10 Years of Appletree Surfboards!
08.07.2026
Celebrating a decade in the surf industry is a major milestone, one that naturally invites a bit of reflection. The story of Appletree Surfboards is not just about making premium boards; it is a journey of resilience, sheer adaptability, and a commitment to keeping high-quality manufacturing close to home right here in Europe.
Looking back at where it all began, it is safe to say we have come an incredibly long way.
In this video, Wieger takes us behind the scenes to share what this journey has really been like, looking back at the highs, the lows, and the biggest lessons he has learnt from leading Appletree over the last 10 years.
From a tiny shed to our own factory in Portugal
If you had told us ten years ago that Appletree would become what it is today, we probably wouldn’t have believed you. The brand’s growth over the last decade has been an incredible journey of hard work, adaptation, and growth:
- The early days: Wieger and Jorrit started out in a tiny little shed in their parents’ backyard apple orchard in the Netherlands, later moving into our first small factory workshop in Rijswijk.
- The leap to Portugal: After just two and a half years, we made the strategic and chaotic decision to relocate to Portugal. It was a crazy phase, shifting heavy machinery, moving staff, and sorting out new agreements with suppliers and partners.
- Consolidation: A few years later, we moved again into our current, very big, self-owned factory. Standing back and looking at what we have created here is truly unbelievable.
Three key business lessons from a decade of grinding
Building a manufacturing business in Europe in this day and age is no easy feat. Reflecting on the journey, there are three main principles that allowed us to survive and thrive:
- The power of naivety: As Wieger puts it, a bit of beginner’s blindness can actually be your greatest asset when starting a business. “Honestly, if we had known back then just how hard it would be, the years of struggle, of not making any money, and actually just losing money to build the foundation, fear might have held us back.” Sometimes, it is simply better to just jump in head-first without knowing exactly where you are landing.
- Agility over rigid planning: The COVID-19 period was a heavy time where everything seemed to collapse. We panicked, but we reacted quickly by scaling down to survive the initial crash, which allowed us to ride the massive uplift afterwards when everyone wanted to get back on the water. You can never be prepared for unexpected events; you just have to stay flexible and change your plan the moment it stops working.
- People are the most important: This is the biggest takeaway, and something we celebrated at our 10-year anniversary party. A business is nothing without its people. You can have all the top-tier machinery and materials you want, but if your crew isn’t happy, they won’t stay. We rely fully on everyone who works here, and when you invest in a great workplace, that happiness reflects 100% in the quality of the final product.
Looking ahead: The next 10 years
While it is impossible to predict exactly what the next decade will bring, our foundations are stronger than ever. We now have the factory, the capacity, and the expertise.
Moving forward, our goal is to grow not just in surfboard production, but to expand into a cutting-edge development company. We are constantly pioneering new ways of production to make stronger, lighter boards, and we want to apply this advanced composite building technology to potentially create other innovative products, either under our own name or by licensing it to others.
Most importantly, we want to lead the movement of bringing more production back to Europe. We love producing here, keeping things close, and maintaining full control over our quality.
Plans never go exactly as expected, so we will definitely stay flexible for whatever comes across our path next. Thank you to every rider, partner, and team member who has been part of our first 10 years. Here’s to the next decade of changing the game!