Metrolina Greenhouses Revenue and Competitors

In 1972 Metrolina Greenhouses was founded by Tom and Vickie VanWingerden who immigrated to the US from The Netherlands. They moved to Charlotte, NC in the spring and rented a 20,000 square foot greenhouse on Old Statesville Road. This location was quickly outgrown and they moved the company to its current headquarters in Huntersville, NC where they bought an 80 acre tract of land. The first greenhouse was a one acre plastic covered structure. The first customers for these plants were Woolworth and the local retail trade. The business continued to expand and grow as the customers’ needs dictated. During the first 10 years of existence, food chains were the biggest customers. The business at that time was mainly spring, April 1st through Mother’s Day, and Poinsettias for the Christmas season. This pattern continued into the early 1980’s and the business grew with it.