Making grass greener has been the core business of Germinal for the past 200 years. Ever open to new business opportunities, he and fellow Belfast merchants noticed a burgeoning industry in southwest Scotland producing grass seed. They tried to replicate the business in Ireland but, in Gilbert’s words, they failed miserably. I can’t imagine the difficulties he went through and how hard it must have been for him.”William Gilbert: 'Germinal Ireland’s been probably our singular biggest success. While agriculture accounts for the majority of the business, Germinal has diversified into other areas, which now account for around 20 per cent of its turnover.
