In 2002, he came to pick up a bunch of roses at Christmas to surprise his folks back home: “I saw a couple of Turkish ladies behind the sorting machine who I knew and started chatting. Owner Marc walked in and saw I was talking to them and introduced himself. Then he asked me if I wanted to come and work for him! At first, I worked in the barn processing the flowers. However, one thing led to another and now I am the Barn Work Coordinator,” says Martin.

“It’s never boring! Not even after 19 years. I work with the same product every day, but I don’t see it as a job. It’s my hobby! What I like about working at Van der Drift is that we want to be the best. We deliver the finest products. Roses are a beautiful thing, but we distinguish ourselves from the rest with our beautiful roses. The competitive aspect appeals to me; it is fun to be the best and to deliver quality.”

“The production process is interesting because it involves a lot of technology. I am deputy manager when someone in the greenhouse is on holiday. I like it, but I prefer to work with my hands, with a bit of IT work in between. I have defined the settings for the sorting machine. It is a challenge to get the best sorting results and uniformity out of the sorting machine.

We have a great team, and everyone is committed!” says Martin, proud to tell his story.