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Mike Gitzels after a year at the helm of the Gitzels family business:

"The place is still there, so something must go well"

Mike Gitzels, 30, has been the owner of the family business Plantenkwekerij Gitzels in Wervershoof, North Holland, for a year now. As such, he is part of the new, young generation of 'propagators'. In recent decades, the Gitzels family business has grown organically and through acquisitions into one of the leading propagators in the Netherlands. Taking over a family business is not an easy process - but as Mike puts it in a very down-to-earth way, characterizing the family, '"The place is still there, so something must go well."

Father and son Gitzels: "Family statute forms the basis for a successful takeover"

It requires years of preparation because an acquisition involves more than just a financial transaction, financing, and share transfer. It requires a careful, almost cultural, behavioral approach. After all, the new generation must come to embrace the core values and principles of the family business. Conversely, the family must understand the ambitions and insights of the new generation.

Mike says, "With us, that process developed organically. Back in 2018, I expressed my desire to take over the company. My parents supported the idea from the very beginning. At a fairly early stage, we drew up a family charter. Together with my parents, brother, and sister, we sat down around the table and discussed our personal wishes, individual goals, visions, and set our expectations towards each other." According to Mike, starting the acquisition process this way creates clarity, which is of great importance because everyone's expectations help shape the acquisition process.

History
The company was founded over 70 years ago by W.J. Gitzels and, thanks to its modern propagation systems, has rapidly developed, especially in the last 25 years, into a major grower of cabbage plants for the northern Netherlands. In the south of the Netherlands, they also count a good number of professional broccoli growers among their customers. In Zwaag, they made way for residential construction in 1999 and moved to Wervershoof. Glastuinbouwgebied Het Grootslag, now part of the Greenport Noord Holland-Noord area in the heart of Seed Valley, provides the right preconditions to ensure a growing location in the long term.

In the spring of 2011, the takeover of fellow plant nursery Joh. Kaan in Hem became a reality, laying a solid foundation for the future for both nurseries and their customers. Following the takeover of Monkey Flowers in 2020 and the realization of the new building on the same site, the company centralized to Wervershoof in the spring of 2021. The site of the former greenhouse in Hem was returned to nature. Together with Mike's team, he and his colleagues deliver some 165 million cabbage plants annually to outdoor vegetable growers in the region.

Ambitious
Shortly after completing his studies at HAS in Den Bosch, Mike gained extensive sector experience by working as a consultant, helping plant breeders and growers develop techniques and optimize production processes. Mike says, "Through this experience, you develop commercial skills and become familiar with entrepreneurship by working on your own and learning from fellow growers." His experience grew partly because he became fully responsible for the new construction of the greenhouse complex in 2020. Besides developing professional knowledge, gaining management experience is also an important aspect of ensuring continuity. "This applies to me, of course. You have to gain the trust of your family and the employees."

"Daring to receive feedback from your team makes you stronger."

"We have 40 employees on our payroll. They too have had to accept me. And they have." He thinks this is because he has been around the company since he was 12 years old. "And I think I also got that from my mother; she is really a people person."

Mike is ambitious. "We work with almost all seed companies. Sometimes we are the extension of their research and production innovations. In doing so, we also want to increase the share of organic. Together with eight colleague companies and Wageningen University, we will conduct research on the influence of microbiomes on soil quality. Conventional growers can learn so much from organic farming, especially when it comes to maintaining and improving soil quality. We believe as a company that we should add value to the whole sector and continue to do so." Last year, Gitzels was nominated for the Horticultural Entrepreneur Award. The award ceremony will take place on 12 March. "We are proud to be confirmed that we are on the right track," he says.

Takeover tips
A takeover process is not only a financial business process but also a psychological one. Mike has been aware of this throughout the process. Hence, he also used the expertise of an external expert. Mike says, "Hiring an external expert with experience costs a lot of money. But when you set that against the importance of the 'case', it is foolish not to do it. It has helped me and my family immensely. After all, the continuity interest is all-important. Short-term costs are secondary to that." Mike hopes the younger generation remains motivated to continue family businesses. "If you are considering entering the process, be clear about what your wishes are, speak up. Seek help from an external expert with experience, and be honest with yourself, your family, and your employees. Most importantly, show understanding. Understanding for yourself, your family, and those around you."

As for whether Mike will continue to manage the company as owner as long as his predecessors did, he is undecided. "I think it is important that the company continues to develop. The external influx of management and/or management qualities can help in that respect. And I have that attitude because for me, one thing is certain: nothing stays the same."

For more information:
Mike Gitzels
Gitzels
Kerkeland 4
1693 NP Wervershoof
0228 - 58 73 00 (Cabbage plants)
0228 - 58 73 02 (Breeding services)
[email protected]
www.gitzels.nl