Last Friday, Gé Bentvelsen retired from director of his company ABZ Seeds. Gé previously worked at Syngenta, formerly known as Zaadunie, which was also focusing on the development of seed-propagated varieties. Seeing no future in it and also due to budget cuts, they planned to discontinue activities in this area, which is when Gé saw his opportunity..
Claudia den Braver of Plantum pins a badge on Gé for his services to the strawberry crop group.
He seized the opportunity. Today, ABZ Seeds has been breeding F1 hybrid strawberries for over 30 years and has more than twenty varieties in its portfolio that are sold worldwide.
Fado singer Argentina Freire and the two accompanying musicians Hans van Gelderen and Daniel Raposo gave a stellar performance.
At his farewell, Gé received a beautiful bird villa in the shape of the "Holland Strawberry House" from the team. From left to right Ruud van der Meer, Rinske van Dekken, Paul Doodeman, Karina Commandeur, Gé Bentvelsen, Ilona Smith, Roberta van Oostrum, and Ingrid Bakker
NB. Noordhollands Dagblad (€) spoke with Gé about his career in strawberries.
For more information:
ABZ Seeds
E: [email protected]
www.abz-strawberry.nl