The New Generation at Wim Peters Kwekerijen
In the village of Someren in Brabant, a beautiful family-run horticultural business is preparing for a generational shift. Wim Peters Kwekerijen is a modern greenhouse company with a rich history. Lisa and Nikki Peters – together with their brother Tom – represent the new generation taking over the company. EatThis. spoke with Lisa and Nikki, two young women who will soon be running a large horticultural company in a sector still dominated by men.
Was it always clear that you would join the family business?
Lisa:
“No, not for me. I was always interested in the company, but I didn’t see myself working there forever, partly because others didn’t expect it either. In the past, the focus – not from our family but mostly from outsiders – was always on the son. Everyone assumed my brother Tom would take over. No one ever asked Nikki or me.
When I started helping with marketing and communications one day a week after my studies, I discovered that I really enjoyed it. When we took sales into our own hands, I went full-time. In the beginning, people would only ask for Tom, even when I was standing right next to him. I remember thinking, ‘And what about me?’ In recent years it has become clear that the three of us – Nikki, Tom and I – are taking over the company with a great team.”
Nikki:
“Not for me either. Since we started doing our own sales, a lot more opportunities have opened up. We can now fully shape the products, branding and communication in our own way, and I love that.
During Lisa’s maternity leave, I took over her tasks and worked with my colleagues on new ideas. You end up staying because the combination of great colleagues and all the opportunities makes this work very special. And the fact that I get to do this in our family business makes it even more meaningful.”
What does being a ‘family business’ mean to you today?
Nikki:
“For me, it’s all about personality, atmosphere and that true family feeling. I think it’s important to create a low-threshold work environment, like the atmosphere you often find within a family. And I really feel that vibe here. Of course, it’s a challenge to maintain that as the company grows, but we are constantly working on it because it truly matters to us.”
Lisa:
“A pleasant working atmosphere, a personal approach, people listening to each other, and everyone feeling responsible for the family business.”
How do you balance family and work?
Nikki:
“To be honest, we’re always talking about tomatoes or the company. We sometimes joke that we should talk about something else for a change, but somehow the conversation always circles back to tomatoes. Of course, we talk about other things too, but the company and everything that comes with it is always the main topic at the table.”
Lisa:
“We often talk about work. At home is sometimes actually the best time to ask questions, since during work hours everyone is busy with their own tasks. But if someone doesn’t feel like it or there are many other people around, I know when to stop.”
What does a typical day look like? What gives you energy in your work?
Lisa:
“My days are always different. Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time on HR-related matters: talking with employees, developing policies, attracting new colleagues, and so on. In addition, I still really enjoy working on marketing and communication projects, such as organizing trade shows, developing new concepts, or taking on projects within our sustainability vision.”
Nikki:
“In the mornings I work in the commercial department, talking to clients and coordinating with colleagues in the warehouse. I also spend time in the backend of our sales system. In the afternoons I focus more on company communications. And because we are a family business, all kinds of things pop up – from handing out birthday gifts to organizing events.
I find it important to really understand the whole company. So you might see me doing something completely different next year!”
What are your personal and professional ambitions for the company?
Lisa:
“Together with Tom and Nikki, I want to keep building our family business. We do this by creating a positive company culture where people enjoy working and want to stay. We also want to make a positive impact on our employees and society through our healthy and sustainable products. Personally, I also want to be there for my family and enjoy life with friends and loved ones.”
Nikki:
“Right now, I want to learn as much as I can about what’s happening within the company. Of course, you can’t do everything at once, but it’s important to have a good overview. That’s what I want to focus on in the near future.”
You’re young women in a mostly male sector – how do you experience that?
Lisa:
“It’s definitely a male-dominated world. Wherever I go for business, I’m usually surrounded by men. I think it would be great to see more female perspectives in our industry.
Horticulture is such a wonderful sector, working with delicious, healthy and beautiful products. I’d tell all women: come take a look and just go for it!”
Nikki:
“It’s still a man’s world, that’s true. But that can also be funny sometimes – you end up having very interesting conversations. Take Looye, for example – a company run by three daughters who’ve built something amazing together. I find that super inspiring and a great example of how it can also be done in horticulture.
