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At Hazera, we value the people who have helped shape our company over the years. In this Heritage Edition, we reconnect with colleagues who have either moved on from Hazera or have been part of our team for many years. Today, we speak with Arthur Zuidweg, Supply Chain Planning Expert. For more than 40 years, Arthur has been an integral part of Hazera’s story.

Arthur began as an assistant bean breeder, coming from a background in garden architecture. Introduced to the seed business by his father-in-law, this step proved life-changing — bringing him not only a lifelong career but also a lifelong marriage. Arthur’s current role is Planning expert within the Supply Chain department.

From beans to supply chain, Arthur has seen it all. “Back in the day, we even did the quality checks ourselves. NAKTuinbouw trained me for this,” he recalls. Beyond work, Arthur treasures his family, with whom he shares many proud memories and joys, including his grandchildren.

What is a common myth about your job or field of expertise?

“There’s a common myth that Supply Chain ‘knows’ everything or can fix every problem. In reality, while we do play a central role — acting as the spider in the web between production, processing, demand planning, and sales — our real strength lies in connecting the dots.” Arthur explains that it’s Supply Chain’s responsibility to bring the right people and processes together. “But it’s important to stress that solving every issue requires collaboration across the organization. It’s never a one-team effort.”

In your opinion, what is the most important personality trait someone should have to work in your industry?

“In Supply Chain, you need to work well under pressure and show resilience. It’s about maintaining a helicopter view while staying calm and collected — especially during the high season, when stress levels can be intense,” explains Arthur.

Tell us about a project you’re proud of and why?

“I’ve been a Supply Chain Manager and Team Lead for more than 12.5 years. Beyond the business responsibilities, I truly enjoyed leading a team — it was a rewarding experience, and I’m proud of the team I had the opportunity to build. The personal connections mean a great deal to me.”

Arthur also benefited from the support of his wife, who managed a large team herself. “Exchanging experiences and learning from each other was inspiring, and she often offered me an invaluable ‘outside-in’ perspective.”

What does “Hazera – Growing Together” mean to you?

“Literally growing together. With a sense of unity and solidarity, we do this as a team — taking care of each other, listening to one another, and showing respect, even in our differences.” Arthur is convinced that that’s very important nowadays.

Tell us something interesting/funny about you most people don’t know.

“In my spare time, I enjoy woodworking with my son. Together, we design and create wooden tables with epoxy. Woodcraft is my hobby, and it’s even more special because I get to share it with him.”

What lessons have you learned in 40 years that you would pass on to younger colleagues?

“Over the years, I’ve witnessed the company’s growth, marked by rising sales and an expanding crop portfolio,” Arthur says. “But beyond the business achievements, the most valuable lesson I’ve learned in four decades is the importance of truly listening. When we listen to each other, we gain deeper understanding. And that’s how we find the best solutions together.”

What do you hope the company will achieve in the years ahead?
Arthur doesn’t beat around the bush: “We strive to be the market leader in onions.”

If we opened a time capsule from your first year here, what would we find inside?
“A forklift would be in the time capsule because it symbolises those early years of hard, hands-on work. And,” Arthur continues, “it reflects the practical side of my role, the dedication to keeping everything moving, and the way we all helped lay the foundation for what the company has become today. It’s more than just a machine, it represents reliability, effort, and the essential contribution we made from day one.”

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At Hazera, we value the people who have helped shape our company over the years. In this Heritage Edition, we’re reconnecting with colleagues who may have left the workplace, but whose contributions are still part of our story. Today, we speak with Wim van der Heijden, retired breeder and product development specialist from Kaatsheuvel (NL). Wim played a key role in the development of important crops and helped build the foundation that still supports our work today, a great example of what it means to grow together.

