Dedication and commitment strengthen the entire chain

While many companies are driven by maximum turnover and high profits, Peter van de Pol, Managing Director and owner of seed breeder Schoneveld Breeding, consciously chooses a different path. For him, true business success lies elsewhere—in dedication. Dedication to your work, your colleagues and your customers. In conversation with Peter and Gerard Zwiers, Head of Breeding and Peter’s right-hand man, it becomes clear just how fundamental this commitment is to the company. “If our partners in the chain are doing well, so are we. That’s why we must be involved—with each other, with our business and above all, with our customers.”

Trust as a foundation

“Our collaboration with Kanazawa, a Japanese breeder, is a great example,” Gerard begins. “Years ago, we first used their genetics in our Super Serie Cyclamen. A partnership like that always starts with mutual agreements.” Gerard describes it as a gentleman’s agreement: exchanging material through open dialogue and fair compensation.

For Gerard and Peter, this transparent way of working is the only way forward. Peter adds: “Breeding is a process that takes years. For us, it’s a given that we only work with other parties’ material through proper consultation.” A mindset that’s still far from standard in the industry. “We collaborate with integrity,” says Gerard. “We’re proud of what we do and only partner with companies that share our values. In the end, everyone benefits from an honest relationship.”

Stronger together

For Peter, collaboration is essential for growth. “You can only move forward by working well together,” he states. “It often starts informally—someone brings an idea to the table, someone else adds to it—and eventually, something beautiful takes shape.” That’s why, under his leadership, Schoneveld Breeding has entered an exclusive partnership within the growers’ association Addenda. The company also collaborates locally with businesses from outside the horticultural sector in an energy hub, tackling grid congestion issue together. Additionally, Schoneveld is a founding member of the Breeding Accel alliance.

“Breeding Accel began as a collaboration between three relatively small family businesses, standing up against unrealistic patents from a few major multinationals,” Peter explains with pride. “Today, we’re a group of six breeders, sharing knowledge and working together in a molecular lab based right here at our headquarters in Wilp.”

Innovation at the core

“We don’t always take the easy road or the easiest crop,” Gerard says. Take the use of growth regulators in Primula acaulis, for example. “Years ago, we started breeding all our products to be genetically compact. That way, you don’t need chemical growth inhibitors. We were ahead of our time—we just didn’t realise it then. Only later did we fully understand the sustainability impact.”

Gerard continues: “And we don’t just innovate with products, you know—we were also the first to introduce growing support specialists who stay in close contact with growers.” The market signals what’s needed and Gerard and his team align their breeding programme accordingly.

Beyond breeding

Peter is clear that Schoneveld Breeding is more than a breeding company. “Innovation also comes through strategic partnerships. For instance, we make agreements with growers and retailers operating in (semi-)closed chains. We aim to give everyone a competitive advantage through unique genetics—by linking specific products to specific growers and markets. In the end, that’s how everyone wins.” His philosophy is simple: 

“If your partners thrive, your future looks brighter too.”

That’s why the team doesn’t just focus on flower shapes or colours. “We’re constantly looking at how we can help growers reduce fertiliser use, grow heat-tolerant products, or produce ethylene-resistant Campanulas,” Peter explains. “We listen to the market, and what we hear, we translate into solutions with strong genetics.”

For both Peter and Gerard, this way of working is second nature. Listening to the market, making strategic choices and then working smartly with the right partners to deliver meaningful innovations. It’s all about the balance between commercial success and being a reliable partner. Gerard puts it perfectly: “Only when you share, can you multiply.” A belief lived out daily by every member of the Schoneveld Breeding team.