GigaGeneticsAkatsuka
Nicolas Akatsuka & son potiron géant
Our genetics · The story of Nicolas Akatsuka

It all begins
with a seed.

At GigaGenetics Akatsuka, we don’t just sell seeds. We pass on the urge to dare.

My story

From a simple squash to a French record.

I didn’t start with records. I didn’t grow up in a family of giant-vegetable champions. At first, I was simply a passionate gardener.

It all started at the age of 25. Like many, I bought shop seeds to grow my vegetable patch. Among them was a simple Cucurbita maxima squash. I didn’t know it yet, but that plant would change the way I saw gardening.

Every morning, I found a plant bigger than the day before. Day after day, I watched that pumpkin grow, and the more it grew, the more one question kept coming back:

« How far can it go? »

That curiosity quickly became a passion. I began to read, observe and experiment — to understand what these extraordinary plants need and give them the best conditions to reach their full potential.

Over the years, this passion led me to meet France’s greatest giant-vegetable growers. Alongside them I learned an enormous amount: their experience, their advice and above all their mindset.

In 2021, I truly committed. I had found far more than a hobby: a family of enthusiasts. From then on, every season became a new chance to progress — pumpkins, but also giant sunflowers, tomatoes and watermelons, each with its own challenges.

Nicolas Akatsuka & son potiron de 588 kg
Nicolas Akatsuka & his 588 kg pumpkin — greenhouse-grown, Herrlisheim (Alsace).
The track record

Three seasons, four titles.

  1. 20237.10 m

    Giant sunflower

    French height record

    After two years of intensive learning, my first big goal became reality.

    Giant sunflower — 7.10 mGiant sunflower — 7.10 m
  2. 2024588 kg

    Pumpkin · 150 Square Feet Challenge

    World runner-up

    The biggest possible pumpkin on 14 m². Nearly 1.60 m wide — an unforgettable 2nd place worldwide.

    Pumpkin · 150 Square Feet Challenge — 588 kg
  3. 202580 kg

    Giant watermelon

    French record

    New challenge, new record.

    Giant watermelon — 80 kg
  4. 20253.320 kg

    Giant tomato

    French champion

    The biggest tomato in the country. Two goals, one season — both achieved.

    Giant tomato — 3.320 kg
What I believe

Today, when I think back to that first squash bought almost by chance, I realise it all started with a simple seed… and an immense curiosity.

If I share this adventure through GigaGenetics Akatsuka, it isn’t only to sell seeds. It’s to pass on a deep conviction:

Records aren’t reserved for a few exceptional people. They belong to those willing to learn, to persevere, and to believe that a simple seed can become something extraordinary.

Whatever your level. Whether you dream of harvesting your first giant vegetable or breaking a record, it all begins in exactly the same place… with a simple seed.

Signed by my own hand,Nicolas Akatsuka

Ready to write the next chapter?

Every genetic line tells a story. Now write yours.