RZ-100-wt4-E-flipbook-240702 - Flipbook - Page 13
1 Zwaanshals 298
19
25
Improved
Telegraph
Cucumber
2 Zaagmolenkade 28
His letter has the desired effect, as a short time
00
00
xxxx
xxxxxx
later the sales ledger records a first order of cauliflower seed from the Oudshoorn brothers worth
8.20 guilders . A second letter on the same subject
to Mr Van de Lans in Loosduinen produces similar
19
26
Rijk Zwaan’s
Reuzenblad
Spinach
results: we later find this customer’s order in the
sales book.
Personal breeding advice
These facts clearly illustrate one of Rijk Zwaan’s
The first catalogues contain a wide range of
many strengths. Since he founded his company,
seeds. Many horticultural seeds are available from
he personally visits the market gardeners, and
Rijk Zwaan, including cucumber, cabbage and pea
his focus is not just on selling seeds and bulbs
seeds. The catalogue also features grass and flower
but also on giving good advice that will help
seeds and even a large selection of flower bulbs.
the gardeners achieve even better results. To
Initially, Rijk Zwaan targets private individuals and
start with, he does this verbally, but later he puts
market gardeners. The prices in the first catalogue
everything on paper.
00
00
xxxx
xxxxxx
19
27
Rentegevers
zonder draad
Beans
are therefore printed per pack or per 10 grams.
A year later, the prices are specified per kilo and per
ounce and are clearly aimed at professional growers.
‘Zwaan’s selections’ in
Smear campaign
the first catalogue in
Rijk Zwaan doesn’t start his business on his own.
1924-1925.
xxxx
xxxx
Together with at least two sales reps he travels
around the triangle of Delft-Loosduinen-Rotterdam
to find new customers. He also has sales reps in
the vicinity of Venlo, Amsterdam and Zwijndrecht
(Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht). In addition, he is in the
process of recruiting an agent in Zwolle in
xxxx
xxxx
October 1924 to sell his seeds for him there.
This hasn’t been successful up to now. Rijk Zwaan
believes in treating his customers honestly and
seriously, but others have different ideas. It is clear
from several letters to his customers that he is
plagued by ‘dishonest competition’. Following a
second cancellation of an order by Gebroeders
Oudshoorn in Nootdorp, he writes to them:
‘I have reason to believe that a smear campaign is
being launched against me from certain quarters,
which is beneath contempt, and I am sorry that
after our second visit you still give credence to
such rumours.’
Timeline
This timeline displays
characteristic events and
varieties related to
Rijk Zwaan from 1924
onwards.
1
The turnover figures
are in thousands of euros.
2
Number of FTEs.
1925-1926
Turnover 1
Omzet
20
0000
1924-1940 | On the eve of breeding recognition
11
2
FTE
FTE
4
0000
