A new merger in the tomato segment is in the making. Kwekerij Dukker and Zwinkels Tomaten announced that they would merge on 1 January 2019. The merger results in a total acreage of almost 40 hectares.
"For years there has been a natural fit between the entrepreneurs and a bond of trust that has been built up within the Prominent producer organization," says Aad Dukker. "Both companies have a preference for the cultivation of specialty tomatoes," says Tom Zwinkels. "From two strong family businesses to one robust multi-family company. This way each can specialize and ambitions can be achieved more optimally. Together with the enthusiastic employees, we continue to build a bright future with opportunities for all those involved."
About future plans the tomato growers report: "The current collaboration with, among others, producer organization Prominent, cooperative DOOR and Samax will be continued. All shareholders will take part in the management in which a division of duties in the field of expertise has taken place. Hans Zwinkels retires as shareholder, but will remain actively involved in the company in the coming years."
Prominent
Both tomato companies are members of the Prominent producer organization. Chairman Jack Groenewegen earlier this year advocated for an increase in scale in the sector. With the development of 'Prominent 2.0', the producer organization is focusing on future perpetuation. "The average company size is now around ten hectares. That is, in view of the present increase in scale in the sector, in 2028 no longer sufficient to work competitively in the retail segment in which we are active," said Jack in an article on Onderneming2026.nl.
"Prominent's management and advisory board then suggested the idea of merging all the companies of Prominent members into one large company. That gave a shock effect and logically led to a lot of discussion. But everyone realized that something had to be done. We eventually came up with three options: either a grower grows by himself, or he merges with one or more colleagues or he brings his company into Prominent. Growers have to make their own choice, on a voluntary basis."
Increase in scale
The merger between Kwekerij Dukker and Zwinkels Tomaten is the next on the list of mergers between Agro Care and Kesgro in 2016, De Kabel and Schenkelveld and RedStar and Looye Kwekers.
Kwekerij Dukker cultivates and packs vine tomatoes at two locations in the Tinte area. Zwinkels Tomaten cultivates vine tomatoes on 20 hectares, spread over three locations in the Westland. The company recently celebrated its 75th anniversary.