Leeks growers

Paul Craenen, Gerard van Kempen en Roger Gerads

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The Craenen, Gerads and van Kempen partnership aims to produce the highest quality leeks, and are trail blazers when it comes to innovation in alternative methods of pest and disease control. Gerard van Kempen: “We always consider things from the plant's point of view: what does it need? For example, by taking leaf samples to see what the leek lacks, we can tailor the fertilisation process to the specific requirements of the crop. Another advantage is that we don’t give the plant too much fertiliser.”

Product

Allium

Company

Mts. Craenen, Gerads en van Kempen

Location

Echt-Susteren

The three companions joined forces in 2000, and together form a strong partnership. Gerard is the technician and designed a machine with which they can continue to fertilise until very late in the season. Roger is in charge of growing, whilst Paul looks after the workforce. The fact that everyone has their own task means they complement one another perfectly. According to Gerard, this is one of the best aspects to his work. Roger decides what the plant needs, Gerard builds the necessary machinery, and Paul ensures that the job gets done. “To achieve sustainability and quality, you need to do things differently than before, and implement modern machinery to assist the process”, believes Gerard. “This is something I really enjoy. Our goal is to be a profitable company that leads the way in sustainability.”