The first bunches of chrysanthemums have been harvested at Van Helvoort Company in Kenya. On the 2ha farm near Lake Naivasha, one hectare has been harvested last week. This first harvest is for International Women's Day.
Left: Henk, Henja and Gert van Helvoort in Kenya. Right: The first spray chrysanthemums
Expansion into Kenya
That a Dutch chrysanthemum grower is expanding to Kenya is remarkable, but Bas van Mourik, CEO of Van Helvoort Company, sees great opportunities. "Conditions here are favorable and offer opportunities for stable and high-quality production. Moreover, Kenya is strategically well located for export to various markets," he says.
Team Kenya with Henk van Helvoort on the right side
Seasonal planning
After the current harvest, Van Helvoort Company is targeting the English Mother's Day in week 12 with the harvest of the other hectare. This will be followed by Dutch, German and French Mother's Day. From week 20, Van Helvoort Company expects to deliver on a fixed schedule, while at the same time responding to additional demand.
Other crops
Sitting still does not suit Bas and Van Helvoort Company, so in addition to chrysanthemums, they are also looking at opportunities for other cut flower crops to grow and are considering introducing 'packed at source'. For the future of the company, there are still some key focal points, Bas says. "You notice that the market in the Middle East keeps expanding, and we see opportunities there. In addition, sales in Europe remain important."
Sea freight
In the long term, Bas hopes there will be opportunities for transporting flowers by sea freight again and he is confident. "For now, fortunately, it also works via air. Of course, cultivation is also important for logistics, because you have to match the weight of the stems to the number of flowers per kilo, something that is crucial with fluctuating peak freight rates."
Growth
For this year, Van Helvoort Company expects to produce 4.5 million stems, to eventually expand considerably. Bas sees plenty of opportunities for rapid expansion. "The potential is huge and we look forward to growing our business further here," he concludes.
For more information:
Bas van Mourik
Van Helvoort Company
Tel: +31 (0) 418 67 71 55
info@vanhelvoortcompany.com
www.vanhelvoortcompany.com