Food Forward:

The greenhouse
in ten years
From circular, local cultivation to ingredient farms

Part of the ROCKWOOL Group

 Food Forward: The greenhouse in ten years

In short

The horticultural sector is already a pioneer when it comes to

sustainable, clean and safe food production. But how is the sector
going to make the transition to a fully circular production system
in the coming ten years?

While the industry is well on its way to become circular, there are a
few bottlenecks we still need to overcome if we want to truly close
our production cycles. The sector’s main challenge is to manage the
in- and outgoing (material) flows in the greenhouse, including those of
fertilizers and CO2. Additionally, greenhouses also have high energy
needs and too much plastic is currently being used and thrown away
in the sector. How can we overcome these bottlenecks?

In this Food Forward we discuss the bottlenecks and possible solutions

for this transition with three experts from the sector: dr. Wouter
Verkerke, senior scientific researcher at the Business Unit Horticulture
at the Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Peter Spoor,
irector Applications and Development at Grodan and Sander van
Golberdinge, Public Affairs Manager at Grodan. They also discuss
new research and opportunities in the sector, including the potential
use of micro-organisms and organic growing solutions in rootzones,
the development of the ingredient farm and the cultivation of
strawberries and lettuce in the greenhouse.

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 Food Forward: The greenhouse in ten years

Beeld: Wageningen University & Research

For Wouter Verkerke, Peter Spoor and Sander van Golberdinge the future is crystal clear: within ten years
the horticultural industry will be circular. Local cultivation will become more prominent, the ingredient farm
will be a new business model and it’s likely that in just a few years we will be able to buy exotic fruits from
the Netherlands in our own supermarkets. These developments will allow production cycles to become
shorter and truly closed. But how is the horticultural industry going to make this transition?

In this Food Forward we discuss the bottlenecks and possible solutions for this transition with three experts
from the sector: dr. Wouter Verkerke, senior scientific researcher at the Business Unit Horticulture at the
Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Peter Spoor, Director Applications and Development at Grodan
and Sander van Golberdinge, Public Affairs Manager at Grodan.

Circularity as transition: “Circularity is a revenue is a worldwide issue, so we need to

a revenue model model. I see a lot of willingness in think of new solutions together. In
Verkerke is optimistic about the the Netherlands to invest in circular the Netherlands we already have a
horticultural sector’s transition to a systems because we can sell our good idea of how to organize this.
circular economy: “What’s exciting is knowledge to the rest of the world I see a rich breeding ground for
that there are already many solutions as well. Corporations and growers innovation, an intellectual playing
and ideas available for this issue, so I are realizing that they have a field and healthy rivalry here. We
have a lot of faith that we as a sector responsibility for the continuity of inspire each other, love to take on
can make this transition.” the sector because, whether they challenges and make sure we create
Verkerke emphasizes the important like it or not, natural resources are business models that actually result
role the Netherlands can play in this going to run out at some point. This in extra income for us.”
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 Food Forward: The greenhouse in ten years

Demand for healthy, “The horticultural sector is the most kept at a minimum and we mostly
safe and sustainable food promising sector when it comes to use biological crop protection
While the horticultural sector is the sustainable production of products.
making the transition to a circular healthy food. We grow out of the
economy, the demand for healthy, soil on growing media solutions, so Because of this, I think our sector
safe and sustainably produced food we can control all the elements in is best positioned to meet the
will increase as well. The good news order to produce clean and safe increasing demand for healthy, safe
is that the horticultural industry has vegetables and fruit. With this and sustainable food as the first,
already taken great steps to meet production method the use of water or maybe even the only, industry.”
this demand. Van Golberdinge: and nutrients in the greenhouse is

Bottlenecks and solutions

The horticultural industry is well on its way, but there are a few bottlenecks we still need to overcome if we
want to truly close our production cycles. According to WUR’s Business Unit Horticulture, the main challenge
is to manage the in- and outgoing (material) flows, including those of fertilizers and CO2. Additionally,
greenhouses also have high energy needs and too much plastic is currently being used and thrown away in
the sector. How can we overcome these bottlenecks? Below, Verkerke, Van Golberdinge and Spoor share a
few examples of possible solutions.

