Van der Linde Family Grows Seed Potato Business Through Innovation and Strong Partnership

The Van der Linde family is steadily transforming their long-established arable farm in Krummhörn, Germany, into a modern and reliable seed potato business, driven by craftsmanship, innovation, and a strong partnership-focused approach. 

What began as a traditional family farming operation has evolved into a forward-looking enterprise where healthy starting materials, advanced sorting technology, and sustainable investments are helping secure long-term growth and quality. With a clear vision and close cooperation across the supply chain, the family is building a business rooted in resilience and future readiness.

A Family Farm with Generational Strength

On a calm Monday morning in Krummhörn, Jelto van der Linde offers a glimpse into the busy farm he operates alongside his father, Harald van der Linde. Despite the quiet weather, the farm is full of activity. Spread across 600 hectares and supported by five permanent employees, the business remains firmly grounded in family tradition.

Jelto van der Linde, Seed Potato Grower at Van der Linde Family Farm:

"We really are a family business. My great-grandfather started it, my father Harald is the third generation and I am also fully involved."

The fields produce wheat, barley and rapeseed, among other things, but since 2018, seed potatoes have been an important part of farm operations. They started with 45 hectares seven years ago, and in 2025, the seed potato acreage spans 196 hectares. Part of it is planted with varieties for the German organisation Solana and around 100 hectares are dedicated to HZPC varieties Colomba, La Vie, Innovator, Emanuelle, Sunita, Norman, Morris and Dali.

The shift to seed potatoes

The shift to grow seed potatoes felt like a logical one. The clay soil on which they farm, right on the coast, is highly suited to growing seed potatoes. In addition, wheat produces relatively small yields, while seed potatoes offer a lot of added value on the same number of hectares.

The investment has been substantial as the family does everything themselves. From planting and harvesting to storage. Machines, crates, mechanical cooling and sorting technology all had to be purchased. In the beginning, a barn with a storage facility was rented, but in recent years, three large barns were built on our property.

Jelto van der Linde:

"Do it right, or not at all. Relatively few potatoes are grown in this region. Not everyone dares to take such a step, so there was also room to grow."

A tractor and harvester collect potatoes on the Van der Linde family farm in Krummhörn, reflecting the farm’s strategic shift to seed potato production supported by significant investments in machinery, storage, and modern sorting technology.

Partnership Beyond Cultivation

Jelto highlights the cooperation with HZPC as a key factor in the farm’s development.

Jelto van der Linde:

"We start with virus-free mini tubers from the greenhouses in Metslawier, under horticultural fleece. This keeps them aphid-free and healthy. Every year, we jointly agree on how many hectares will be planted with each variety. HZPC handles sales and communication runs smoothly. For us, it is great that everything is taken care of quickly and reliably."

Growing seed potatoes involves much more than planting and harvesting: innovation, sustainability and resilience are key themes. For instance, the mini tubers are under horticultural fleece, straw is applied between the ridges to repel lice and the arrival of selection carts makes the work more efficient. Two Flikweert QualityGraders photograph each potato and automatically remove clods or potatoes with black scurf (rhizoctonia). 

Jelto van der Linde:

"There used to be four people at the sorting belt, now there is only one. It saves a huge amount of labour."

There are also solar panels and work is underway on battery storage for solar power. They also participate in a wind farm and there is an active robot tractor demo.

Jelto van der Linde:

"In a changing world, resilience is important. We start with healthy material, ensure good drainage and even plots. This ensures the land is kept in the best condition. Large machines make us less dependent on external staff. For potatoes, every hectare counts; for other crops such as rapeseed, the potential yield is lower."

The succes lies in what you pass on

The varieties perform above average, quality is excellent and scurf is rare. Future plans are also clear: stabilise the seed potato acreage at 200 hectares and grow the highest possible quality. Thanks to the combination of a family business that passes on knowledge, modern technology and close cooperation with HZPC, this is a farm that stands for innovation, resilience and quality. 

The fact that 75-year-old grandpa can still regularly be found on the tractor or bringing by food during the harvest shows that success here is not only the result of the machinery and technology, but mainly the generations who continue the work with care and the utmost pleasure.