Breeder Pop Vriend Seeds: Growth due to broadening of base

Although Pop Vriend Seeds is heading towards its sixtieth anniversary, for many parties in the horticultural industry it is still relatively unknown. Developments in recent years, however, are bringing the company more to the forefront of the sector. The range was expanded and Pop Vriend is also manifesting itself more explicitly in the fresh product market. "In the crops we work in, we already belong to the top 3 in the industry."

Pop Vriend Seeds was founded almost sixty years ago by Andijker Pop Vriend. The company started in seed trade and cultivation. In the 70s they started breeding green beans. In the 90s spinach and sweetcorn were added.

Pop Vriend has been breeding its own assortment of green beans since the 70s. Initially the focus was mainly on the industry: parties like Hak and Bonduelle were well-known acquaintances. Now the focus is on the fresh products market - and therefore the grower. The Falcao attracted a lot of attention at last year's Fruit Logistica. The combination of the fresh green, somewhat darker color and good shelf life resulted in trade interest. Breeder Frank van Kampen: "This is the quality they want. The breed is flexible and can therefore be widely used. In beans the PV 883 also draws attention. That variety is suitable for the fine sortings and is picked without the stem. This so-called 'clean pick' makes the PV 883 suitable for processing.

Spinach has long been an important crop for Pop Vriend Seeds. Spinach with resistance 1-15 is now available year-round. "From the smooth-leaf to the savoy or crinkled leaf varieties," says R&D manager Jan de Visser, who knows the market demand for a wide range of resistant varieties. "We have a complete range of 13 varieties with resistance 1-15."

De Visser estimates that there are about 50 varieties worldwide. "From niche to mass." He shows PV 1202, a spring savoy-leaf. "Standing, with a fine texture: nicely puckered. And they make for a good harvest: before they grew flat and the sand decreased the quality." Notable in the range is the advancement of the baby leaf: "We hear it from packers and also see it abroad: in salads and mixes – it’s on its way." They’re playing into this with the PV 1189, a variety that combines resistance with a remarkable leaf quality. "It gets dark very quickly and has strong leaves. You don’t see that much."

And Pop Vriend Seeds’ developments don’t stop with beans, spinach and sweet corn. With the acquisition of AgriSemen this year they’ll be supplying the Dutch spinach market themselves. The R&D center in Andijk was renewed in 2014 and beetroot was added to the range in 2015. The company now has about 65 employees, and it does not look as if the developments are over. This year the product range will be expanded with carrots. "We're looking for crops that suit us, that can make us stand out and to which we can add value. This is how we continue to grow."

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