A 30-year leadership legacy concludes as Steven Roberts hands over to Peter Smith

Steven hands his responsibilities for the management of 80 staff across the region to Peter Smith, former CEO of Boomaroo Nurseries from November 2025.

Since joining Rijk Zwaan as a Sales Representative for NSW in 1995, Steven has helped shape innovations that changed the way Australians grow and eat vegetables.

From truss tomatoes and Salanova® lettuce to Blue Leaf™ cucumbers and the waste-saving Knox™ trait, he has helped introduce varieties and concepts that have not only transformed production and retail shelves, but also inspired people to enjoy more vegetables.

An advocate or the vegetable industry and the importance of increasing consumption, Steven founded Love My Salad (now Veggies First), a long-running social platform that continues to evolve, inspire, and celebrate the joy of vegetables.

During his 15 years as Business Manager, Steven has led the Oceania team through strong commercial growth, heading up a nationwide team of sales representatives that has established Rijk Zwaan as a trusted partner for growers.

“Seeing Rijk Zwaan products on supermarket shelves, in restaurants and in friends’ homes, knowing we helped bring vegetables like baby cucumbers and so many others to life is a real achievement,” says Steven.

“What I’m most proud of is our team, and the growers who bring our seeds to life – they are the true heart of our success,” he says.

During Steven’s tenure, the Australian subsidiary has established itself as an integral part of Dutch-based global company, Rijk Zwaan – one of the top four vegetable breeding companies in the world.

Peter Smith steps into the position after eight years in senior roles with Boomaroo, one of Australia’s largest vegetable seedling producers. He brings more than 20 years of experience leading and growing businesses in manufacturing and operations, and has strong existing relationships with growers across the region.

Peter joins Tim March, Business Manager for Oceania and South Asia, responsible for R&D activities, as the new leadership team of Rijk Zwaan Oceania.

“I am confident Rijk Zwaan Oceania is in great hands with Peter. His deep understanding of the industry and genuine connection with growers make him the right person to lead the team into its next chapter,” says Steven.

Peter takes up his position on 1 November 2025 and looks forward to meeting with growers across the region in the coming months.

“I am honoured and excited by the opportunity to join Rijk Zwaan. I thank Steven for his incredible contribution to Rijk Zwaan and the vegetable industry over the last three decades, and I look forward to collaborating with Tim and the entire team to build upon the robust and successful foundations established by Steven," says Peter.

"I aim to strengthen our existing industry relationships and proactively develop new ones, whilst bringing renewed energy and passion to the experienced and highly skilled Rijk Zwaan team, further elevating our reputation in Oceania.

“We will ensure our exceptional product offering goes from strength to strength, fully supported by the world-class resources of our parent company in the Netherlands and our global colleagues," concludes Peter.