The Flavour Farm (Cibus Capital) acquires Duijvestijn Tomaten to launch a platform for a European-wide network focused on the sustainable production of fresh produce in high-tech glasshouses.
With the acquisition of Duijvestijn Tomaten by The Flavour Farm, a new era will begin for the former family business. This is the first step in the development of a European-wide network of production facilities focused on the local production, sales, and marketing of year-round and sustainably grown vegetables in high-tech greenhouses.
“The acquisition of Duijvestijn Tomaten is our first step. Duijvestijn is a well-established leader in the field of sustainably grown premium tomatoes, and the business will play a core role in our future activities. The Flavour Farm and Duijvestijn share the same values, which will form the basis of the business as it continues to grow”, explains CEO Gert van Straalen of The Flavour Farm.
The former shareholders of Duijvestijn Tomaten are happy with this move. Duijvestijn Tomaten CEO Ad van Adrichem indicates that the tomato producer has been reviewing its future role in the international greenhouse-grown vegetable market: “We have made a strategic decision in an ever-changing market in which scale and collaboration are becoming increasingly important. With this transaction, we believe the business will consolidate, expand and flourish. We see plenty of opportunities in Europe to replicate our sustainable ways of producing, which will be the foundation of The Flavour Farm.”
Agro Investing
The Flavour Farm, is a new portfolio company of Cibus Fund II, a specialist investment fund focused on sustainable food and agriculture. The Flavour Farm is focused on the production of locally grown and sustainably produced salad crops as well as a leafy green in high-tech greenhouses powered by green energy infrastructure. Duijvestijn’s sustainable production methods will serve as a blueprint for the future facilities of The Flavour Farm, with the Dutch tomato producer expediting the decarbonization of fresh produce with production that targets CO2 neutrality. The Flavour Farm’s ambition is to realize comparable production facilities either through acquisitions or through the development of new facilities in Germany, France, the UK, as well as Central and Eastern Europe.
“In these regions, there is demand for fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, furthered by the desire within these regions to be more self-sufficient in terms of food supply.”, says Van Straalen. “We will position Duijvestijn as our center of excellence when it comes to sustainability. The business will continue to operate as it always has done, producing high-quality, premium tomatoes with the same philosophy. In addition, the former shareholders will continue to play important roles in the continued operations of the business and expansion of the network.”
View on the future
At the moment, the business is operated by a young and highly qualified management team. Therefore, the timing was right to bring the business to the next phase, according to the former shareholders. Van Adrichem commented: “With this step, we believe the continuity of the business is safeguarded. It is also a positive message for our customers who can continue to count on the quality and service level they are used to.”
Under The Flavour Farm, the business can scale its activities in sustainability and biodiversity in agricultural and horticultural areas. “There is a strategic fit in terms of our common view on the future and how we want to leave the world for future generations. We are proud that our DNA will be woven into the foundation of The Flavour Farm.”, says Van Adrichem.
For The Flavour Farm, it is a core principle that future facilities will look to reduce their dependence on the use of fossil fuels with an ongoing review regarding opportunities to supply local retailers with facilities powered by sustainable energy sources.
Before the publication of this press release, the staff at Duijvestijn Tomaten have been notified of the acquisition and introduced to The Flavour Farm management team, with emphasis placed on both the strategic and cultural alignment between the two businesses.
For more information:
Duijvestijn Tomaten
25 Komkommerweg, 2641 NH
Pijnacker, the Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0) 153 620 760
Email: [email protected]
www.duijvestijntomaten.nl