Founded in 1923 to supply rural regions with agricultural goods and to market farmers’ products, BayWa grew into one of the world’s top ten agricultural traders, becoming so well-known that it was satirized in a catchy song set to the music of the Bavarian state hymn. At its 100-year anniversary, the state’s economy minister dubbed BayWa “the second-most important institution in rural areas, next to the Catholic church.” Even as the company claimed the title of Germany’s largest agricultural trader, it maintained its regional presence, continuing to supply Bavarian farmers with seeds and fertilizer, market their produce, repair their machinery and advise on farming methods.