For thirty years, Johan and Monique Smeets (both 56) enjoyed growing cucumbers in their Helmond greenhouses. But when their son Rick (25) joined the business, Monique started to feel the pinch: working seven days a week, did she want that for him? Couldn't they better swap the cucumbers for campers and caravans? The idea was a bit of a switch for Rick in particular, he tells Rabobank. "I was still very happy with the cucumbers. But thanks to the caravans, I do have more freedom now."
Rick stepped into the family business in 2018. In winter 2022, he tied the knot and made the switch to caravan storage. Monique's father, from whom she and her husband took over the business in 1998, struggled with the decision. "He didn't understand why we were giving up a thriving business for an uncertain future. I found that quite difficult. But it was an educated choice. We knew how much we had to invest and what it could yield in the long run. That gave us confidence." Rick too became convinced.