Growing Better Flowers Through Better Climate Control: Dutch Heritage

For nearly 50 years, the Breugem family has been growing chrysanthemums in Chilliwack, British Columbia, building a reputation for quality that now spans three generations. Today, Dutch Heritage Greenhouse produces approximately 40,000 stems per day, supplying customers across BC, Alberta, and the United States.

But keeping that reputation meant solving a real problem: winter production dips, unpredictable climate swings, and a control system that could no longer keep up. The answer came through upgrading to Priva.

The results have been immediate and measurable: smoother climate control, more consistent crops, and an operation that finally feels like it is running the way it should.

A Crop That Demands Precision

Chrysanthemums do not forgive mistakes.

“Chrysanthemums are one of the most difficult crops to grow,” says Floris Breugem, who now leads the operation alongside his father Aart and brother Lucas. “Their light levels, their dark periods, humidity, support, timing. Everything has to be right.”

Dutch Heritage runs a continuous production cycle, with five bays harvested and replanted every week, and flowers moving from planting to harvest in roughly nine weeks. The greenhouse now produces approximately five and a half crop rotations per year, up from around four under the previous system.

In the past, lower winter light levels and less advanced climate controls created seasonal swings. Yields dropped while heating and electrical costs stayed high. Staffing was harder to manage. Quality was harder to predict.

“With our updated lights and updated climate, we’re filling the gap between summer production and winter production,” Floris says. “Everything is becoming much more streamlined.”

Upgrading Without Stopping Production

Replacing a greenhouse control system mid-season is a risk most growers dread. For Dutch Heritage, shutting down simply was not an option.

The transition to Priva took approximately three weeks while the greenhouse remained fully operational throughout the process.

“There was never a day where we were left with a non-functioning greenhouse,” Floris recalls.

Working closely with local Priva partner Climatrol, the installation team kept systems operational while transitioning controls, wiring, and integrations across the facility. For the Dutch Heritage team, it reinforced the value of having knowledgeable local support backed by a larger global network.

A Greenhouse That Finally Feels Stable

The change Floris noticed most after switching was not a single feature. It was the overall feel of the operation.

“Priva has a calm and calculated feeling,” he says. “Everything operates more efficiently and effectively.”

Instead of sudden swings, the climate stays steady. Heating runs smoothly. Fans run at the right time. Humidity stays balanced. Crop development has become far more predictable.

“If you look at the graphs now, things are much smoother,” Floris says. “It’s not constantly making big peaks and corrections anymore.”

That stability extends to lighting as well. At the same time Dutch Heritage moved to Priva, they transitioned from HPS to LED fixtures with far-red capability, doubling light intensity while keeping electricity costs relatively flat. Far-red light applied at the end of each day cycle encourages stretch and accelerates development in younger plants.

“We’ve seen the plants getting a little faster, the length is there, and the quality is up,” Floris says. “More light means bigger flowers.”

Everything, including lighting, blackout systems, fans, irrigation, and boilers, now runs through Priva as one connected environment.

Global Knowledge, Local Support

One of the most unexpected advantages of Priva has been what it unlocked beyond the greenhouse walls.

Many chrysanthemum growers in the Netherlands already operate on Priva systems. That means Dutch Heritage’s advisors overseas can now log directly into the greenhouse system and work from the same data.

“That was one of the big reasons why we switched,” Floris explains. “Before, troubleshooting meant long phone calls trying to describe what the system was doing. Now everyone can just see it.”

That support recently proved its value on a Saturday evening, when an irrigation issue threatened the weekend schedule. Priva support connected remotely and resolved the issue quickly.

“In this business, things run 24/7,” Floris says. “Having someone there to help is really important.”

Investing in the Future

A few months into the transition, Floris still spends time each week working through Priva Academy training and learning the system more deeply.

“The more I know, the easier it is in the long run,” he says.

For a family now three generations into greenhouse growing, the move to Priva is not simply a technology upgrade.

It is an investment in the consistency, quality, and efficiency that built Dutch Heritage Greenhouse, and the confidence to continue pushing what is possible in modern greenhouse production.