In our company I don’t see it as a problem. I actually enjoy working with men. And we’re definitely seeing more women entering the field, so change is slowly happening. But right now, it’s still mostly a man’s world.”
What would you do differently from the previous generation?
Lisa:
“We’re already involved in shaping the future direction of the company. Personally, I’d like to further professionalize the organization and focus more on being an attractive employer – both for current and future employees. I also find it important to show the outside world how beautiful the horticulture sector is.”
Nikki:
“Some things have been done the same way for generations, and that has worked well. But times are changing. It’s also exciting to come up with completely new ideas. In the past, there may not have been time for these kinds of initiatives, but now we can do very different things with tomatoes that bring a fresh perspective.”
Nikki, you recently completed the Slow Food Youth Network Academy. What insights did you gain, and how do you bring those back to the family business?
Nikki:
“Yes! Over the past six months I’ve visited places in the Netherlands I would’ve never gone to otherwise – from a slaughterhouse to fisheries. What struck me most is that everyone works in their own way with a lot of dedication. The media often paints a certain picture of sectors or people, but when you talk to them, you discover passionate individuals behind every role. Many people are open to change, but it’s often hard or made nearly impossible for them.
With my case group, we worked on a project for Greenport West-Holland. It was fascinating to see how our perspective on greenhouse horticulture evolved from day one to the final day. One recurring theme was transparency.
If the greenhouse sector doesn’t communicate clearly, the public fills in the blanks – which leads to misconceptions, like the overuse of chemicals or so-called ‘water tomatoes’.
It really opened my eyes to the importance of not only communicating about our own business but about the sector as a whole. It’s a shame we can’t give everyone a tour of our greenhouses – if they saw it for themselves, they’d realize how much we’re already doing right. And that’s what defines greenhouse horticulture: we are always improving. I’m convinced there will be many new, exciting ideas to further innovate and become more sustainable in the coming years.
I also got to know many other sectors, and it’s inspiring to see how everyone is trying to adapt and move forward. We often live in our own bubble, and seeing what others are doing gives you a fresh perspective.”
Why do you think it’s important as a grower to connect with society through initiatives like EatThis and SFYN?
“By collaborating with other parties, you gain a broader perspective on the sector. I actually found it very valuable to talk with people from outside greenhouse horticulture. That brings new insights and helps you view your work differently.
EatThis and SFYN contribute to that, because they involve young people and consumers in food-related issues. They foster more openness and give us, as growers, the opportunity to think together about the future of greenhouse horticulture, sustainability, and food quality.”
How do you see the future of the Dutch greenhouse vegetable sector?
Lisa:
“There are many opportunities: the growing interest in healthy food, developments in robotics, automation, AI and sustainability. Of course, that last one is also a challenge, especially with rising labor and energy costs and stricter environmental regulations.”
Nikki:
“The biggest challenges are indeed the high energy and labour costs. It makes the future a bit uncertain. We’re all working hard on sustainability, but it requires major investments and isn’t a quick fix.
Luckily, there are also plenty of opportunities, and we’re grabbing them with both hands. Right now we’re involved in several projects and partnerships that will only make us better and stronger.
Another big opportunity is health. More and more people want or need to eat healthier and are choosing locally grown products. I’d love to work more closely with partners in our region.”
What do you hope people will say about Wim Peters Kwekerijen in 20 years?
Lisa:
“That Wim Peters Kwekerijen is a great family business where people love to work and want to stay. The company grows the most flavorful tomatoes in a sustainable way and has experienced impressive growth. In addition, we make a healthy and positive impact on both our colleagues and people beyond the company.”
Nikki:
“That the same welcoming atmosphere still exists and people still enjoy working here. That we keep pioneering with tomatoes, looking ahead, and creating a great healhy product with a fun group of people!”
Contact:
Wim Peters Kwekerijen
www.wimpeterskwekerijen.nl
Lisa: lisa@wimpeterskwekerijen.nl
Nikki: nikki@wimpeterskwekerijen.nl
