The strength and convenience of a large company

1978
Purchasing organisation, Covatuin B.V. (Commercial Organisation for Garden Centres) is founded. The three subsidiaries are Intratuin Nederland B.V., EuropaTuin Nederland B.V. and TuinSpectrum Nederland B.V.

1986
Brothers Jos and Wilbert Witteman take hold of the helm and throw themselves into the breach for small and medium-sized garden centres. They start their own purchasing organisation. They start with 22 garden centres in the spring. The initial six garden centres set up a general partnership: VesaTuin (Partnership of Cooperating Garden Centres). The company is run from Wilbert’s home address.

1990
VesaTuin becomes a limited company. All involved garden centres, which have in the meantime grown to a total of 42, can now become shareholders.
VesaTuin develops a garden centre formula. It is difficult to come up with a name for the chain. “Het Groene Rijk” eventually becomes GroenRijk.

1991
The first GroenRijk is a fact. The first pilot store, GroenRijk van der Roest in Naarden, is opened in the autumn.

1992
GroenRijk expands significantly. 16 establishments are opened this year.
VesaTuin opens its first commercial property in Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk. Wilbert Witteman is appointed full-time managing director.

1996
B.V. VesaTuin leaves Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk and moves to its own offices in Hazerswoude-Dorp.

2001
This year, the process of autonomy for the three subsidiaries, Intratuin Nederland B.V., EuropaTuin Nederland B.V. and TuinSpectrum Nederland B.V., from the parent organisation Covatuin B.V. is started.

2004
EuropaTuin is bankrupt, which leads to financial consequences for TuinSpectrum as well. TuinSpectrum enters into talks with VesaTuin. The organisations appear to be able to complement each other well at various different levels and negotiations are started.

2005
Director Wilbert Witteman of VesaTuin B.V. and Director Richard Verheij of TuinSpectrum Nederland B.V. toast one another. Their companies are merging and will continue life under the name of Garden Retail Services. VesaTuin moves from Hazerswoude-Dorp to the offices of TuinSpectrum on the Korenmolenlaan in Woerden. Wilbert and Richard implement a paired management system.  Wilbert is responsible for the commercial aspects, while Richard handles the general business end of things, including the financials.

2008
Director Richard Verheij resigns. He still helps take care of the move and designs the new office space.
Garden Retail Services trades its offices in the industrial part in Woerden for the rural landscape of Boskoop.

TODAY
The Garden Retail Services offices are situated right in the heart of the beautiful green landscape of Boskoop. The GRS employees work from this building to provide the best possible service to all of the garden centres. In addition, GRS still has an auxiliary branch in De Kwakel, where GRS Groen B.V. is located.

Click for the full history of VesaTuin
Click for the full history of TuinSpectrum