A Swiss trading house founded in 1986

Agrocean is a family-owned, independent, human-scale company specialized in the trading of grains and inputs for animal and human nutrition. We support the development of African markets, from sourcing to distribution, across the continent.

One vision, two generations.

After many years of experience in the trading of commodities in Switzerland, Germany, and Spain, Bernard Kursner founded his company in 1986.

Today, Joëlle Ducommun-dit-Boudry Kursner, the founder's daughter, manages the company's finances. With a forward-looking vision, she ensures the transmission and continuity of a family adventure that has been ongoing for over 40 years. Bernard remains involved, and the same mindset is passed on.

To support Agrocean's activities and ensure meticulous risk monitoring, Bernard and Joëlle have surrounded themselves with highly qualified people for the execution of their trading operations. Agrocean is thus driven by professionals with extensive market experience in the fields of agro-industrial commodities.

Our international reputation is based on three pillars: seriousness, reliability, and commitment. It is through respect for counterparties, mutual trust, and the complementarity of our expertise that we build lasting partnerships.

Bernard Kursner
Founder

Forty years,

step by step

Drawing on its experience and trusted relationships with its partners, Agrocean has been responding with flexibility and rigor to the needs of its clients for four decades.

1986

The creation

Bernard Kursner founded Agrocean in Nyon, leveraging his experience as a trader at Groupe André and the Swiss trading tradition.

1987

The first market

Spain, the Canary Islands, and Senegal are the base of the activity and the starting point of the adventure. The activities then expand to North Africa.

1990

Pioneering a new South America to Africa flow

Pioneering a new South America to Africa flow : A pioneer in importing South American grains into Africa, Agrocean opened a new trade flow enabling the import of South American grains into Africa.

1992

The Caribbean

Development of deliveries to the Caribbean.

2000

Expansion of activities

Progressive development of imports in Sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa.

2012

A family affair

Joëlle Ducommun-dit-Boudry, daughter of the founder, joins the family business after her banking experience.

2025

The GMP+ certification

Agrocean obtains the GMP+ Feed Safety Assurance certification, a guarantee of quality and food safety.

2026

Forty years

Agrocean reaches the milestone of forty years of activity, strong in its expertise and long-term relational approach.

A certain idea of trade…: behind every shipment, there is first and foremost the human element.

Over the decades, Agrocean has built a network of trusted partners, from producers to millers. Many have remained loyal to us for years, a result of our reliability, our support, and our commitment to customer satisfaction.
Our promise: attentiveness, availability, and expertise.

Our way of working is based on these convictions:

a relationship of trust and proximity with our clients and market players,
strong anchoring within the Swiss financial center,
professionalism, built on the high level of technical expertise of our teams,
flexibility, ensuring the fluidity required and guaranteeing a secure environment,
ethics in the practice of our trading profession, respectful of dialogue and the
environment, and committed to a long-term approach

Three principles summarize it

Relationships first and keeping our word

Relationships, integrity, and trust, from the first exchange to the complete execution of the contract. We have met every client we deal with, and the same contact follows you from the first contact to the final delivery.

Flexibility in the face of the unexpected

Our flexibility is our ability to respond to the unexpected: an evolving volume, a tight schedule, a specific origin, a last-minute constraint. Since 1986, the company has remained family-owned, independent, and true to its founding principles: to maintain control over every operation, with the primary goal of satisfying the customer.

Rigor and controlled risk

Dealing with a Swiss company means relying on a historic trading hub, top-tier banks, and a stable environment. From purchase to delivery, each step carries a risk that we assess and cover, with the support of our network of counterparties and Swiss trading banks.