Rens Aarts recently took over Kwekerij Gerard Aarts, his parents' cucumber and tomato nursery, in the Dutch municipality of Asten-Heusden. "We wanted a fair transition for all parties involved, and we succeeded." ABAB (a full-service accounting, tax, and consulting firm in the Netherlands) assisted with the transfer of the business and supported the young entrepreneur with a personal development program.
The nursery has been in operation since 1985 and has significantly expanded over the years, now spanning nearly 10 hectares. Cucumbers and tomatoes are grown during the winter months. By the end of January, the last tomato harvest is underway in one section, while another is undergoing a thorough cleaning, and a third is ready for planting cucumbers. This is set to happen again in week 6.
"Every year, our autumn tomato season lasts very long, until the end of January. Unfortunately, this year, we have missed out on some good prices," said Rens on the last day of January. He has been a 100% shareholder since January 1, 2022, following a five-year development program. His father, Gerard, still works in the family business. Rens jokes: "He's an employee these days. My father is my free consultant."
Takeover Process
Rens Aarts started helping out in the business when he was twelve and went full-time after graduating from horticulture high school. "During that time, we bought land from a neighbor, and I was involved in the permit application and in requesting construction quotes. I learned a lot from this experience, which is why I decided not to pursue further studies."
Rens joined the company in 2018. To take over the nursery, he first had to work there for a few years. "ABAB guided us through this process. They thoroughly examined how we could arrange this as tax-efficiently as possible. Besides, I have two sisters who work part-time in the business. We wanted to make the transition fair for them as well."
Apart from his two sisters and father, Gerard, Rens' wife, also works in the business, handling the administration. "It's truly a family business," says Rens.
Gerard and Rens Aarts of Kwekerij Aarts B.V.
Various disciplines involved
ABAB was involved in various disciplines. Tax advisor Harald Teunissen handled the tax structuring of the business transfer, and lawyer Marianne van Rooij took care of its legal implementation. Naturally, arrangements also had to be made for Rens' parents and sisters. Financial planner Frank Kuijpers provided a clear financial overview, and lawyer Michelle van Heereveld ensured that wills and similar documents were updated.
"I had many discussions with the ABAB team. They explained, for example, how to read the annual accounts, from which I learned a lot. However, Harald also devised various strategies for the transfer and was able to clearly explain what that would look like. He and Frank Kuijpers ensured that everyone knew exactly what they were getting into. They also highlighted areas of concern. Ultimately, we were able to choose the plan that we all felt most comfortable with, including my parents, my sisters, and myself. The most important thing for us was to ensure that the takeover was handled fairly for everyone."
In addition to the practical aspects of the business transfer, the entrepreneur also wanted to work on personal development. Together with relations manager John Hopman, he followed a personal development program that included a Personal Profile Analysis (PPA) test and several discussions. "This helped me identify and improve my personal development points."
Future
After the business takeover, Rens has continued to run the family business in the same way his father did. There's currently a strong focus on the energy issue. "That's also my father's responsibility." The reason for the increased focus on energy in the business, which currently operates with CHPs, is the potential for future expansion. "We were able to buy land from a neighbor last autumn. We have permission to expand on that former arable land and have obtained a building permit for this."
At the moment, Rens and his team are making plans for this. "We are located in a horticultural area, but I'm primarily trying to manage everything regarding energy myself. I'm looking into combinations with, for example, heat pumps." But first, it will be necessary to finish harvesting the last tomatoes this week and then quickly move on to cucumbers.
For more information:
Kwekerij Aarts
[email protected]
www.kwekerijaarts.nl
ABAB Accountants and Advisors
[email protected]
www.abab.nl
