As a child, Charlie Coiner, founder and owner of KBC Specialty Seeds, walked with his grandmother, Katie Belle Coiner, through the woods and meadows of Appalachia as she collected various mints, Heal-All, boneset, ginseng and other wild plants. These experiences germinated his lifelong love affair with aromatic and active plants.

In the 1980s Charlie met Dr. Jim Simon, of Purdue University, and later Rutgers University, while working to help Walter Reed Army Medical Research Center study the malaria drug that comes from Artemisia Annua plants.

At one period in his life, Charlie lived in a holistic healthcare community founded by Dr. Patch Adams, where Charlie was exposed to the concept that the grocery stores‘ fresh produce section would become the pharmacy of the future!

For decades Charlie has been making fascinating plants available to consumers.

Several years ago, Rutgers University licensed Charlie Coiner/KBC Specialty Seeds their downy mildew resistant line of basil plants. With the help of Charlie’s good friends, the Van Drunen family (VDF Specialty Seeds), the infrastructure for producing, marketing and distribution was developed.

The Rutgers University downy mildew resistant basil varieties, and others that will come along in the future, will be available through KBC Specialty Seeds.