Some interviews feel more like a reunion than a recording — and this one truly did.

In this special Deep Dive Interview, created in collaboration with Hydroponic Talks and Green Swans Podcasts, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Hub Janssen, the CEO of Grodan Group, at the company’s headquarters in Roermond, The Netherlands.

For me, this conversation was deeply personal. My journey with Grodan began back in 1993, when I first introduced hydroponics on a large scale in Greece as Head Agronomist at Prima Greenhouses, together with my friend and colleague Evagelos Drimtzias. Since then, I’ve worked closely with Grodan in Greece, the Balkans, Cyprus, and Egypt — and I still proudly consider myself a “Grodan Ambassador.”

So, being back at Grodan HQ and sitting across from Hub — a leader who has guided this company for over two decades — felt like coming full circle.

Over the course of 60 minutes, we took a deep dive into the future of horticulture and sustainable food systems. We talked about how hydroponics, AI, and circular innovation are changing the way we grow food — and how Grodan’s work continues to shape the global conversation on resource efficiency, precision growing, and sustainability.

But beyond technology, what really stood out in our discussion was Hub’s perspective on leadership, purpose, and people. We spoke about the importance of collaboration, the next generation of growers, and what “true circularity” really means — not just recycling, but rethinking how we grow, consume, and sustain.

I left this conversation feeling inspired, not just about where horticulture is heading, but about the kind of mindset it takes to lead with vision and integrity in times of change.

If you care about sustainable food, innovation, and the future of agriculture, I think you’ll find this episode as inspiring as I did.