Nederlands
In Berkel en Rodenrijs, the fourth generation of the Hendriks family is at the helm of what has been known since 2007 as Oostland Company. Teun, Eléonore and Lennert run the business together. They are fully equipped for the cultivation, sorting and packaging of bell peppers and have also handled their own sales for over ten years. Each year, Oostland Company produces no less than 25 million peppers. Hutten is one of the buyers that purchases not only class 1 but also class 2 peppers.
The fact that quality and reliability are top priorities at Oostland Company is reflected in the impressive 98% of their harvested peppers meeting class 1 standards. Hutten buys these peppers—both sliced and whole—through Van Aarle and Heerkens. Class 2 peppers are also purchased and processed by Hutten. The decision to work with Oostland is a deliberate one: the company is committed not only to sustainable cultivation, but also to good working conditions.
“Biology in the greenhouse: that’s the future”
Nearly 1,500 solar panels
In conversation with Teun Hendriks, we learn that in 2018 a major step was taken to further improve the sustainability of the business. “With large sloping and flat roofs, our building is an ideal site for solar panels. We installed 1,457 panels on our sorting and packaging hall, expecting each panel to generate around 252 kWh of sustainable solar energy per year. The green electricity from the panels is used to cool the peppers, preserving their quality. We also use the electricity for the sorting machines and the technical systems needed for growing and cultivating peppers in the greenhouse. Any surplus solar power is fed back into the grid. We chose to finance this sustainable investment through the crowdfunding platform Zonnepanelendelen.nl, allowing people without suitable roofs to still benefit from the green energy generated.”
Naturally organic
A key part of the company’s growing methods is the extensive use of organic crop protection, aiming to minimise the impact on people and the environment. Teun Hendriks explains: “We like to say: biology in the greenhouse. Over the past few years, we’ve made significant investments to reduce our use of crop protection chemicals. Instead, we’ve increased the use of natural predators (‘biologicals’) in the greenhouse. This has been a great success. If we’d known twenty years ago what we know now about their benefits, we would have done this much sooner.”
Circular rockwool
Oostland Company more than meets existing regulations and holds all the required certifications. Thanks to its chosen methods, the company is able to consistently deliver high-quality, reliable peppers. Inputs for the crops are used as circularly as possible. For example, they use rockwool to grow the plants, which is later repurposed as insulation material in the construction industry. Water is reused in a 100% closed-loop system. Only the moisture absorbed by the plant for growth is removed from the system; the rest, including nutrients, is continuously returned to the plants. By storing rainwater at various depths in the soil, there is no need to use additional tap water.
No distinction between employees
The company has multiple cultivation sites, each with its own location manager. “They have the freedom to organise their site as they see fit,” says Teun Hendriks, “of course within the framework of our overall company philosophy. Together, we form a unified team. We have a core group of permanent employees. Depending on the season and workload, we hire temporary workers as needed. But we make no distinction between permanent staff and temps: everyone in the organisation is equally valuable. The growing labour shortage is a major risk in our sector. That’s why automation is so important. Last year, we invested in a fully automated pallet stacker. This not only reduces the need for manual labour, but also eases the physical workload, allowing staff to focus on areas where they can offer more added value. We’re constantly looking for ways to make work as pleasant as possible for our employees. Local housing and a pleasant environment outside of work are key. When necessary, we only work with certified staffing agencies.”
In the ‘Sustainable Doers’ series, Hutten visits and speaks with our suppliers about our shared commitment to sustainability. You can read the other stories on our website.