1. Bioreactors, urban mining and lead them back into the

and microbiology production process of the
Crops grown in a greenhouse need greenhouse. The advantage of this
fertilizer, and for fertilizer we are is that these fertilizers can be used
currently dependent on potassium in the bioreactors as well. In that
and phosphate from mines. But way, we create new and closed
these will run out at some point. production cycles and we connect
That’s why we need to find ways the agricultural and horticultural
to reuse these existing resources. sector to each other. This is actually
“As we speak, two companies are a solvable problem, which makes
building prototypes for bioreactors me very enthusiastic!”, adds
(= a barrel in which biological Verkerke.
processes take place). With these,
we can remove fertilizers from the Grodan is also part of a study that
residual streams of the livestock looks into reducing fertilizers in the
and horticultural sector and reuse rootzones of stone wool growing
them in the greenhouse. The media solutions. Spoor: “We want
bioreactors can also release CO2 to establish a more balanced
during this process, which can in ecosystem within the rootzones.
turn be used to feed the crops in That’s why we participate in
Dr. Wouter Verkerke is an expert in
the greenhouse,” explains Verkerke. research on the use of the area of circular horticulture
micro-organisms and organic and business development manager
“In addition to this, I think urban growing solutions in rootzones. We of the Greenhouse Pharmacy
mining has high potential. This is a also want to have more control of
process in which we reclaim the the microbiology in the crops’ researchers who study the
fertilizers that are released from the rootzones. As a result of this, you micro-organisms in rootzones.
drain (for example from digested will get healthier, better balanced Together we look at ways to apply
tomatoes and cucumbers). To close crops. As a member of the Club of our findings in our growing media
the cycle the urban mining systems 100 from the Wageningen solutions.”
of the future can harvest the University we are able to get in
valuable fertilizers from the drain touch with companies and

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 Food Forward: The greenhouse in ten years

2. Plastic reduction 3. Recycling rules and regulations in each coun-

Currently, high amounts of plastic Additionally, Van Golberdinge try,” explains Spoor. “A major step
are being used in the greenhouse: and Spoor are very excited about for us is that we started this year to
plastic foil on the ground, plastic the steps Grodan has made in recycle our used projects in our own
straps around the crops and plastic the area of recycling. “In Western factories in Russia. We also set up a
foil around the substrates. This is an Europe, 90 percent of our product new system in the United Kingdom,
important point of concern for is currently being recycled into red where all our used substrates are
Grodan. That’s why the business is bricks, a high quality product. At being brought back to red brick
currently conducting several studies the moment we’re also working factories for recycling. We’re very
with the goal of reducing the use of hard outside of Western Europe to proud of these developments,” says
plastic in their products, while recycle as many of our products as Spoor.
maintaining the substrate’s quality. possible. This is a challenge be-
As of today, Grodan has already cause we’re dealing with different
reduced its plastic usage by ten
percent in comparison to last year
by making adjustments to their
growing media solutions. But the
company has even larger ambitions.

Spoor: “Ultimately, our goal is to

find the most sustainable solutions.
That’s why we explore several
different solutions to reach this
goal. For example, we are currently
testing foils which consist 30
percent out of recycled plastics. We
are also investigating the use of
prototypes of degradable paper
covers around our substrates.”

Peter Spoor, Director Applications and Development bij Grodan

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 Food Forward: The greenhouse in ten years

5. Local cultivation
Besides from finding solutions to
the above mentioned bottlenecks,
Verkerke, Spoor and Van
Golberdinge expect the sector will
also develop more in the area of
local cultivation in the coming
years. Van Golberdinge: “If we keep
on importing vegetables and fruit
from countries across the globe, we
will continue to have a negative
footprint on the environment.

Moreover, the corona virus and the

current political climate have made
it clear that we should be less
dependent on other countries.
That’s why I believe we are moving
towards more local cultivation. And
the horticultural industry will play an
increasingly larger role in this
development, because this sector
can guarantee the production of
4. Energy-neutral fresia and potanthurium are grown safe and healthy food products.
At the moment, many greenhouses emission-free, without the use of And the great thing is: as a result of
in the Netherlands operate on gas, fossil fuels. Verkerke adds: “Also this, other crops will also be grown
but a transition in this area is on its here you can see that the solutions circularly and the distances – or in
way as well. Verkerke: “I see the are already available. I expect the other words, production cycles - will
sector is already working more sector’s pioneers will get inspired by get shorter as well”.
efficiently with gas. For example, this greenhouse and will start
growers are looking into better experimenting themselves as well.
isolation materials, LED lighting, They are likely to find new,
and alternative energy sources such additional solutions and the sector
as geothermal energy.” as a whole will take important steps
towards an energy-neutral
The WUR built a demonstration production process.
greenhouse in Bleijswijk
(Netherlands), the “Greenhouse However, it’s important to mention
2030”, which operates 100 percent that we can only become fully
on electric power. In this CO2-neutral if there’s enough wind
greenhouse, strawberries, gerberas and solar energy availability.”

Sander van Golberdinge, Public Affairs

Manager bij Grodan sinds begin 2019.

