Belgian agricultural group Arvesta marks its 125th anniversary. In an interview with Flemish agricultural publication VILT, CEO Niek Depoorter reflects on the company's history and its position in the agricultural and horticultural sectors.
Today, Arvesta is also active in greenhouse horticulture, with shareholdings in companies including Hortiplan and Van der Hoeven Horticultural Projects. These activities have strengthened the group's international presence.
Depoorter took office as CEO on 1 January 2024, during a challenging period. The year 2023 proved difficult for Arvesta. "The Covid years were exceptional for Arvesta, but in 2023 that trend reversed due to developments in raw material prices. Like many companies, we faced a challenging year. In 2024 we saw a recovery, partly because we approached the raw materials market more efficiently. The final results for 2025 are not yet available, but we expect them to be in line with 2024. Due to the geopolitical situation, our greenhouse horticulture segment, which operates worldwide, faced difficulties as several large projects were put on hold. At the same time, our core activities in Belgium performed better than the year before."
VILT also asked Depoorter about the company's acquisitions in recent years. "Becoming bigger is not an objective in itself. But if you want to build expertise and play a meaningful role in the market, scale is necessary. In recent years we have completed several important acquisitions. In the coming period, our main focus will be on realising the synergies that result from these acquisitions."
