“Organic growing comes from the heart, not just a business perspective”

Organic greenhouse cultivation company BioVerbeek from Velden supplies organic bell peppers and tomatoes to all major supermarkets in the Netherlands. Together with De Bolster, they work on developing strong bell pepper rootstocks. Co-owner Don Heijligers: “Just like De Bolster, we are constantly focusing on innovation, because only then do you get a healthy business with a future.”

From holiday worker to co-owner

As a thirteen-year-old schoolboy, Don started as a holiday worker at BioVerbeek. He stayed, joined as a permanent employee, watched the company grow, and has been a co-owner and board member since last year. Don mainly focuses on everything surrounding cultivation. He says: “For me, this is something I do from the heart, not purely for business. It is a completely different way of running a company. Our vision is that everyone has the right to super healthy and organic food. My goal is to produce as much of it as possible, partly by taking good care of the soil.”

“I am convinced that we can surpass conventional cultivation in terms of production in the future”

Organic cultivation is much more robust

Don continues: “I always compare food production in conventional farming to a doctor in a hospital deciding what a patient receives via an IV. The plant grows in a substrate and has to make do with what the grower supplies in terms of nutrients and water. We make compost and bokashi, which is converted into food for the plants by soil life. The plant then decides for itself how much and when it absorbs nutrients and water. We can go a week without watering without the plant falling over immediately, because there is a large buffer in the soil. It is a much more robust system, and you can see that in the crops; they are stronger and more flavorful. I am convinced that we can even surpass conventional cultivation in terms of production in the future.”

No healthy business without innovation

To achieve the latter, BioVerbeek invests a lot of time and energy into research, including studies on fungi and bacteria in the soil. There is also a test greenhouse of 1,000 m2 where the company constantly runs tests. Innovation is essential for a healthy business. “We are constantly working on implementing new technologies and uncovering existing knowledge about the soil. For example, we use cameras and sensors to analyze how the plants are feeling, look at which processes we can robotize, and improve the packaging of our products, which takes place internally. We are also experimenting with artificial intelligence.

What we are focusing on in the coming years is transitioning away from gas. Thanks to various measures, such as extra energy screens, the greenhouses require less heat, and we have already saved 30 percent on energy in recent years. We want to eventually heat our greenhouses without fossil energy. We are already in the process of acquiring permits to use a ‘biomeiler’ (woodchip bio-reactor) to harness the heat released during composting to warm the greenhouses. And there are many developments in horticulture, such as e-boilers, heat pumps, and batteries, that we are actively exploring.”

“What I love about the organic sector is that there is very little competition; we all share the same mission”

Developing a bell pepper rootstock together

In the test greenhouse, BioVerbeek is working together with De Bolster to develop strong bell pepper rootstocks onto which the scions are grafted. Most problems in bell pepper cultivation arise from weak roots. Don: “De Bolster is the market leader in developing quality bell pepper rootstocks. We now have 5 hectares of the ‘Skyborn F1’ rootstock in our production greenhouse. This rootstock is highly resistant to nematodes in the soil, which can cause significant issues in cultivation. We test new rootstocks in our experimental greenhouse. We brainstorm together and learn a huge amount from one another. What I love about the organic sector is that there is very little competition; we all share the same mission.”

Pest prevention

When it comes to pests, BioVerbeek focuses heavily on prevention. This is where soil quality plays a crucial role once again. Don: “The soil is the foundation; a healthy soil means a healthy plant. Pests always develop in weak plants. We have intentionally planted green strips to attract natural predators. We can count pest insects using cameras, and we also have three employees dedicated to checking our plants. If pests appear, we release more natural predators in that specific area. If that doesn’t work well enough and the pest pressure increases, we use organic crop protection products locally. We rarely perform full-field spraying.”

Biggest wish

Don looks to the future with optimism. “Naturally, the EU has a target to cultivate a larger share of food organically. But that desire must also come from the consumer. They need to prioritize sustainability and healthy food more. Fortunately, you can see that the younger generation is increasingly aware of the need to live more sustainably, and buying organic food is a part of that. My biggest wish is for healthy food to be accessible and affordable for everyone worldwide.”