Delphy Groep B.V. is on the eve of a new phase. Under the flag of Peterson Solutions, Delphy is focusing more on internationalization. "We are at the forefront of developing and applying plant knowledge. Knowledge development and innovations are essential to further expand our position as a market leader."
Jacco van der Wekken - CEO
Jacco van der Wekken is intertwined with Delphy. He studied in Wageningen, worked briefly as a plant breeder, and has been the director of Delphy for 27 years. He has developed the company into the knowledge hub for entrepreneurs in all plant sectors, with over 250 employees.
To be able to meet the global demand for plant knowledge more rapidly, Delphy sought a strong international partner. This was successful: since October 2024, Royal Peterson and Control Union Group BV (RPCU) have a majority stake in Delphy. Jacco van der Wekken himself will be saying goodbye to the company this year. His most important advice for his successor? "In this position, you must love people, plants, and entrepreneurship, in that order."
You are at the origin of Delphy. How did this company come about?
Was privatization an immediate success?
What is Delphy's core business?
Our motto is: 'We Make Growers Better'. We achieve this through advice, research, data-driven cultivation management, projects, and training. We translate fundamental innovations from institutions like Wageningen University into concrete and practical cultivation knowledge and advice for our growers."
'Finding new, talented individuals is one of our biggest challenges.'
What sets Delphy apart?
What are the challenges for Delphy?
“In the Netherlands, we are the market leader. It requires constant sharpness to stay ahead in the market. In the coming years, as part of our Plan(e)t 2030 strategy, we will continue to focus on knowledge development and innovations to maintain and further develop our position as the market leader in our home market.”
“Additionally, the question for the coming years is: how do we grow into a leading player globally? We have looked around in the market and in 2024, we started discussions with Royal Peterson and Control Union. Peterson has a worldwide network of branches and is also active in the agricultural sector. It is a family business with the same values as Delphy. Peterson is interested in our knowledge, and we are interested in their network. In the fall of 2024, Peterson acquired Delphy to expand the knowledge we have globally. Delphy is now part of Peterson Solutions, focusing on advisory and knowledge activities, including in agriculture.”
What other challenges are there?
“An important theme is, of course, sustainable cultivation. Dutch agriculture is in transition. Less chemistry, more organic methods. Easier said than done. It requires a lot of knowledge and new developments. Step by step, conventional agriculture is moving towards sustainable agriculture. It requires our advisors to stay ahead in terms of developments and innovations, while not getting too far ahead of the customer. Because it's about trust.”
When it comes to innovations, it's always about yield and quality, emphasizes Jacco van der Wekken. Farmers in the Netherlands are caught between the high land prices - the highest in the world - and relatively low prices in supermarkets. “This forces farmers to aim for maximum quantity of kilos and for quality. That's why craftsmanship is so high in the Netherlands. Dutch agriculture is highly regarded.”
You also mention robotics and digitization as important themes. Can you provide an example?
“Robotics is the technology applied in cultivation. Think of a spraying robot that delivers substances to the plant more precisely. This means gains for the soil and environment in terms of sustainability.”
“With digitization, it's about digitally controlling processes. Our Delphy Digital department creates growth models that allow a grower to manage their crop with an ideal combination of light, water, heat, nutrients, and energy. We excel in this, especially in greenhouse horticulture. Through such a growth model, we determine the climate in the greenhouse. We receive inquiries from all over the Netherlands, as well as from abroad. For example, we have arranged this for an investor in Kazakhstan. From Delphy Digital, we control the climate in the tomato greenhouses there.”
Are the inquiries from abroad different?
“We are leading in plant knowledge: how to achieve proper crop optimization? A plant grows the same everywhere; the conditions are different and can be controlled. Think of variety, water usage, chemical or organic methods, robotics, climate, and digitization. Let's say there is a high salt content in the water somewhere, then you need to consider irrigation and possibly a different variety.”
Who are the employees of Delphy?
"About 60 percent of our more than 250 employees are crop advisors. In addition, we have researchers, trainers, project leaders, crop engineers, and software developers on staff. Finding good people is one of our biggest challenges. That's why we established the Delphy Academy. Over a two-year period, we train new people to become experts in their field. We coach everyone who joins us as a professional and as an individual. As a crop advisor, you choose a crop with us. We have people who have been pepper advisors for forty years. They really know everything about peppers. Some advisors have decades-long relationships with clients."
