« My parents were both horticulturists who worked at Sens (89) where I was born. They began with annual plants before specialising in perennials ».

After obtaining an accounting diploma, Martine Juszczak worked with her parents for one year. "Then, at the age of nineteen, I met my husband who was at that time a farm operator. We got married in 1979 and set up our own business in 1981, establishing ourselves at Plessis-du-Mée (89), bordering the Seine-et-Marne and the Aube". Their adventure began modestly. "At the beginning we had hardly more than half a hectare of land but, little by little, we managed to expand. We began with producing perennials in containers, moving from open ground to soilless production, and then to a cold glass system. The cold glass protects and hardens the plant, making it more presentable for sale. This is a big advantage as we start selling early - February to April - in the Paris region…". The company started to take off. "The first year, there was just myself and my husband. We then took on seasonal workers whom we trained and gradually integrated into our team. Currently, we have seven permanent employees and six to eight seasonal workers in spring…". The equipment has changed to keep in line with the development. "We have just installed 3,000 m2 of fully automated glasshouse.

At present we have three hectares of land, half of which is covered by glasshouses and tunnels. The heated and automated glasshouse enables the production of perennial container plants. We are also developing a range of delphiniums in containers, which allows us to round off our season". The Juszczak company offers a wide range of choice. "We produce 800 different perennial plant varieties, plants for rockeries and bedding, etc. Our strength lies in "cultivating" diversity; the more varieties we have on offer, the more the customer asks for. We produce over two million containers. Our customer base - comprising 40% gardeners and 30% landscapers, as well as nurseries and seed houses - always find what they are looking for and are themselves evolving… We have developed our business by exhibiting at various plant shows including Végétal in Angers. In particular, APHUMR, where I was secretary, exhibits here. I have been coming to Rungis three times a week since 1981. Rungis is a key market, even if the style of commerce has changed somewhat. We have a regular clientele, not counting those that come only in springtime. Furthermore, some people come quite a distance for products that cannot be found elsewhere. Rungis is a major crossroads in terms of product quality and diversity…".