Metrolina Greenhouses named International Grower of the Year for 2022

Metrolina Greenhouses was named 2022 International Grower of the Year on Tuesday by a panel of horticulture industry judges at an awards ceremony in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 

The Huntersville, North Carolina-based wholesale greenhouse operation won the coveted International Grower of the Year title and Gold Rose Award during a recognition ceremony in Amsterdam presented by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and Floraculture International magazine at GreenTech Amsterdam, an international conference focused on cutting edge technology and business opportunities in horticulture.

Metrolina Greenhouses and eight other companies were named as finalists for the International Grower of the Year Awards, recognizing the best producers of young plants, finished plants and nursery plants and trees. The prestigious awards ceremony, established in 2009, recognizes best practices, innovation and sustainability in horticultural production by ornamental production nurseries around the world.

In addition to the overall award, Metrolina Greenhouses is the Gold Winner in the Finished Plants and Trees category, a recognition of its status as a world leader in horticulture, innovation and sustainability. Metrolina focuses on quality products driven by innovation in robotics, machinery and greenhouse structures that optimize labor and space efficiencies, and the award judges said they applaud how Metrolina meets the changing needs of consumers with hundreds of new items every year.

Metrolina Greenhouses was the only American grower in contention for the award. To date, only one other U.S. grower has been named International Grower of the Year.

“We want to thank AIPH for the nomination for International Grower of the Year on behalf of our whole company; all 1,500 of our associates are really excited about this nomination,” said Abe VanWingerden, Metrolina Greenhouses co-CEO.

“What’s cool is this is also our 50th anniversary as a company here at Metrolina, so this is just icing on the cake on what’s been a great year for us celebrating our 50th year. We recognize that awards like this aren’t for anything we’ve done in one year or just a couple of years, but what we’ve been able to accomplish over many years.”