René Nicolaï Alken Rescued from Bankruptcy by Dutch Partners

Alken – Two Dutch industry players have stepped in to assume financial and operational responsibilities to rescue René Nicolaï, a century-old Belgian fruit tree nursery, from bankruptcy. The information was reported by Mediahuis newspapers and legally confirmed by Kristien Treunen, a consultant supporting the reorganization process.

Verbeek Boomkwekerijen and Van Ingen Group, two Dutch horticultural firms, have joined forces to support the struggling René Nicolaï nursery located in Alken, Belgium. Facing insolvency due to rising costs and sector-wide challenges, the once-reputable grower of apple, pear, and cherry trees had filed for judicial reorganisation in an attempt to stave off financial collapse.

“Although the company has been around for a long time and has a good reputation, it has run into serious trouble in recent years,”

explains Kristien Treunen of Resolide, the consultancy firm providing legal assistance to René Nicolaï.

“That was partly due to the general malaise in the fruit sector and the fact that operational costs have increased,”

she adds.

“The company has been unable to provide sufficient answers to that, which is why we have gotten into trouble.”

The court in Hasselt granted an extension on payment deadlines until July 4 to allow the company time to finalize a restructuring proposal. Creditors will vote on the plan on June 20.

By initiating judicial reorganisation proceedings at the commercial court in Hasselt, René Nicolaï also secured temporary protection from creditors.

“The court granted that request and granted us a deferment of payment until July 4,”

said Treunen.

“We are now busy drawing up that reorganization plan, so that we can present it on June 20. That is when the creditors have to vote on it.”

While specific elements of the reorganization plan are still under wraps, Treunen confirmed that the search for suitable partners had been a key part of the company’s recovery strategy.

“On the one hand, this is necessary on a financial level, because the company really needs a financial injection. But it is also important on an operational level. The partners must help us to modernize the operational functioning and make it more efficient.”

The nursery has now secured support from Verbeek Boomkwekerijen of Steenbergen and Van Ingen Group of Wamel – two seasoned players in the Dutch horticultural sector. “They are very well-known names in the sector,” Treunen noted.

“It is important to mention that this is not a takeover,” she stressed. “We are aiming for a sustainable collaboration in which these partners combine their knowledge and expertise to build a stronger enterprise. This offers real opportunities for the fruit cultivation sector both in the Netherlands and here in Limburg.”

Economic and Agricultural Landscape of Fruit Farming in Limburg

Fruit farming plays a vital economic role in Limburg, with approximately 7,500 hectares of land devoted to apple, pear, and cherry cultivation.

According to data from the Belgian Statistics Office, Limburg accounts for 70% of Belgium’s total fruit production, generating annual revenues of around €250 million.

Despite its economic power, the sector has been under strain. Figures from the Flemish Department of Agriculture show that production costs—including those for