Join us in 2008 as we celebrate our 80th Anniversary!

Click on the image above to view an 8 page booklet that we prepared to celebrate our 75th anniversary.

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Van Noort Bulb Co. Ltd. or M.van Noort & Zn. as we are known in Holland established its roots during the first 10 years after World War I. The Van Noort family was engaged in growing vegetables and flowerbulbs on their small farm at Noordwijkerhout, Holland.

In the winter of 1928, our grandfather Matthew (Thijs) van Noort took a sales trip to the United States and Canada. This resulted in the first flowerbulbs being shipped to growers on Staten Island NY and Ontario during the fall of 1928. The stock market crash of 1929 and ensuing Great Depression made it very difficult to do any sales. With very low bulb prices and wages of 10-15 guilders a week it it was very difficult to make a living.

Then came World War II. Grandfather Matthew was on his way back from the U.S.A., when the invasion of Holland by the Germans took place (May 10-15, 1940). On the 10th of May, the Queen Mary disembarked in Southampton, England and all foreigners (including many Dutch) were interned by the English authorities while their political affiliations were checked. Any suspected Nazi’s remained interned by the British. Our Grandfather was permitted to stay in Britain, or return to the U.S.A. He decided to go back to the U.S.A., and spent the summer and fall of 1940 in Illinois and Indiana with friends, all the while exploring any and every opportunity to return to his family in Holland.

He finally succeeded in getting the necessary documentation for sea transportation from New York to Lisbon, Portugal in November 1940. From there he went by train through Spain, occupied France, Belgium and Holland, where he was re-united with his family in December 1940, just in time for Christmas. During World War II, the Van Noort farm began to grow, in addition to flowerbulbs, many vegetables and even tobacco. Tobacco was used as barter for wheat and other essentials and tulip bulbs were on the menu once a week.

When World War II finally ended on May 5th, 1945 there was hardly any economic activity. However Grandfather was looking forward to the opportunity of returning to the U.S.A. to try and pick up where he left off in 1940. He managed to book passage during the winter of 1947/48 on one of the so called Liberty or Victory ships to New York together with a group of other exporters. These ships were very cheaply manufactured in the U.S.A. during the war, and were meant to supply the Allied Forces in Europe.

The ships did not have any return cargo to the U.S.A., as there was no economic activity in Europe yet. Being empty the ships were high on the water, and vulnerable to heavy winter storms. Several ships perished due to these storms. Grandfather’s vessel encountered rough weather as well. With the boat listing more than 30 degrees, the approximate 20 passengers were called upon to help bail out the water by passing pails from hand to hand in order to save their lives and the ship.

After arriving in the U.S.A., he found that many of the customers established before the war did not exist anymore or had passed away. Nevertheless he managed to get a few orders here and there, making it worthwhile to resume shipping flowerbulbs in the fall of 1948. In that same year the A.J. Koudys family emigrated to Canada. They were also from Noordwijkerhout and grandfather knew them quite well. He started visiting them on each trip he made to Southern Ontario (Winona).During the 50’s and 60’s business gradually started to increase.

For the first 10 years after World War II we were exporting our flowerbulbs out of a couple of barns in downtown Noordwijkerhout, which belonged to grandfather’s Uncle Jack. In those days, the flowerbulbs were packed in large, strong wooden crates, weighing up to 110 kgs each. (real back-breakers !!!) Our flowerbulbs were shipped to New York by way of the Black Diamond Line, a Norwegian Co. A small Dutch freighter service, the Oranje Line, shipped to the Great Lakes and cities like, Montreal, Toronto, Detroit & Chicago.

In 1955 our grandfather had a new place built in Noordwijkerhout. A house with an office, a warehouse, a lean-to, and a loading dock that served us well for over 3 decades. In the winter of 1955 our Dad (Leo H.) made his first trip to the U.S.A. and Canada with our grandfather. He was introduced to our customers, friends and future prospects. After that trip, Grandfather only traveled to Britain to visit our customers there, allowing him to stay much closer to his family. He continued this until 1964, when he retired, leaving the business to his son, our Dad.During the 50’s Dad also enjoyed the friendship and hospitality of the Koudys family, staying with Albert and Joan, who had just built a new house.

