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Van Tuijl has many customers. One of these customers is Genson Group, a collection of companies involved in growing soft fruit, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. Deliveries are made from Ireland to Poland. The company has its own nursery in Canada and several locations in the southern Netherlands. “Van Tuijl is reliable and innovative and the long-term relationship is paramount,” he says.
Frans de Vogel is managing director of Genson Group. “I grew up and trained in agriculture and horticulture. 4 years ago, I joined Genson Groep from the Van Gennep brothers. The 4 brothers mainly work at the operational level, they have a decisive role in it. The management consists of a CEO, CFO and MT team. Of course, it is seasonal work; in high season about 1,000 people work here full-time, in low season it is 275.”
Knowledge and experience at Genson
A strong feature of Genson Group is the knowledge and experience at their disposal. “We are betting on the new generation. We are at a high level: organisationally, but also cultivation-wise. That’s also what the client asks of us. It is important that we forecast and budget well. Until a few years ago, we grew plants outdoors. Now we grow all plants in trays, which allows controlled cultivation and increases uniformity and reliability. So it is important to forecast and budget well.
Transition in the grower world
Frans notices a transition going on in the grower world. “We are increasingly dependent on the climate. Tray fields are under a magnifying glass. There is strict scrutiny on how you handle your fertilisers and crop protection. So the challenge is to create new cultivation systems.”
Growth opportunities
This transition affects the future. “There is more and more automation and therefore fewer and fewer people are needed. There is more control and management. I also think there will be different requirements for plant types and we will work more plant-specific. This requires a whole chain of companies, so we are also investing in that. Van Tuijl plays an important role in this for us. Soft fruit is still a growth market; if we use the available area even better, we can definitely grow further.”
Cooperation with Van Tuijl
From ornamental plant cultivation, Frans already knew Van Tuijl. “Van Tuijl didn’t do much in soft fruit before. But because of our substantive relationship, we became an extension of each other. It really is a chain, of which both Genson and Van Tuijl are part. Whether you want to sell a plant or pick fruit yourself; you need each other. Granting is important here, because you have to do product development together. That is why a long-term relationship is paramount, that way we keep each other in balance.”
Addressing challenges
There are several challenges in the field, which are being worked on together. “For example, we are working project-wise on a better tray, to which automation can be applied, because now it is still a lot of manual work. In addition, we are mapping all crops and are building development projects.”
In conversation with each other
Clear communication is important in the collaboration between Genson and Van Tuijl, Frans points out. “Van Tuijl knows the standard we can work with. We speak clearly to each other about what they sell and what we need. For example, we know when a product is deliberately developed for single use, we don’t use it twice. Mutual expectations are clearly expressed and we engage with each other in time for the new season.”
Trading house and manufacturing company in one
“Van Tuijl excels in being both a trading house and a manufacturing company,” believes Frans. “They look outside the door when necessary and dare to stick their necks out.” Purchasing at Genson is never done at one company. “We are too big for that, the risk is too great. You don’t want to come to a standstill. We are originally a family business, so besides making money, continuity is important. There is absolute trust with Van Tuijl and a relationship based on the long term.”
Future vision
Frans thus sees a constructive future for the cooperation between Genson and Van Tuijl. Van Tuijl himself thinks proactively about improvements to the product range for Genson. “We understand each other and think with each other. Van Tuijl keeps to agreements, such as delivery times and volumes. It is business trading with a quibble. In terms of trade and production, Van Tuijl is definitely a total supplier. Price is important, but reliability is by far the top priority. Furthermore, Van Tuijl’s innovation is important to facilitate the transition going on in cultivation. We understand each other’s needs and issues, take each other seriously and are always open to questions or feedback. We know each other well and can therefore support each other. In this way, we are jointly committed to the future of soft fruit cultivation!”