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 Food Forward: The greenhouse in ten years

6. New (exotic) crops Verkerke also anticipated this new “We don’t have the ambition to
As the sector moves towards more development and is now business take over other countries’ full
local cultivation, it’s likely we will development manager of the production processes with this
also see an increase of new crops in “Greenhouse Pharmacy” program. project. But if we can ensure a
different indoor facilities, according Verkerke: “In the Netherlands, we small, but guaranteed and constant
to the three experts. Spoor: “Crops are crazy about exotic fruits like amount of these types of fruit from
are increasingly being taken out of papayas and mangos, but we still the Netherlands, we foresee less
the soil as more advanced growing import them by plane from remote fluctuations in prices. This delivery
techniques, such as vertical farming, countries. Because of this, these security will bring stability in the
are being developed. At Grodan we fruits continue to have a high food chain, which in turn has a
investigate how we can adjust our CO2-footprint. In the Greenhouse positive effect on guaranteeing
growing media solutions so Pharmacy we carry out different food security and safety,” according
strawberries and lettuce can be trials to grow exotic fruits and to Verkerke.
grown optimally on our substrates.” ingredients in a Dutch greenhouse.
For example, Grodan is currently A great example is our
involved in a trial at Proefcentrum collaboration with Sunfresh, which
Hoogstraten, where strawberries are published the first results of
grown on stone wool growing papayas grown in the greenhouse
media solutions. earlier this year,” he shares
enthusiastically.

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 Food Forward: The greenhouse in ten years

The ingredient farm Ready for the future Want to know more?
On top of all this, Verkerke’s team Verkerke, Van Golberdinge Take a look at the website
is also testing the possibilities of and Spoor all agree that the of WUR and read more about
growing ingredients for the food horticultural industry is going to the Greenhouse 2030 and the
and pharma industry, such as make a huge transition in the Greenhouse Pharmacy.
medicinal cannabis, aloe vera, coming ten years. Circularity will
vanilla and chili peppers. Verkerke: be a license to operate, as well as Read more about Grodan’s
“I think the ingredient farm is going a revenue model for many Dutch recycling service on Grodan’s
to be a new booming business. growers. During this transition, website.
At the moment, some ingredients collaboration in the sector is crucial.
do not reach Europe or have a By forming coalitions between
bad quality. different players, the sector will
prepare itself for the future. And
By growing certain ingredients in the good news is: the horticultural
greenhouses in the Netherlands, sector is already a pioneer when it
you are assured a high quality, comes to sustainable, clean and
clean production process so it safe food production. According
makes sense we will have to start to the three experts, the sector’s
producing these types of entrepreneurial spirit and
ingredients ourselves as well. And knowledge will definitely contribute
we are actually able to do this. The to this transition in the coming
available solutions are endless and years and will ensure that existing
I am sure the Netherlands, with its systems and processes are
extensive knowledge of the sector, redesigned to enable a transition
can play an important role in this”. to a circular economy.

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 Food Forward: The greenhouse in ten years

Bios

Dr. Wouter Verkerke

Dr. Wouter Verkerke is an expert in the area of circular horticulture and
business development manager of the Greenhouse Pharmacy. As a member
of the Business Unit Horticulture at the Wageningen University & Research,
he studies possible bottlenecks in the horticultural sector’s transition
towards a circular model.

Peter Spoor
Peter Spoor is Director Applications and Development at Grodan and heads
the team of researchers at the international company. His team studies
different aspects and methods that can improve Grodan’s products and
production processes and make them more sustainable.

Sander van Golberdinge

Sander van Golberdinge has been Public Affairs Manaer at Grodan since
early 2019. He’s on a mission to bring the horticultural and retail sector
closer together and collaborate more closely on finding solutions for a more
sustainable food chain.

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 Food Forward: The greenhouse in ten years

About Food
Forward
In Food Forward papers, Grodan highlights current
developments and trends in horticulture by talking
to various experts. By discussing their perspectives,
Grodan provides more background information about
topical issues and contributes to social discussions
concerning our current food production system.

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Grodan levert innovatieve en duurzame steenwolsubstraat­-
oplossingen aan de professionele tuinbouw, gebaseerd op
het Precision Growing-principe. Deze oplossingen worden
onder andere toegepast bij de teelt van groenten en bloemen,
zoals tomaten, komkommers, paprika’s, aubergines, rozen en
gerbera’s. Grodan levert steenwolsubstraten in combinatie met
advies op maat en innovatieve tools om telers te ondersteunen
bij Precision Growing. Dit vergemakkelijkt een duurzame
productie van gezonde, veilige en smakelijke versproducten
voor de consument.

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Nederland

t +31 (0)475 35 30 20
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