Our History
A Journey Through Time

The story of Jan Spek Rozen begins in 1890. That was the year that twenty-year-old Jan Spek settled in Boskoop, the famous Dutch floriculture town. Jan was born on May 28, 1869 in Nieuwkoop. He loved to explore his surroundings and discovered Boskoop on one of his trips. His enthusiasm for floriculture was awakened, and he set about learning from local growers, with the intention of one day starting on his own.

He was drawn not only to the nurseries: the lovely Aartje Nijveld, Boskoop born and bred, managed to steal his heart. Jan, founder of the Spek dynasty, was in every way enterprising. He knew not only how to acquire a nursery, but also how to win the girl. Aartje became his wife, and the nursery in Boskoop was born.

In the beginning, trade was domestic, but before long sales were made abroad, successfully, because Jan turned out to be an excellent businessman. In 1912, the nurseries were expanded and Jan built a beautiful mansion, spacious enough for the whole family, which now included eight children.

The interest in the rose began in the early 1900s. Jan introduced a couple of new rose cultivars and a number of new rootstocks. The most well-known were the 'Spek's Improved' and the 'Spek's Supreme'. Even more famous was the Rosa Rugosa rootstock, discovered by Nijveld and introduced by Jan Spek.

All of Jan Spek's eight children did well. Three of the six boys went abroad. Arie emigrated to the United States and set up his own nursery there. Piet went to Canada, and Dik to Sweden. They became the sales reps for Jan Spek Kwekerijen. Johan founded his own nursery in Boskoop, which still exists today as Johan Spek Kwekerijen BV.

Jan Spek II stayed in his father's company. He, too, had an undeniable love for the queen of flowers. Through this interest, connections were forged with well-known rose breeders in Europe and America. Jan became a recognised rose expert, on dozens of occasions he acted as a member of a jury at national and international rose certifications. There were successful introductions such as 'Spek's Yellow', which in America caused a stir under the name 'Golden Scepter'.

The Jan Spek Rozen company flourished until the infamous crash of '29, which preceded the Great Depression. From 1929 to 1940, trade stagnated, breeding slowed, and people were laid off. The company managed to stay afloat by growing vegetables on its land and shipping nursery products to England to be auctioned. The crisis would endure right up to the time of World War II.

During World War II, Jan Spek Rozen, just like many other Boskoop growers, grew tobacco and other 'forbidden' articles. No one cared about floriculture; survival was more important.

A few years after the war, in 1948, founder Jan Spek died and management of the company passed to his son, Jan Spek II. He ran the business energetically with his brothers Piet in Canada and Dik in Sweden. On taking over, Jan II had to deal with the issue of breeders' rights, introduced by legislation in 1948, a change that radically shifted the company's role: new varieties could be protected and sold under licence to producers.

Many large foreign rose breeders were already acquainted with Jan Spek Rozen. Because of the new legislation, it became attractive to call on the company for the introduction of new rose varieties. This heralded a long period of international agencies. And while the garden rose was still important, from the early 1960s a growing interest in greenhouse roses appeared. At Jan Spek Rozen they responded immediately, building a greenhouse to test garden roses under glass, the beginning of major innovations.

Cut rose cultivation for greenhouse culture became increasingly important. Breeders developed new varieties that produced more beautiful flowers per plant, with a larger flower production and longer vase life. Increasing prosperity meant consumers had more money to spend, and buying flowers regularly became common practice. As an agent, Jan Spek Rozen introduced several rose varieties that Dutch rose growers began to breed at scale, a lucrative business, thanks in part to the new international legislation that protected breeders against piracy.

It was a prosperous time. Because the company was doing so well, the brothers in Canada and Sweden were bought out. Jan II continued to run the company with his three sons: Jan, Auke and Hette. Jan III focused on the nursery, son Auke on the consumer market for garden roses. Hette in particular was mad about roses.

On a business level there was much success, but the family circle suffered loss. In 1984, Jan Spek II died at the age of 80. At the end of 1987, his son Jan Spek III died of a serious illness at the age of 56. From that point onward, Hette Spek took on the role of Director of Jan Spek Rozen.

In the late eighties and early nineties the market changed drastically. Rose cultivation moved to countries around the equator, Kenya, Ecuador, where the climate proved ideal. As an agent in Africa and South America there were hardly any earnings left, while sales in the Netherlands stagnated. So Jan Spek Rozen made a drastic change of course: the agencies were terminated and the company began to introduce its own roses to the world.

It worked. Worldwide, the company launched new varieties to the market and traded with numerous countries. On May 22, 1990, H.M. Queen Beatrix awarded the title Royal Purveyor, Hofleverancier, which the company would carry for the coming twenty-five years.

By now the business had been adapted to modern times. The old premises no longer met requirements, so new offices were built, a beautiful office building in shades of blue, the new calling card of Jan Spek Rozen, with a rose garden out front. The family business was extended with Auke's and Hette's sons: Alex, Jan IV and Erik. Erik was being trained to take over from his father, Hette, when the time came.

Jan Spek Rozen is a thriving business. In 2007, Erik Spek took over as director. His brother Jan became responsible for plant production, and Alex, Auke's son, focused on consumer sales and the selection of garden roses.

In addition to garden roses, greenhouse roses are extremely important. The company does business with a great many countries worldwide and is represented by local agents on every continent.

In 2015, Jan Spek Rozen celebrated its 125th anniversary. A great deal had been achieved since founder Jan arrived in Boskoop, and the family looked back in gratitude. Joy and sadness often lie side by side: in that same year, former director Hette Spek passed away on May 29, 2015. Around the same time, the Royal Warrant was renewed, H.M. King Willem-Alexander decided that Jan Spek Rozen could continue to use the title for the coming twenty-five years.

For Erik, it was a comforting sign of appreciation, made more meaningful by the fifth generation already waiting in the wings. Son Yannick is studying floriculture, and daughter Jennifer is studying executive office management. When the time comes, they will follow tradition and join the family business, proud of the achievements of their predecessors and keen to make their own contribution.