Since 1952 begonias, tulips and trade have been the core business of A.F. Kolken & Zn. Arie’s pioneering attitude and ideas about cultivation and trade still form the firm basis of our company today.
1952
Start
Arie (Adrianus Franciscus) Kolken started in 1952, together with his wife Riet Kolken-Sijm, a flower bulb business on his father's parental farm with 1.2 acres of anemones and 40 acres of tulips. A cultivation that was familiar to Arie and which he was able to continue.
1957
Begonias
In 1957 Arie saw a field of begonias plants in Spanboek, grown on contract for a company from Belgium. These were tubers left over from the previous year. That year Arie visited the field with the begonias many times and fell in love with the product. However, this was not grown in the Netherlands. So Arie drove to Belgium in the spring of 1958, in search of knowledge and seed to grow tuberous begonias himself. There he collected his first 100,000 rooted begonia plants: the start of begonia cultivation in the Netherlands.
1960
Commerce
Besides the nursery, Arie worked on a modest scale as an agent in flower bulbs. So it came about that the spirit of commerce was also an integral part of the business at an early stage.
1976
Four brothers
Arie's sons had been working in the business since childhood. When the location in Zwaagdijk became too small and expansion there became difficult, the company moved to Dirkshorn. From 1976, the company was continued here by the four brothers Frans, Theo, Aad and John. Here, based on technological developments, the cultivation was further developed and major steps were taken in automation of the cultivation processes.
1976-2002
Begonia, tulips and more
Over the years, various crops have been grown both in the greenhouses and in the fields. From anemone and shallots to cucumber and lilies. The main crops are tuberous begonia and tulip. With additional gloxinia as a perennial crop, a strong foundation is laid to maximize year-round use of the greenhouses and land.
2002
Assortment for forcing
With the entry of the third generation, into the company in 2002, the export of the bulbs for forcing also got a boost with the establishment of StoKolex as a subsidiary company. From this base, the forcing export was started and expanded.
2017
Growing on sand base
The purchase of a farm site with land in Sint Maartensbrug expands the cultivation of begonias from clay soil only, to both clay and sand.
2022
Expand in export activities
Through developments and our knowledge of the business, exports have become a significant part within the company and have grown to where we are today.
