Metrolina Wins the Gold Rose

Chris Beytes

Metrolina Greenhouses of Huntersville, North Carolina, is the AIPH 2022 International Grower of the Year, which was announced at International Grower of the Year Award ceremony, held during GreenTech in June.

Metrolina, which also won the Gold award for the Finished Plants & Trees category, beat out Matina Flowers of Colombia (Gold Award in Cut Flowers & Bulbs) and Wagagai Limited from Uganda (Gold Award in Young Plants) for the title and the Gold Rose trophy.

Said Abe VanWingerden, co-CEO of Metrolina Greenhouses, who accepted the award alongside his mother, Vickie, and some of his key staff, “It’s a great testament to our whole team, all 3,000 of our employees, everybody back in America, who made this possible. This Gold Rose is indicative of all the work everybody put in.”

Established in 1972 by Tom and Vickie VanWingerden, Metrolina Greenhouses has grown to employ over 1,500 people at two locations in North Carolina and South Carolina with 20 million sq. ft. of growing space. They deliver plants to more than 1,400 retail outlets in the South, East and Midwest.

Metrolina joins Costa Farms (2016) as U.S. operations that have won the IGOTY Gold Rose.

Think your business is up to the challenge of being named best of the best? Entries for IGOTY 2023 are now open. Learn more at aiph.org. GT