Long before Qualitree, launched its Ready for Retail program, Tony Van Oort and his founding partner, Gary Neels, created the company on paper as part of a college project.
“It was called an enterprise project and we had to build a paper business, including a production plan, budget, sales plan, business plan and more,” Van Oort said. The pair did well on the project and wondered, “Why don’t we do it for real?”
“We purchased our first greenhouse off of Craigslist in August of 1994 for $2000 and built it in Gary’s parents back yard,” he said. “Working full time day jobs, we filled that house with thuja cuttings at night and weekends with a lot of volunteer help. I stress that point because now 20 years later, just as then, we couldn’t do it alone.”