After two old age of provision , Horticoop ’s offset as an investing cooperative is almost here . The merry kick - off will take property on 1 December . As a formal act , the first member involution will also be register curtly , thus completing Horticoop ’s transformation from a traditional horticultural co-op to a new investment cooperative . chief operating officer Steven van Nieuwenhuijzen of the Dutch cooperative takes us through the footstep that have been taken this year and the plans for the future .
Steven van Nieuwenhuijzen
ConnectSteven has been the CEO of Horticoop since 11 December 2024 , and record in the middle of the transformation summons . As a business expert and ' modification manager ' within that field , he took to it like a fish to water . Before he depart at Horticoop , he defend management positions in the travel and toy sphere and most recently at Floral Trade Group , in the Dutch horticultural sphere . There , his project was to vagabond out a new scheme . " I involved the family in the process and eventually , when I left , a family appendage have over . "
The question arises whether Steven is the right man at Horticoop exactly because of that perspective in horticulture . He express joy . " I ’ve never heard it put that way , but it does aid that I made a lot of onward motion in horticulture at the time . I can also see a analog between my work there and here at Horticoop . Here , too , it is important to admit the growers and the companies in which Horticoop participates in the change process , to maintain the joining and especially to beef up it . With the doing away of the sweeping activities , that link was temporarily dampen , but with this transition , we want to strengthen that connection again . We succeeded in doing so during the conversion unconscious process . "
Steven indicates that it was important at the clip of his fitting to have a good agreement of where the penis brook . " That was quite challenging , however , because the growers had become quite removed from the cooperative after the many transactions with the wholesalers had lapsed . Moreover , the member cornerstone is very divers and there are more than four hundred of them . "
Flywheel effectSteven shoot the breeze the necessary growers and job since his appointment on 22 February 2025 , but together with the transition team within Horticoop , he was also engaged with many administrative and financially technical matters . " There is a mountain involved in what we are going to do . It has never been done before in horticulture , but there are a few examples outside gardening . "
One of the most authoritative , and perhaps most laborious , points was the assignment of the appendage ' already existing participation in Horticoop . " We are now making these shareholding more explicit as an investment cooperative . Each penis will soon have it away how big their share is in the whole and can also see what it yields them . In this way , we are also insure that the members ' involvement in Horticoop increases . Members will soon have the tonality to increasing the value of their part .
Within Horticoop , they like to verbalise of a flywheel effect . " The members , the agriculturalist , will presently be buying from the companies in which everyone participates as an investing co-op . That helps the companies in which Horticoop has a participating interest and those stronger , turn company in turn help the members . "
DividendSounds ordered , but it was preceded by a good deal of cerebration . One of the things that had to be considered was whether extremity should get a discount if they buy from companies in which Horticoop has a participating interest . No , is ( still ) the answer , says Steven . " However , we do challenge the company in the Horticoop chemical group to make their go to our extremity as attractive as potential . That can simply be something as trivial as a discount , but benefit such as first admission to new products or cognition will also make it attractive . Conversely , we challenge members to choose a production from companies in which we participate if the conditions are the same . "
Because of their participation in the co-op , members will presently meet an yearly dividend . However , it will be some time before the first dividend is paid out . Companies usually pay out dividends annually . Horticoop will believably do so for the first meter in 2023 , once all annual news report have been ready .
" However , we also want to let the member know in the shorter term that we are taking steps together , aside from the immediate fiscal one . We are going to fully commit to this , for example by investing in young companies together and by intensively sharing knowledge with growers and companies . We will rise a political program for this . After all , to be able to invest effectively , we demand to know what is go on among the raiser and companies . For the same reasonableness , we would also like to start organizing issue again , such as the return of the Horticoop Day , formerly have a go at it as the Insperience Day , on 1 December . "
Insperience Day 2018
InvestingAs an investment cooperative , it is in line with expectation that Horticoop will soon expand its holdings in live company , as has already happened in recent twelvemonth , or participate in newfangled company . " We are interesting for fellowship because we lend a potential customer base with us . That ’s what sets us apart from many other investment players . We bring more than just money , we also get horticultural knowledge , experience , members , a meshing , and grocery access . That get us distinctive . "
During the transition physical process , the interest of investment parties in Horticoop as a partner has already increased , Steven notice . " They are already indicating that they would like to invest in companies together with us , exactly because of the aforementioned advantage that we make for to the table . Such party sometimes come ahead of their own accord , but sometimes also via growers or ship’s company in which we participate . That is how contacts are made . "
Now , it is not the case that Horticoop will all of a sudden start vest at random . " No , we will not become a grasshopper investor . We will face at the farseeing term , especially because of the needs of our member . After all , cultivator cognize well than anyone that innovations and renewal take time . "
TradeOne more expert point : will the trading of participations , which wasalready discourse last year , indeed become possible ? " Yes , " Steven affirm . " It will be possible to swap in participations , but not mightily from the start . For trading , a platform must be make in which we are not a political party . We require to range this out in a year or two . First , we want to get off to a good starting line . After all , a hatful has already changed . "
What will soon be potential is for members to increase or decrease their shareholdings , and , of line , new members can join . " With our be fellow member we have now divide the pie , but of course there is room for growing . New appendage can buy participations or give uppercase themselves to make the pie big . "
What is Modern is that people from outside , for example growers who are no longer active , can also buy engagement . " That possibleness has descend up this year . You could think of former agriculturalist who put their money into horticulture in this way of life , without grow crops themselves . That would be very nice , and we will soon be volunteer that possibility in this way . In the lag , we have arranged for active securities industry gardeners to remain in ascendance . And foreign member ? After all , Horticoop already has plenty of external participations . " We already have a figure of them in Belgium and Germany . We are not ruling out extra international members either . "
substratum producer Lensli is one of the company in the Horticoop group
Talking about outside engagement , has there been any shift in this operation ? Last year , chairman Joris Elsgeest already peach about re - assess the portfolio of fellowship . " No , aside from the changes we already communicate ( the departure of Agrozone , the sale of Alflora , a larger involution in Smartcoat and HortAmericas ) , that is not the case . However , we do advance our existing participations to ensure that , in increase to wholesale activities , they are also specialiser in something , in a technique or service of process . Basically the same as here in the Netherlands , only not by selling the sweeping business , but by adjusting the company body structure internally . "
Horticoop Technical Services has developed in recent long time as a specialist in building , installing , interchange or optimising weewee - side , electric , lighting , and climate installations
Horticoop itself has almost completed that process . A milepost . " And I expect many more to follow thanks to our young role . "
For more entropy : David BrandHorticoop[email protected]www.horticoop.nl
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