Dick Hoondert recently joined the Roelofs Tree Nursery to provide service to customers and to sell fruit trees, especially in the Netherlands and Belgium. He would like to take this opportunity to present himself: ‘My name is Dick Hoondert. I am 50 years old, and was born and raised in Kwadendamme in the province of Zeeland. I have a partner and two sons aged 19 and 17.

After finishing Secondary Agricultural Collage in Tiel in 1989, I worked at a fruit growing business and tree nursery for a few years. In the mid-nineties I found myself in the international fruit trade, and from 1997 I was working for Capespan, a South-African fruit cooperative. My chief duties involved quality management and logistics and I travelled all over the world in this job.

Since I myself manage a plot (5 hectares) with pear trees, I have always remained involved in fruit growing, and am in touch with what is going on in the European industry.

In my spare time I like to play football with the veterans in our village, and during the summer I enjoy cycling.

My full-time work for the Roelofs tree nursery as a relationship manager with a focus on the Netherlands and Belgium started on the 1st of May. The idea of sharing my acquired expertise appeals to me, and so I consider this job to be a great opportunity’.