
November, 2011
Real Estate
2000
What was different
following the acquisition?
Why did the governmental company fail?
What did I do differently?
How was I able to do it?
The answer is simply
BUSINESS CULTURE
My Innovations
• A world breakthrough in R&D of new
varieties of strawberries (taste, texture,
shelf life, shape, Color, high production
per plant).
• Foundation of a laboratory for tissues in
strawberries and other products.
• Signing agreements with firms in different
countries to distribute the new strawberry
varieties.
Additional Activities
• Developing agricultural projects in: Jordan,
Egypt, Ethiopia, India and other countries.
• Non-agricultural projects in real estate.
• Additional studies and degrees in other
disciplines.
• At present, Phd studies in Haifa University on
“The development of produce export since
1948 until 30.6.2011”. (An agricultural model for
undeveloped countries is the goal of this research).
Mr. Gideon Bickel
Emil: gideon@agrexco.com
Tel: +972-5630900
Mobile: +972-50-8873434
Bickel Enterprises
& Development
Ltd.
Bickel
Flowers Ltd.
Bickel Group
Export & Trade
Thank You
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In Pictures
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Owner of World Well Known
Brands
Brands
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Wide variety of organic products includes:
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Capsicum
• Sweet potatoes.
• Avocados
• Other products.
• Red grapefruits
Carmel Innovations
• New varieties of Licensed
strawberry: Orly, Yuval,
Dandi, Sandra, etc.
• Basil new varieties.
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Fruit Logistica 2014
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Thank You
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