Plantpeddler working with world-wide businesses to keep pace with growth

CRESCO - When was the last time you took a call from Mexico, Honduras, Kenya, or Guatemala? At Plantpeddler, it’s something that happens quite often!

This past week, Dennis Hitzigrath of Vivero International in Mexico came to visit the Gooder family and their Cresco operation, but also paying a visit to the many cuttings he had sold to Plantpeddler and had delivered recently. 

Vivero International is based in a little town south of Mexico City where Dennis helps his Father and Mother run the huge family owned business, who send cuttings domestically and internationally.  Several of his larger clients are here in the United States, including Plantpeddler, along with others, including a few that are Plantpeddler’s competition.

During peak times of the year, Vivero will employ over 1,200 individuals––very labor intensive––and are still working on getting robots in operation at their facilities. Having started  nearly two decades ago, the company has grown substantially and has delivered over 1.5 billion cuttings (and counting) over that time. 

“Dennis provides two million Geranium cuttings which we root in the winter for grower customers to finish in the Spring,”  said Mike Gooder of Plantpeddler, who produce millions of plants during each season for wholesale or distribution (for finishing) in Iowa and surrounding states. “In the summer months, we’ll get our Poinsettia cuttings from him, so we can harvest those in the early winter. Getting these cuttings on a timely basis, and having them disease free, in perfect condition when they arrive, is vital to our operation.”

It’s Vivero International that helps make that happen!

Hitzigrath basically grew up in the business, being born in Germany, eventually moving to Australia and then to the Canary Islands, to the United States and finally ending up in Mexico.  His parents had been working for Fischer, a large German corporation that was constantly expanding and that was why his parents were constantly on the move. 

“I was born in a small town in Germany, so growing up I learned German at home and once outside the house, I learned Spanish,” said Hitzigrath, who also knows a little French.  “It was when we lived in Florida and knew no English, that I had to get along speaking only Spanish.  By second grade, I had learned English.”

The family was in Florida for only one year when they were transferred to Mexico, where his parents were working for several companies that would supply Fischer.  His father managed those businesses for two years, but some internal politics caused some friction and that was when Vivero International was born.  

“I was around 11-12 years old when they built their first greenhouse,” commented Hitzigrath. “We would produce finished plants, such as Poinsettias and would sell them . . . sometimes right in front of my school, which was a little embarrassing, especially being a teenager. They were a slight success, but really had to work at it.”

It was only a few years later that the family decided to stop selling finished plants and start selling cuttings.  They were approached by Fischer, among other growers, to produce the cuttings in helping in the company’s production window each season.  

“It was in 1994 a crisis took place, allowing us to easily sell plants to the United States and that was what we needed,” said Hitzigrath. “Soon we went from three greenhouses to 12.  It was a great time to go in to the export business.  Every year we were doubling our output and have continued since.”

He pointed out that the growth has not been as fast paced as the past, but has been consistent in recent years, and the future continues to also look bright.