Van Vugt Kruiden

Who's behind it

Van Vugt Kruiden is based in Ridderkerk, on the Hoogzandweg. It's a family business: Piet van Vugt started it, and now his four children and a son-in-law run it. They are grower and packer and grow their own, in open ground and under glass in Ridderkerk and Brielle. In summer about 90 percent comes from Dutch soil. Around 180 people work on the packing line, plus an office team of twenty. The business runs on 3,400 solar panels and a gas-free, emission-free greenhouse, and in 2026 bought a plot of just over three hectares next to the existing site to expand further from 2027.

Range and origin

There are 25 fresh herbs all year round, rising to about 40 types in summer. Plus 20 edible flowers such as begonia, violet, geranium, fuchsia and dahlia, and 18 baby leaves and cresses such as green and red mizuna, tatsoi, land cress and bulls blood.

They're clear about origin. What the season allows here, they grow themselves. The rest comes from countries where the climate suits it better, such as Spain, Italy, Morocco and Kenya. There they work with regular growers certified for food safety and working conditions, and they keep in direct contact with them. International batches come by plane and go straight into cold storage, so the aroma holds. So for every herb you know where it comes from and why.

In your kitchen

Edible flowers and cress finish a plate quickly: a violet or begonia leaf on an amuse, bulls blood through a salad, a sprig of mint or cilantro full of aroma. Because the range is broad all year, you can keep a dish on the menu all season. And because the origin of each herb is clear, you can simply tell guests, on the menu or at the table, what's on the plate. Ask what's at its peak this week: that's where the flavour is, and often the sharpest price.