On a dark December Wednesday, Maurice Langeslag, along with Nikki and Tom Peters of Wim Peters Nurseries, are outside in between business setting up a large party tent. Christmas is coming and it will be celebrated with a staff party that Friday.

The moment is typical of the Brabant family business with origins in The Hague. In Someren, with grower Wim's three children, the fourth generation has now entered a firmly professionalized tomato growing company. The most striking step is the one taken two years ago, when they started their own sales.

The step fits into the extensive action plan that a four-member management team is now working on. A new striking step is imminent: independent trade fair participation in Fruit Logistica 2024.together with Wim's children, who are 'slowly rolling in'. The goal: to continue the family tradition even a hundred years from now. Wim: "Despite our growth ambitions, we want to remain that social family business. That is sometimes quite difficult, but it is in our DNA."

Maurice Langeslag, Nick Greijmans, Tom Peters, Lisa Peters, Wim Peters, Nikki Peters and Wilbert van Bussel. Wim: "I had and have a lot of confidence in the team."

Customer-oriented tomato growing
A very violent hailstorm seemed to put an end to all ambitions very briefly in the summer of 2016. The greenhouses were completely in ruins. Still "basically everyone" asks about it in conversation with the people of Wim Peters Nurseries. We'll skip the subject this time, although the moment did signal the start of professionalization that has since begun in Someren.

A total of 31 hectares has Wim Peters Nurseries anno now. Of these, 21 hectares are equipped with lighting. This winter the lights will be on on 15 hectares. Last winter that was on 4 hectares, due to the energy crisis. The tomato growing company has opted for customer-oriented tomato growing since 2017.

This choice manifests itself, among other things, in a cultivation with greenhouses arranged in smaller compartments that can be controlled separately as well as the choice for more exclusive varieties. Those who come to Someren for tomatoes can choose from, among others, vine cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, Coeur de Boeuf tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes and what they call 'taste tomatoes' in Someren. In short, not the standard varieties, but the more exclusive varieties.

Maurice: "We think it's a sport, those trickier crops."

Assortment
There is continuous development in the range of varieties. New varieties from the portfolio of breeding companies are sometimes added on our own initiative. Conversely, it also happens that customers ask Someren to grow something exclusively for them. Maurice: "In a long-term relationship, we are open to that." Two varieties will be added in 2024. Which ones exactly, that will remain a secret in mid-December.

The tomatoes they grow in Someren mainly go out the door under private label. Maurice: "As a custom grower, we think along with cultivation and packaging requirements as much as possible. Craftsmanship is central to this. Craftsmanship from cultivation experience and optimal growing conditions."

Expansion of the own-brand line in 2023 to include the Ajara brand containing the San-Marzano tomato.

Tomatoes not sold under private label find their way to the market in their own branded boxes with a recognizable own house style referring to Wim Peters Nurseries. As of January 1, 2022, they do so without the intervention of cooperative ZON. The 'Umami' brand already came on the market in 2021 for vine cherry tomatoes. This year this line was expanded with the brand 'Ajara' in which, among other things, the newest addition is marketed: the San Marzano tomato.

The farewell to ZON was taken deliberately in 2021. Wim: "In that year I received confirmation from several quarters to take that step. In a conversation with one of our relations, I was told, 'You are the exception.' I also don't know many other growers who do what we do, and that on over thirty acres."

Own brand boxes from Wim Peters Nurseries

Rock solid confirmation
In Someren, they don't regret the move. On the contrary. "We wanted to work harder than was possible within the cooperative," Maurice states. He points, besides being able to "work more freely" as the main reason for the move, to the well-known advantages such as shorter lines of communication. "Customers are increasingly asking for that." In the case of Wim Peters Kwekerijen's sales team, it means that, if necessary, the salespeople can switch gears at lightning speed with the cultivators in the greenhouse next to the office. Customer contact has always been a good thing, Wim emphasizes. "I actually always knew where every pallet was going."

Since the move to own sales, horticulture had to deal with the energy crisis, while a tailspin of corona also came into play. "It definitely helped that we already had such close contact with our customers," Wim points out. Like many growers, passing on increased costs had to be discussed. Maurice nods. "The crisis was a rock-solid confirmation that we did the right thing in the step we took."

Wim Peters Nurseries installed swallow boxes

Sustainable deeds
Now that that last step has been taken, people in Someren continue to take steps. Important to this is a sustainability manifesto called "The Future of Tradition. The plan focuses on five pillars, namely energy and environment, water, biodiversity, residual streams and the local community.

Steps are being taken in all these areas. Wim calls the first pillar, energy and environment, "perhaps the most difficult," while he considers the biodiversity pillar "perhaps the most enjoyable." Wim Peters Kwekerijen wants to be off gas by 2033. They are currently investigating various options for this, in addition to the CHP and biomass power plant already in place. In the area of biodiversity, steps have already been taken with sheep as mowers and birds as pest controllers. Technically, steps are also being taken, for example by netting off all greenhouses by the end of 2024.

The sustainability plan is being implemented with working groups, where the company has gradually discovered that some topics are particularly close to employees' hearts. "In a series of videos yet to come out, you're going to see that," Wim reveals in advance.

The ambitious (sustainability) plans capture the imagination. Also with the buyers of their tomatoes. "That we are asked to share our sustainability presentation at the headquarters of a supermarket chain is a nice recognition of what you are doing."

Water basin in the recreational area created by Wim Peters Nurseries around the greenhouses.

Independent to Berlin
Growth ambitions are also there. This is evident from a new step to be taken next spring. Wim Peters Nurseries will be at Fruit Logistica in Berlin with its own stand. "That we are going to take that step perhaps says it all," Wim acknowledges. "Three years back, when the idea of our own marketing started to come into play, we didn't think we would be this far by now."

The professionalization of the organization has helped, as has the arrival of the fourth generation. "The young people, they want to move forward. Our sales and organization are ready for growth." And laughing, "No, that booth, we're not going to build it ourselves. But count on it being beautiful."