On Wednesday, December 10, Wouter van Marrewijk officially became a co-owner of Dutch cocktail tomato specialist, LeMa Tomaten. That led to a warm and memorable moment on Thursday morning, when his father Rob greeted him with a smile and the words, "So partner, what are we doing today?"
As long as Wouter can remember, he has been surrounded by tomato plants. He studied Commercial Economics and then worked at Royal Brinkman. He describes that time as very educational, but being directly involved in growing healthy, flavorful tomatoes is what truly gives him energy.
Wouter has already been working at the company for some time. The nursery covers an area of 5.5 hectares. "At first it took some getting used to when I came back to work in the business," he says. "The horticultural sector is changing rapidly. I have always committed myself to the company as if it were my own. In that sense, not much really changes, but on paper it is of course a different story."
Five years ago, he officially rejoined the family business. "Since then, I work every day with my father and mother, and that is something I truly enjoy and am very proud of."
About three years ago, it became clear that his father's business partner and co-founder, Ruud Leerdam, wanted to step back. Rob van Marrewijk and Ruud Leerdam founded the tomato nursery together in 2006. Since the beginning of this year, preparations have been underway for the moment when Wouter could take over part of the shares.
"I'm really looking forward to further professionalizing and making the company more sustainable over the coming years, together with our team," says Wouter. "It feels like a wonderful new phase, and I'm starting it with a great deal of confidence."
© LeMa Tomaten
Sustainability and professionalization
As a brand-new co-owner of a tomato nursery, Wouter is happy to report that he is still sleeping well, he laughs. "But that might change over the coming years," he adds realistically.
Wouter has taken part in the NextGen program at Flynth. At Growers United, the cooperative to which LeMa Tomaten is affiliated, there is also strong focus on future entrepreneurs through the Under 40 group. These programs cover many of the topics that are important for young growers. "I find these kinds of programs extremely valuable," says Wouter.
At the nursery on the Hoge Noordweg in Naaldwijk, the growers are currently in the middle of the crop changeover. The most hectic phase is already behind them. At the beginning of January, the new plants will go into the greenhouse, slightly later than usual, which makes this period of the year a bit calmer. Since the 2024 season, LeMa Tomaten has been growing the cocktail tomato variety Shivious.
Until a few years ago, winter production at the Naaldwijk site was done with artificial lighting. Since the energy crisis, the company has moved away from lit production and switched to unlit crops. To reduce energy consumption, several investments have been made in recent years, including the installation of a double energy screen and solar panels on the roof of the company building.
Collaboration
This year, the main focus was on the process that led to the signing of the agreements on Wednesday. Next year, the company will fully pick up the thread again with further steps in sustainability and professionalization. "We are constantly looking at what the next step should be, always together with our partners," Wouter explains.
Collaboration is something Wouter truly enjoys. "I like working closely with partners, such as Samax for energy, to get the most out of our operation. During the crop changeover I spend more time in the greenhouse, but I also enjoy being involved in all the other aspects that come with growing tasty, healthy tomatoes."
With Wouter as a co-owner, LeMa Tomaten clearly welcomes a modern horticultural entrepreneur into the business. For the time being, the company will continue under the same name. "Ruud put his heart and soul into this company for 17 years, and that is something we carry with us," Wouter says. "We have considered a name change, but we don't see the need to do that right away. Maybe one day we will come across a great new name, but for now it is not something we are actively working on."
For more information:
LeMa Tomatoes
Hoge Noordweg 17B
2671 DX Naaldwijk
[email protected]
www.lematomaten.nl
