Pepper buyer Pieter Verduijn now seller at Royal Peppers

As a pepper buyer for Bos Brothers, Pieter Verduijn was already working with Royal Peppers, the pepper cultivation company owned by the Van den Bosch family with locations in Bergschenhoek, Bleiswijk and Rilland. When the British retailer Morrisons indicated they wanted to close Bos Brothers, Peter and Patrick van den Bosch moved swiftly to get Pieter as a seller, an activity they had been doing themselves in recent years.

Jan van den Bosch started in 1969 as a grower of tomatoes and cucumbers. In 1990 the nursery switched to the cultivation of peppers. With the entry of sons Peter and Patrick the nursery has been greatly extended in recent years. At first three separate companies were created, but in 2012 the three pepper growers decided to join and go under the name Royal Peppers. In November 2014 there was an opportunity to extend further and the location in Bleiswijk was added. The peppers are sorted centrally in Rilland.

"Now I'm on the other side of the table," laughs Pieter, who is tasked with marketing red, yellow and orange peppers from a total area of around 30 hectares. "Royal Peppers is one of the few pepper growers of this size, that isn't connected to a sales organisation. This freedom speaks to me. You're free to look around and choose your collaborations. I have always worked indirectly for a supermarket, so I can bring that experience. We have a good collaboration with Dutch companies who supply supermarkets."

"What I like about Royal Peppers is the positive approach. It's a very proud family company, where they work very hard. Patrick and Peter are both in their early 30s and are passionate growers, who have strengthened the company with their own insight and vision. I want to contribute to that," says Pieter. "I have also always liked peppers as a product. Compared to other greenhouse vegetables it's much harder to predict the supply."

"The last few years haven't been rosy for peppers, but this year the pepper growers can't complain. The supply from Spain is lacking, firstly due to the heat, and then the water damage, so there are still opportunities for a nice close to the season. And we have 2.5 hectares of peppers under bulbs, so we often have product available slightly earlier than most."

"I haven't been here regularly in recent months, but as of this month, September, I am working from Rilland full time. The Dutch pepper season is in its last phase, so we're already fully preparing for the new season. Will we choose coarse or finer peppers? What kind of opportunities does the foreign cultivation offer to add to the assortment? Right now it's in the future, but these are things to think about," concludes Pieter.

For more information:
Pieter Verduijn
Royal Peppers
Nieuwe Dwarsweg 7
4411 TG Rilland
Tel. 0031 (0) 113-551689
sales@royalpeppers.nl
www.royalpeppers.nl