At this year’s ASTA Field Crop Seed Convention, one question kept surfacing: How do you grow successfully in a market that’s changing so quickly? It’s a question that hits close to home for us at Summit Seed Coatings. A peer shared over lunch how their legacy — a deep-rooted strength — had become a stumbling block. The fear? That tradition might hold them back from what comes next. I understood because, not long ago, we stood at that same crossroads.
For decades, Summit was known as a toll processor—a dependable, behind-the-scenes product supplier. Alfalfa was our foundation, and our expertise in seed coating was unmatched. But as markets evolved, so did customer needs. Being great at what we did wasn’t enough. Change was here, and we had to ask ourselves a tough question: How do we redefine who we are without losing the trust we’ve built?
Our first step was broadening our scope. Alfalfa was where we started, but it wasn’t our limit. We leveraged our knowledge of seed coating to deliver solutions in new areas, like cover crops, where uniform seed density and improved efficiency are critical. It was a natural move for us, but it pushed us to stop thinking like a product supplier and start seeing ourselves as a true solutions provider.
That was the easy part. The bigger challenge came next: perception. For years, we had been the toll processor — reliable, capable, but firmly in the background. Reintroducing ourselves meant showing how we could partner with customers to solve their problems. That took collaboration—not just with customers but across the industry. In agriculture, growth comes from partnerships, shared expertise, and solving challenges side by side.
Reframing a company isn’t easy. It requires hard conversations—with customers, partners, and within your own team. It means honoring the legacy you’ve built while having the courage to let go of old ideas that no longer serve you. For Summit, this journey has been as much about listening as it has been about leading. The shift from toll processor to solutions provider didn’t happen overnight. It happened because we kept asking: What comes next? How can we help?
The truth is, growth doesn’t mean leaving your roots behind. It means using them to reach further. Change is here — for all of us. The question now is, what’s your move?