Wim, father of two daughters and grandfather of four grandchildren, worked at Hazera for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2019. After studying at the Higher Agricultural College, he started in 1981 as an assistant breeder in Stompwijk. There, he worked on bush beans, parsley, and other legumes. After about five years, he was transferred to the Tuitjenhorn location, where he spent another five years working as a breeder for radish, and later also for red beet and carrots.

“You can hardly imagine it now,” Wim says, “but back then there was no marketing department. Breeding and sales worked together, which sometimes led to large stocks of seeds that couldn’t be sold.” To improve this, a marketing department was set up. Wim became part of this team as Product Development Specialist for the root and bulb crops, which at that time included nearly all vegetable crops Hazera was active in.

Around 2000, Wim became Product Manager for onions, radish, leek, and red beet, and served as backup for carrots. Until his retirement, Wim remained active as Product Manager. In the last eight years, his focus was mainly on onions and radish. He led colleagues in various countries and worked on defining and developing the traits varieties needed to have.

What is a common myth in your field of expertise?
Wim laughs as he recalls a story that used to circulate: “A colleague once said courgette seeds germinate better if you put them under your pillow at night and sow them the next day. Whether it’s true? No idea, but it was a funny theory!”

In your opinion, what is the most important strength someone needs to be successful in your job?
Wim doesn’t have to think long. Good collaboration with colleagues and perseverance are, in his view, essential. “With onions, for example, a biennial crop, it takes about six years to go from A to B. It requires a lot of patience and endurance.” He also believes you shouldn’t be too theoretical. “I need to hold a product in my hands to judge whether it has potential. You can’t be afraid to get your hands and feet dirty,” he jokes.

Tell us about a project you’re proud of and why.
After a career spanning nearly 40 years, there are of course many projects to look back on. Wim is especially proud of the development of firmness in Hazera onions. He explains that Hazera was one of the first companies to purchase a firmness tester. “Every onion from every line was manually pressed to determine firmness and select the best. That project took about 15 years, but we really hit the mark with it. The Centro and Dormo varieties resulted from it.” Hazera still offers these varieties. And according to Wim, that’s likely to continue due to their unique characteristics. “Also worth mentioning,” Wim adds, “is that Hazera was one of the first to develop downy mildew resistance in onions. That was quite a breakthrough in onion breeding.” Wim has plenty more to say about onions. He enthusiastically talks about Hazera’s growth: “In the Benelux, we started with a 2 to 3% market share in onions. Thanks to the right varieties in terms of yield, firmness, sprouting tolerance and storability, we grew to almost 30%. We completely turned the market upside down.”

What does “Hazera – Growing Together” mean to you?
During the interview, Wim repeatedly emphasizes how Hazera grows as a team.
“Of course you’re never alone. We do everything together with the breeding team, the sales team, etc. We started with a 2 to 3% market share in onions. That’s nothing, right? Farmers didn’t even know us. And to turn that into almost 30%, we achieved that together.” Wim is also proud of what Hazera achieved in radish by working with the same breeders. “Stability is very important, and that’s how you achieve the best results. I had the great privilege of choosing my own people. That’s a big plus, because you always choose people who suit you and have the right background. They were truly committed. That kind of motivation really makes a difference.”Tell us something about yourself that most people do not know.
“What most of my former colleagues probably don’t know,” Wim explains, “is that I always wanted to be a farmer. That never really came up at work.” Since he didn’t come from a farming background, he worked on a farm during school to gain hands-on experience. Wim continues: “That’s where I learned the tricks of the trade. Looking back, it really laid the foundation for my role as a breeder.” Things could’ve turned out very differently though. Originally, Wim planned to go into livestock. But after a crop farming internship, he changed direction. “Yes, I loved it,” he says with a smile. “And believe it or not: I only wrote one job application, and that was to Hazera!” Except for one short detour, Wim stayed until he retired. A career to be proud of!

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Follow us on our social media channels to stay connected with our Hazera people! If you have any questions left, don’t hesitate to ask them via our contact page!

