According to his LinkedIn profile, Peter Laurman is Sales Manager at Dümmen Orange, but he is so much more than that. A product manager, a specialist. Specifically, he knows all there's to know about the development and specifications of the Pina Colada chrysanthemums. An interview. 
A Praise
Peter Laurman, sales manager Cut Mum of Dümmen Orange, praises Pina Colada’s freshness.
“It is really very special. It has a real white with fresh looking green heart. It's the perfect spray chrysanthemum. And the same goes for its reliability. It’s certainly a flower with endless purposes and professionals can use it anytime and anywhere. We at Dümmen Orange, are very proud of it.”
The sales manager describes the spray chrysanthemum as vibrant. Where the first Pina Colada was only available in white, now it is also available in yellow and cream. That is also the order in which most breeding goes when it comes to chrysanthemums.
Starting with a good and solid white, and then developing it into yellow and then from a good and strong cream it is developed into pink. Pina Colada was bred as a crossing in the UK in 2012/2013 and was introduced to the markets in 2016.
Disease Resistant
"What I am particularly proud of in this variety is that it is resistant to white rust. A common disease in chrysanthemums. Although I have to say that in most modern greenhouses the grower is very able to keep rust from happening, I think it is a good insurance to have for a grower that he knows Pina Colada is resistant to this disease. In my opinion a ground breaking breeding result. Of which we all can be really proud."
Peter Laurman continues:
"Chrysanthemums grow better with heavier stems when the humidity in the greenhouse is a bit high. Knowing that you will have no problem with white rust, enables the grower to produce heavier flowers, without the worries."
An R&D Driven Organization
Dümmen Orange is in this way a leading company. According to Peter, the company is very R&D-driven. "Always on the look-out for new genetics to create superior varieties". Particularly proud is he about the opening this year of the new laboratory in De Lier. The 'Breeding Technology Centre'. It has been virtually opened by Carola Schouten, the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality (and vice-Prime Minister) on June 16th. 
Breeding Technology Center
The Breeding Technology Center is home to all Dümmen Orange’s research facilities in the field of breeding technology & traits to realize faster breeding and selection processes, enabling access to superior products for customers worldwide. The center is also the home for scientists and breeders who jointly develop next-generation varieties in a smarter way. It houses laboratories, offices, meeting rooms, climate chambers, and greenhouse facilities for all research disciplines needed for our traits and technology programs.
"The Breeding Technology Center enables us to accelerate the creation of new genetics and superior varieties. More disease resistant varieties. This way we will always stay ahead of our competitors."
A Very Predictable Chrysanthemum
Peter identifies the variety of Pina Colada chrysanthemum also in this way; he sees it as a very promising variety, but not only because of the resistance to diseases but also, and especially, because of the reliability of the growth cycle.
"A stable growth cycle is of high importance to the grower, because he wants to execute his growing schedule at a highly detailed level. To plan harvests at certain specific dates requires detailed planning. You have to understand that some varieties can end up in a more vegetative than flowering state due to higher temperatures. This can cause delays in the planned harvesting date. That's one thing that growers really do not like when growing chrysanthemums. Pina Colada has got no problems here, and always performs very predictable."
A Nice Chrysanthemum with Many Flowers
Besides the advantages for the growers, Peter is convinced the Pina Colada is a good substitute for existing similar varieties.
"Of course, the flower performs well and has a very long vase life. But it also has many more flowers than other similar varieties, and I think that is one of the main USP's of this flower in regarding to it's competitors. I was particularly fond of two posts I saw on Facebook and Instagram which I would like to share with you below. It's time for Pina Colada, people!"
