Continuously anticipating what the market will do and always staying ahead

At Evanthia Tropical, growing young plants is no longer the whole story. With 32 million young plants produced annually across 87 species, keeping an overview of the business has become just as important as cultivation itself, say Louis Kester and Henri Valstar, reflecting on the company’s growth over the past 12.5 years.

“In the past, you brought your product to the auction and then went home. Today, so much more is involved,” says Henri, a former grower who now serves as Operational Manager Tropical at Evanthia Tropical. The company has grown rapidly in recent years and established a separate division for tropical plants, a transition that wasn’t always smooth. “The organization certainly felt some growing pains,” he says. Louis, Commercial Manager, adds: “We’re now in a stabilization phase. That gives us room to optimize further and build in more uniformity.”

That drive for optimization isn’t limited to the greenhouse on Oranjesluisweg in ‘s-Gravenzande. Data is playing an increasingly important role, the two say, particularly as an extension of automation. “Having an ERP system is a given, but you also need insight into what you’re doing with that data,” says Louis. “Labor remains essential for steering the business, but you want to keep improving your ability to forecast and plan.”

According to Louis and Henri, that forecasting starts with the market. “You’re constantly trying to assess what the market will do,” says Henri. “And you want to align timing across the supply chain.” Louis points to FlowerTrials as an example of strong collaboration within the chain. “We walk through the greenhouse together with our customers’ customers and share information that’s relevant to them. That gives you much greater visibility further down the chain.”

Evanthia has commissioned a new plug-to-plug line from Flier Systems, custom-built for the company. Young plants are no longer pricked out by hand but are transferred automatically from one tray to another, plug to plug. “That results in less root damage and faster propagation,” says Henri.

The company has also switched to a taller tray, giving roots more room to develop. The new production line was designed with further growth in mind: a process that once required around ten employees can now be run by just two operators. Even so, not everything can be automated. About 85 percent of plants can now be handled by a cutting-insertion robot, but some species still require manual work, whether because of stem shape or because they are too fragile for automated handling.

Evanthia works with a number of botanical species whose seeds are collected in the wild. “Every bag of seed that comes in gets a germination test, because you never know exactly what it will do.” To support this, the company operates germination cells and has invested in a climate chamber. Together with its suppliers, Evanthia has also launched regulated seed production, aimed primarily at improving supply reliability.

Strelitzia nicolai is now the company’s most important product. Louis also sees strong potential in drought-tolerant plants. “Growers in southern Europe, among other regions, are increasingly dealing with drought themselves and are looking for varieties that can withstand heat and dry conditions. Consumers, in turn, are increasingly looking for plants that need less care and don’t depend on a neighbor watering them every day while they’re on vacation.”

Evanthia is also looking ahead on the energy and production side. Three years ago, the company took over a greenhouse formerly used for aster production and converted it entirely for young plant propagation. Since then, it has continued to invest, including in a DryGair dehumidification system to improve climate control. According to Henri, that investment is far from superfluous. “We grow many different species in one greenhouse, and they don’t all have the same requirements. One species wants it a bit warmer, another a bit cooler. Sometimes finding the right balance literally comes down to adjusting the valves that control heat under the lava floor.”

Alongside current production, Evanthia is also exploring new growing systems, running trials with vertical farming so the company can offer that method in the future.

The greenhouse’s geothermal energy connection was secured with further expansion in mind. “We want to play in the Champions League,” says Henri, laughing. “Not just make it to the group stage, we want to reach the final.” According to Louis, the company’s growth ambitions are nothing new. “Wanting to buy the greenhouse next door isn’t something that came up overnight, it’s been on the table for three years. We want to stay dynamic and prepared for the future.” For him, that also means continuing to invest. “We want to stay ahead of the pack, so no one can catch up with us.”

For more information:
Louis Kester
Commercial Manager Tropical
Evanthia
+31 612 972 801
[email protected]
www.evanthia.nl