They started in 2013 as a 4-acre company, producing around 1 million plants in their first year. By now, Canadian propagator Roelands Plant Farms produces 17 million plants on a 20-acre facility. With this rapid growth, they earned a spot in the ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies.
The Roelands Plant Farms management team - missing in the photo is Edward Thoren, head grower
Growing grower
Roelands Plant Farms is a propagation greenhouse that grows hydroponic vegetable plants from seed and ships them to production greenhouses across North America. “We started in 2013 as 4 acres, producing around 1 million plants in our first year. Growth since then has been rapid, we just completed our latest construction phase in August 2021 which now puts our facility at 20 acres. This year we will be producing about 17 million plants with a staff of 150 employees,” says Ryan Jasevicius, General Manager of Roelands Plant Farms.
With this growth, they made it to place No. 408 on the 2021 Report on Business ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies. Canada’s Top Growing Companies ranks Canadian companies on three-year revenue growth. Roelands Plant Farms earned its spot with three-year growth of 66%.
Rise in controlled environment agriculture
Jasevicius credits the rise in controlled environment agriculture to the company’s growth and credits having a team of remarkably level-headed individuals for the company’s stability. “We are continuously cross-checking our decision making with the core values that started the company. We’re growing fast, but ensuring the quality of our product isn’t compromised is our foremost priority. Investments in automation, continually improving operational efficiency, and an amazing hardworking team makes it all possible. We’re having a lot of fun and looking forward to the future."
In addition, the team at Roelands Plant Farms launched a sister company called Plantables in 2017. “Plantables is our direct-to-consumer, e-commerce brand which brings our expertise in growing plants to the home gardener. The entrepreneurial spirit flows strongly in our company, we toss around a lot of ideas. We contemplated ways to ship vegetable plants directly to the customer’s door and we knew something was there. We built a website, designed packaging, tested varieties, and hired a marketing firm. It took about 2 years of fine-tuning, trial and error, and refining, but Plantables is now really hitting its stride. Revenue has doubled each year since its inception, and we have big ambitions for it. We’re currently working on some products geared towards balcony and container gardeners. We’re very excited for the future of Plantables,” says Jasevicius.
Launched in 2019, the Canada’s Top Growing Companies editorial ranking aims to celebrate entrepreneurial achievement in Canada by identifying and amplifying the success of growth-minded, independent businesses in Canada. It is a voluntary program; companies had to complete an in-depth application process in order to qualify. In total, 448 companies earned a spot on this year’s ranking. The full list of 2021 winners, and accompanying editorial coverage, is published in the October issue of Report on Business magazine and online.
Roelands Plant Farms Inc.
5894 Douglas Line
Lambton Shores, ON
N0N 1J5
Phone 519.786.6001
Cell 519.330.6216
www.roelandsplant.ca