In the late 50’s we shipped part of our Canadian sales to Winona, where Opa Koudys and his son Albert used their spare time, to look after the shipping of our flowerbulbs. Opa Koudys knew the flowerbulb products quite well, and he was a much appreciated specialist in detecting Narcissus Basal Rot. He could always be found walkingaround the barns even well into his 90’s. During the 60’s a new warehouse was built on Albert and Joan’s property in Winona. Albert was employed by International Harvester and worked the afternoon shift, allowing him to devote his morning hours to the receiving and shipping of the flowerbulbs. Sales continued to grow steadily year after year and in the latter part of the 60’s, our Canadian operations were Incorporated under the Laws of the Province of Ontario under the name “M. Van Noort & Sons Bulb Company Ltd” of 417 Winona Road North, Winona, Ont.

In the 1960’s our western Canadian roots were started. Dad traveled to B.C. where our Uncle Wim Duivenvoorde (Mom’s brother) had established himself in the nursery trade. Uncle Wim knew many people within the industry, and offered the use of his warehouse to service our customers. He, and his wife, Aunt Liz, were instrumental in helping Dad set up and grow a solid base of customers on the West Coast.

By 1972 it was getting so busy in Winona, that Albert Koudys left his job at International Harvester to devote himself full-time to the Van Noort Bulb Co. affairs. Albert would travel to Holland during the month of August to assist in the packing and shipping of the first flowerbulbs to Canada. He would then rush back to Canada to be there when the shipments arrived in Winona. During the 70’s we would also receive many containers of flowerbulbs from “friendly competitors” (Leo M. Van Reisen, and Jack Th. De Vroomen) whose bulbs we would forward to their respective customers.

August 10, 1978 was a very significant day in our lives. Mom and Dad had decided with the whole family to move from Holland to Langley, B.C. where a new home and warehouse had been built during the spring of 1978. Leaving Holland was not easy as we had enjoyed many years of good times and great friendships. Our parents too left many friendships, card clubs, family etc. behind for a new life in Canada. As young teenagers it was a great adventure full of exciting and trying times. Adjusting to the Canadian way of life was at times a real challenge. Having family and many Dutch and Canadian friends around us however made the move and change over much easier and one we have never regretted.Upon finishing high school in Holland in 1978, Leo M. Jr. was the first of the children to join the family business in B.C.

After several years of being involved in the Holland export and sales and shipping in Western Canada, Leo Jr. decided that growing flowerbulbs and plants were more to his liking. He started and developed the farm in Abbotsford B.C. He is now in charge of almost 100 acres of field production of Narcissus and perennials.

Carl officially joined the company after graduating from university in 1985. Throughout his university years he was already actively involved in the business. His Dad took Carl on several sales trips ‘out east’ and he quickly became the ‘designated Van Noort’ for that part of the country. He too enjoyed the hospitality of the Koudys family in his early years on the road. While in B.C., Carl spent most of his time on sales, shipping and organizing.

After initially spending a year in Holland following university graduation and working for different employers, Frank decided to come back to Canada in 1986 with his new Dutch bride to also try his luck at the family business. He had the gift of gab and quickly developed into our master sales and marketing man. During the 90’s he also added the ‘perennial program’ to his duties and is now our resident expert.

Conny completed university in 1988 with a business degree and joined the company immediately after. Her administrative and organizational skills have proven to be an integral part of our company. She spends part of her summer in Holland assisting in the administrative end of the flowerbulb export. The rest of the year she is found in B.C. doing the same for our Canadian operations.

As the next generation team of brothers and sister we have continued to build the Van Noort family enterprise. Throughout the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s. we proceeded to put our own stamp on the business. New products and markets were developed together with a new, energetic and talented staff.