Rainbow Growers Group is a cooperation of entrepeneurs, who grow all colours of peppers to fully satisfy the market demands.
Rainbow puts a spotlight on the shared sorting process through a lecture and a demonstration.
The cricket is selected as a symbol for the cooperation, because it reflects a healthy and balanced greenhouse. When a pesticide is used in the greenhouse, crickets will no longer be around.
Strong roots
Rainbow Growers
Through the years. We’d like to show you our journey so far.
Start
1991
Patrick Grootscholten starts his own company.
1995
Patrick and Daaf Steentjes meet and decide to work together.
1998
Rainbow Growers Group is founded by Wim Grootscholten. The peppers are packaged at Rainbow Kleinpak in De Lier.
2005
Patrick and Daaf start the development of Kwekerij de Wieringermeer. John van Marrewijk joins them in the role of commercial director.
This means the first board of directors is created.
2006
Greenhouses on Agriport A7
The zoning permit for Agriport A7 is approved by the government of the province of North Holland. This means the realization of Kwekerij de Wieringermeer can definitely continue.
2007
Rainbow Growers Group celebrates their 10th anniversary and is heading to the Wieringermeer like a freight train.
2006
Before the growing of peppers can start in the Wieringermeer area, the actual greenhouses have to be built.
At first, two greenhouses sized at 10 hectares each are built. To make this happen, first the ground has to be prepared and piles have to be driven into the ground.
2007
Arco Vreugdenhil joins the board of directors in the role of Financial director.
February 2008
A third greenhouse sizing 10 hectares (called greenhouse no 4) is built. Green peppers are grown in here. The other two greenhouses are growing red peppers.
March 2008
Rainbow Growers Groupexpands into the UK, where Thanet Earth: Rainbow UK is built.
Pleun Malkenhorst is appointed as director for Thanet Earth.
Back in the Netherlands, greenhouse three is built, after which the company totals 40 hectares (400.000 sq.m.) of greenhouses.
2008
Construction of the Oostlanderweg
Agriport’s infrastructure is developed further: a road and seperate bike lane are constructed to better access the companies on the Agriport complex.
2008
Greenhouse number 3, which is the 4th greenhouse, is completed.
On the top left, you can see the old farmhouse. In the background you can see the other companies that are present on the Agriport complex.
It’s easy to get lost between the large greenhouses, so it’s time to place some maps.
2012
The old farmhouse, where all employees up to now have been hired, has to be demolished to make room for the new geothermic installation.
2013
Kwekerij Andijk is bought by Rainbow Growers Group and some other shareholders.
Greenhouse 2 is built in 2017, followed by greenhouse 3 in 2019. The company totals 25 hectares and uses geothermal power provided by ECW.
March 2013
On the Agriport, the geothermic installation is used from now on. This means the greenhouses are heated in an environmentally friendly way.
March 2013
As always, let’s start by piledriving and then: it’s drilling time!
August 2013
A new project on a different continent: Rainbow Tunisia.
The greenhouse is very different to the Dutch standards, but the employees are raring to go!
2016
Rainbow Growers starts growing organic peppers through the new company: Rainbow Organic.
A greenhouse in South Holland is rented to grow peppers without any chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
2017
Technical Greenhouse Support is founded.
2017
Greenhouse 2 is built as a part of Kwekerij Andijk.
2017
Rainbow Kleinpak Middenmeer
Rainbow Kleinpak starts the year with a sorting location in North Holland.
2017
Rainbow Horticulture Tunisia is expanding. The greenhouse area is doubled to a little over 5 hectares.
2018
Peter Steentjes joins the company as Director of Personnel & Organisation.
The board of directors now consists of 5 members: Arco Vreugdenhil, Patrick Grootscholten, Peter Steentjes, Daaf Steentjes and John van Marrewijk.
2019
Greenhouse 3 is realised as a part of Kwekerij Andijk. The company totals 25 hectares and uses geothermal power provided by ECW.
2020
A new office building is opened as a part of Kwekerij de Wieringermeer.
2020
Rainbow Tunisia expands again. The company now covers 10 hectares.
2021
The Corona pandemic has enormous consequences for international trade, making exporting goods to the United States and Japan practically impossible. Rainbow Organic is forced to close as a result of this.
2021
Rainbow Middenmeer is built, which means the total farming area for the company in North Holland is now 75,3 hectares.
2021
A cooperation with source.ag is started. Artificial Intelligence will be used to operate and cultivate more efficiently.
2021
Cooperation with DekaMarkt supermarkets
2022
John van Marrewijk leaves Kwekerij de Wieringermeer
John van Marrewijk, one of the founders of Kwekerij de Wieringermeer, decides to seize operating as Commercial director as of January 1st 2022. He will also part with his shares in the company.
In 2005, John, Patrick and Daaf started Kwekerij de Wieringermeer. Under his (joint) leadership, the company has grown to be a large-scale pepper farm, that almost exclusively runs on sustainable energy.
2022
Kwekerij de Wieringermeer (40 ha), Rainbow Middenmeer (10,2 ha, will be in 2024 expended to 16,2 ha) and Kwekerij Andijk (25,1 ha) make a total of 75,3 ha (per 2024 81,3 ha).