At Hazera, we are proud of our dedicated team, which works passionately to provide our growers with the best products. While we tend to put our products in the headlines, it is the Hazera team who are behind our success. Let’s shine the spotlight on Maria Martinez, Marketing Communications Manager from Almería, Spain.

Maria Martinez is 30 years old and has been with Hazera for almost nine years. She started in finance at Hazera and gradually began combining both finance and marketing communications. “When I started, the Marcom department didn’t exist at all. We only had a Facebook page but we didn’t use Instagram or other platforms,” Maria explains. “So I created the Marcom department. Then we began to professionalise our marketing actions more and more.” While she also handles finance responsibilities—sometimes stepping in for the finance manager during maternity or sick leaves—her passion lies in marketing. “While finance is all about clear numbers and predictability, marketing allows me to think outside the box, be creative, and work on something different every day.”

Maria’s connection to agriculture runs deep through her family. “My family has a greenhouse, and they have been working in agriculture for years. My grandfather also had a open fields where he used to grow all the fruit and vegetables that they ate in the house. I remember when I was a child, I used to go to the open field with my cousins and grandparents in the afternoon to pick up apples, lemons, and potatoes. So, I’ve been in contact with agriculture since I was a child.”

What is a common myth about your field of expertise?

“I think that in these last two years, people have been thinking of Hazera Spain as a company that innovates a lot and is always doing different things,” Maria shares. She recounted how their innovative approach has become their signature:

“Last year we did 3D billboards which we placed along the highway, and one girl saw the billboard, only seeing a flash of the Hazera logo. But she immediately asked me, ‘Is that 3D billboard from Hazera?’ When I said yes, she replied, ‘I knew it had to be from Hazera because it’s something very different, very innovative, and this is something only Hazera does.'”

Maria continues, “People always say we’re the only company doing very different activities. When we go to fairs, everybody likes to visit our stands because they know they’ll see something totally different compared with the rest of the companies. Marketing is very important, because it often is the first glimpse you get from the company.”

In your opinion, what is the most important personality trait someone should have to work in your industry?

Maria emphasises that “the secret of Hazera Spain is the team. When you enter the company, the feeling is that everybody is working, but if someone laughs, another laughs also. We try to have a very good environment.” She stresses the importance of connection in marketing work: “For social media, for different events, you need to have a good connection with people. Because even though we sell products, we’re a company that works for people. It’s very important to have a good positive attitude. Never say this is impossible. Especially in marketing, flexibility is crucial. If you can’t do something today, tomorrow you can.”

Tell us about a project you’re proud of and why.

“This year I’m very proud of the cinema campaign, and I am not only proud because of the result, but also because of the process,” Maria says enthusiastically. The ambitious project began when General Manager Manolo mentioned being at the cinema with his daughters and suggested doing something cinema-related. “We thought about this campaign in July of last year. We couldn’t tell anyone anything because if another company did something similar with cinema, the campaign would have been a total disaster.” The comprehensive campaign included a 15-minute film about the Heredero tomato variety, cinema advertisements for other varieties like ZiMMan, Nemeton, Pendragon, and Windsor, billboards designed like movie clapperboards, a Women’s Day cinema team-building event, and a premiere complete with red carpet. Despite challenges, including unexpected rain during filming in typically dry Almería, the campaign was a tremendous success. “This was Heredero’s first commercial year, and we sold all the seeds. Our marketing campaign had a result.”

What does “Hazera- Growing Together” mean to you?

For Maria, Growing Together represents collaboration at every level. “I do a lot of collaborations with influencers, and with other companies. I think the right way to grow is to collaborate because we can learn together. Also, Growing Together is reflected in our commitment to the clients— for example, this year we celebrated family days and invited people to the cinema to see our film. We don’t want to only involve the clients with Hazera, but like to involve their families as well. Because if the family is involved, they’ll have a good vision of Hazera and they are going to talk to other people about Hazera.”

Tell us something about yourself that most people do not know.

