Rainbow greenhouses
Rainbow Greenhouses Inc. is a wholesale grower and distributor of potted plants. Our company was established in 1985 and now we service in Canada: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Also in the United States to: Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
Stan Vander Waal, along with his wife, Wilma, started Rainbow Greenhouses in 1985 as a business brokering potted plants and cut flowers into the Seattle WA marketplace. While he was quite successful, the marketplace was fiercely competitive at the time, so in 1986, Rainbow became a wholesaler/broker for a Northern B.C. and Alberta market place. They continued this for three years selling to a variety of chain stores, florist shops and garden centers.
In 1988, Rainbow purchased our current location on South Sumas Road. The growing area was listed as 26,000 sq. ft. but it was not operational. In fact, it was in need of major repair and upgrade. The plan had been to refurbish the property, return it to an operating enterprise and then re-sell it. However, the operations were profitable and expansion plans were made.
In the beginning, the company sold most of its product through the United Flower Growers auction. In 1993, the company hit some financial difficulties due to a snowy and very cold winter. This resulted in some frozen product and a cave-in from snow of some of the greenhouses. As part of its plan to improve its financial health, Rainbow started their own direct marketing program.
The plan was successful and the company has remained profitable ever since. The success led to additional demand and customers and the greenhouse complexes were expanded, in a step fashion, up to its current size of 450,000 square feet. Our current customer base consists of several of the “big box” retailers, garden centers and our regular presence at the United Flower Grower auction.
In July 2003, with retirement in his parents’ minds, Stan and Wilma acquired Rosedale Greenhouses and Farm Ltd. This additional 150,000 square feet produces mainly Reiger Begonias, Potted Mum, Gerbera, Poinsettias, Hydrangea, New Guinea and a mix of spring Baskets.
Automation has become an important way of completing day-to-day tasks. We have invested in Visser Transplant and Space-O-Mat systems, equipment and soil conveyers to get planting done in a timely manner. Echo basket systems dominate all of our newer facility allowing all basket work to be completed from the main walk way. The majority of watering is completed mostly by ebb and flood systems and watering booms.
Number of Employees: 110 Full Time
Total growing space: 1.1 Million square feet.
Total growing locations: 5
Fleet size: 9 trucks
Service Area: British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Oregon
Crops Grown Include but are not limited to:
Year Round – Tropical and flowering plants ranging in size from 4” to 12”
Spring – Variety of Annuals ranging in size from bedding flats to 10” Spring Hanging Baskets, Easter Lilies
Fall – Garden Mum, Cabbage and Kale, Rudbeckia, Pansies
Winter – Poinsettia