“I was raised to have a passion for produce.”

Growing up in Holland, Niels K. has always been surrounded by the produce industry. His family ran a greenhouse farm where Niels got his first introduction to greenhouse growing, and at the ripe age of 10, he ran his own stand on the side of the road every Saturday. Niels has come a long way since opening that first fruit stand – he is now the Export Trade Consultant at Nature Fresh Farms here in Canada!

As soon as he started selling produce, Niels knew he was “made for the trade” and not for the growing side of things: “As a teenager, I started working at a grocery store that sold specialty fruits and vegetables, and this is where I learned a lot about the buying and selling of produce. Problem solving supply and demand, I discovered, is what gives me energy, an adrenaline kick.”

A defining moment for Niels was when he met our General Manager in Holland: “John K. is the one who got me to move to Canada and start working at Nature Fresh Farms. I was really impressed with the company and John got me very excited to help it continue to grow. I’m honored to be here.”

Niels has a lot to look forward to in the next few months – our newest greenhouse opening in Ontario in May, as well as two trips to Holland – one to discover new seed varieties, and another for a family vacation to kick off the summer!

Every day is a whirlwind for Niels as he navigates fluctuating supply and demand conditions in a fast-paced market. By procuring high-quality produce from our most reputable partners, Niels and his Procurement team ensure we always have enough fresh product to meet the demand of our customers! Niels is one of our #GrowToPeople.