“The majority of people, external and sometimes internal, think that I studied marketing because I do everything related with marketing. But the reality is I studied finance and accounting,” Maria reveals with a smile. “Everything I learned was by myself. I did a lot of online courses, learning how to edit videos, how to create good social media planning. When I started in marketing it was like an obsession for me. I started following marketing companies, reading marketing books, and listening to marketing podcasts. While finance taught me precision, it’s marketing that allowed me to think beyond limits and write the story I’ve always wanted to tell.”

Do you want to stay connected with our Hazera people?

Follow us on our social media channels to stay connected with our Hazera people! If you have any questions left, don’t hesitate to ask them via our contact page!

At Hazera, we are proud of our dedicated team, which works passionately to provide our growers with the best products. While we tend to put our products in the headlines, it is the Hazera team who are behind our success. Let’s shine the spotlight on Juan Montes, Product Development Specialist Tomato from Almería, Spain.

Juan Montes, father of two, was born in a coastal town in Almería, Spain. “Fortunately, I grew up surrounded by beaches and greenhouses, and since my father is a farmer, my connection with the crops was inevitable. So, I studied agricultural engineering at the University of Almería and started working as a crop advisor in 2004. After a little more than two years, I changed sectors and began working as an engineer in the technical department of a public works company. However, my love for crops led me back to technical advising for seven years at a large export company. Finally, I joined Hazera in 2014 as the development manager for tomato cultivation, where I remain to this day.”

What is a common myth about your field of expertise?
“In the agricultural sector, seed companies and the people who work for them are well received because they always bring new developments. However, we are rarely fully trusted, and it is often thought that our goal is only to sell at all costs.” Juan shook his head and said, “but nothing could be further from the truth. It is true that we aim to sell and repeat the sale year after year, but what we really seek is a partner who evolves and works with us, and we strive to build long-term partnerships, where both parties benefit and is built on trust.”

In your opinion, what is the most important strength someone needs to be successful in your job?
Juan said that “listening and understanding are the most essential traits.” He continued saying that “many times, we are eager to explain our materials, varieties, and their advantages, but perhaps we do not fully understand the focus, which leads to frustrations. Properly listening to and understanding the needs of the growers, the supply chain, and the consumers are the keys to success in our business.”

Tell us about a project you’re proud of and why.
“Over my ten years at Hazera, I’ve been part of many projects, but I’m especially proud of my growing involvement in Fresh Chain. This initiative allows me to deepen my knowledge of cultivation and markets while gaining a broader, global perspective on the business. It also gives me the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from diverse countries and cultures,” Juan shared enthusiastically then he added, “It’s not just exciting—it’s also a significant challenge. A great example is our exceptional Roma tomato, Heredero. I have the privilege of showcasing it to customers in various countries, including Mexico, Morocco, and Spain, where it has been performing well. Heredero embodies everything we strive for: outstanding quality, firmness, ideal shape and size, high production, and most importantly, resistances, especially against ToBRFV.”

What does “Hazera- Growing Together” mean to you?
Juan said that for him Grower Together means “on one hand, growing myself as a professional, thanks to the development opportunities provided by Hazera and the chance to meet incredible people and professionals from other countries, whom I also see evolving. On the other hand, seeing how the growers, who work with us, grow thanks to our varieties and recommendations.”

Tell us something about yourself that most people do not know.
“Although everyone sees a logical progression in my career—being the son of a farmer, growing up surrounded by greenhouses—it’s normal to be linked to this job/sector. But the truth is, for me as a child going to the greenhouse when we misbehaved was a punishment by my father. When I got to university and told him I wanted to be an agricultural engineer, he was perplexed and when I started my studies, I discovered a new world and began to see plants differently. Fortunately.” Smiled Juan.

Do you want to stay connected with our Hazera people?

Follow us on our social media channels to stay connected with our Hazera people! If you have any questions left, don’t hesitate to ask them via our contact page!