Business

History

After getting my degree in horticulture, I worked for a big plantpropagator in Holland (WPK).
WPK is specialized in growing “warm” plants (tomatos, cucumbers etc.) After some years I was responsible for all the labour and planning.
After 5 years working for WPK, I decided to do something completely different: consultancy.
The desicion to work for the strawberry team within DLV advisory group was a logical one, because of my loving for soft fruits (especially strawberries).
Doing advisory to production farms in Holland, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, England, Scotland, Spain and Portugal, gives you quite a good picture what is going in Europe.
With this beautiful job I still was looking to something with more challenge.

The main target of v/d Avoird Trayplant is:
Satisfied customers by selling: a high quality and distinctive product for the customer. 

Secondary targets: 

• Maintaining a high level of knowledge by networking.
• Spreading the risk by growing 4 to 6 different crops.
• One crop not more than 25% of the total money.
• Good relationship between customers and v.d. Avoird trayplant .
• Taking care of company responsabilities towards the environment and the society.
• Provide advisory service to clients.

2008:

In total there are 13 permanent employees at the company and a group of regular "Saturday school" (14) during the peak period, assisted by Polish workers. The six-week summer break is almost all work taken care of by students.

In 2008 we grow on four different locations, with 12 ha of cultivated area (1.7 ha glass, container 7 ha field and 4 ha of open ground). We produce this year more than 1.4 million raspberry 1,5 mil. strawberry and a 300,000 blackberryplants. Also, in September 2008 a start was made with the production of strawberry cultivation in Almeria Spain. A new challenge in which the first steps in 2002 have already been created.

2011:

The last two years, sales of raspberry plants has grown. This spring we made 2.5 million little raspberry plants. Of this, 85% has been delivered as rooted plug plants. The rest is also grown as a "long cane". Tulameen, Maravilla, Erica and Glen Ample are the biggest var. In addition, several new varieties are been grown (Lagorai, Kweli, and some varieties numbers). Sales of these plants occurs throughout Europe. Netherlands, Germany, France, Portugal and Spain are the largest customers. For next year we will probably pass the 3 million plants. Of these, half primorycanes and half floracane varieties.

The Everberry varieties also seems to grow in Belgium and the Netherlands. The new flavor varieties do well in a summer crop cultivation or tabletops. Some var. also appear to be suitable to grow as a short day.

Eves Delight : last year, the experimental test between the normal cultivation (August planting in the ground). As in practice this early yield is between 20-32 tons (25 tons experimental in researchstation) production and then again from mid-July production. Financially, this crop is good for several years. However, sales through auctions remain a "problem" because there is not always enough and every day products delivered. This year the production is 700,000 plants (2008: 30,000!).

The blackberry crop is further reduced and are only made to order. This spring, the Spanish branch of production has stopped.

In total, 2.4 hectares cultivated in glass, container fields, 8.5 ha and 5 ha of open ground. The number of permanent forces 13 (8 parti numbers). During the summer, employs a 100-130 school and during other holidays and Saturdays we have a group of about 25.