Thanks Plants. We could just as well have said ‘Thanks Clients’, as we are very grateful for both our plants and our clients. But for once, we are giving the stage to our product: the plants. They take such good care of us, so we should give something back. Put our plants in the spotlight, so to speak.
Thanks plants, for making my house a home. Thanks plants, for making me smile every day. Thanks plants, for brightening up my working day. Thanks plants, for giving me oxygen and purifying the air around me. Thanks plants, for making me focus better and keep my boss happy. We could go on and on...
‘Thanks Plants!’ is also the name of the new campaign by the Flower Council of Holland. A campaign that we support wholeheartedly. This year’s focus is on plants in your (home) workplace. A success, because working from home is here to stay. We are spending less time in traffic jams and more time on setting up a productive working environment. And that makes plants your best colleagues. We are noticing this trend in the sales figures, and it is also confirmed by our suppliers in the spotlight: VDA Plant for green houseplants and FlorAmor for azaleas. Because that’s another striking development: colour is back!
A promising trend for the Christmas holidays, so why not gain inspiration already from the various themes in this magazine?
We hope you enjoy reading it and, above all, THANKS!
Stefaan Duchi CCO
CHERISH YOUR CLASSICS
Never change a winning team: pine green, oxblood red and gold. Classic with a twist, to firmly banish the winter dip. How about an Amaryllis in a pot with a vintage Christmas print? A cactus decorated as Santa Claus? Instant happiness for your customers is guaranteed. And be creative with stick-ins, that way you can put a smile on everyone’s face.
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GO WITH THE GLOW
All together around the fireplace. Chilling with a hot drink or something stronger and with Bing Crosby in the background. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas... Enjoy the moment and the warm glow of friendship. Be sure to highlight that moment. With Kalanchoe in intense brown ceramics, for example, or with a flaming Echeveria mix. There’s plenty of choice, just go with the flow.
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Just three years! That’s how long it took FlorAmor to become the European market leader in the production and marketing of Azaleas. The key to their success? A strong team, a global approach and decades of passion and experience in their DNA. Christoph Stevens and Kris Verhaegen provide an insight into a company that is both young and old at the same time.
Christoph Stevens - Kris Verhaegen
FlorAmor, half a century of passion for Azaleas
One plus one makes three Saying FlorAmor is a ‘young’ company is relative. FlorAmor is the fruit of the merger between ID’Flor and De Bruyne – Flandresse, two seasoned nurseries with a strong market position. “Both companies did approximately the same thing and our clientele also overlapped to some extent. I would sometimes be leaving a client and find Christoph at the front door,” laughs Kris. “In 2018, we took the logical step of joining forces.”
A merger that is certainly bearing fruit today. These days, the company is the European market leader in the production and marketing of Azaleas. “This position is strengthened by the collaboration with the Azaro nursery and ID’Flor (which continued as an independent nursery, ed.). For breeding and R&D, we call on our partner Hortibreed. This allows us
to manage the entire chain ourselves, from breeding, production and bringing plants to flower, all the way through to marketing. We have also grown considerably on all these four fronts, precisely because we
creates sparks, admit Kris and Christoph. “ID’Flor was a bit more rational and scientific in its approach, whereas De Bruyne –Flandresse had a higher cowboy content,” says Christoph. “We had to feel our way sometimes
“The accountant is a little bit more rock-’n-rollthesedays,sotospeak,and the rock-’n-roller has learned that he also has to calculate from time to time. (laughs)Theresultisthateveryonenow lives and breathes FlorAmor.”
ChristophStevens
complement each other so well.”
Cowboy meets scientist
These kinds of mergers are rarely a bed of roses, or in this case Azaleas. Bringing together two different companies, each with their own culture,
for the first few months. And of course that’s only logical, because employees who have been doing the same job for 15 to 20 years suddenly had to adapt. But we all managed to come out of it stronger. The accountant is a little bit more rock-’n-roll these days, so to speak, and the rock-’n-roller has learned that he also has to calculate from time to time. (laughs) The result is that everyone now lives and breathes FlorAmor.”
One-stop shop
That makes for a strong and close-knit team, one of their greatest strengths. Kris adds a few more. “We are a one-stop supplier and our primary aim
is to take care of our clients in an efficient and cost-effective manner. With a good product, of course, but also with a wide and reliable range. We want to think along with the client and offer a comprehensive response to their demand, with different pot sizes and variants throughout the season. We want to support them in the marketing of our products. With concrete tips, for example, and by anticipating questions that the client will receive from consumers. We are also taking steps towards the end user. With our consumer
website, for example, where you will find concrete tips on how to maintain Azaleas, their history, facts and the like. What still sets us apart from others is that we serve both smaller garden centres and the day trade, as well as the wholesale trade. We can also handle large campaigns. One example is the annual ‘Kom op tegen Kanker’ (Fight Against Cancer) campaign, for which we prepare hundreds of thousands of plants in the short term.”
Strong brand
The ‘Kom op tegen Kanker’ campaign is a huge success in Flanders. The Flandresse Azalea brand, a classic and typically Flemish product, is the star of this charity. The other brand marketed by FlorAmor is Hortinno®. The ‘inno’ in this brand name stands for innovation. Breeders are constantly looking for varieties that are more resistant to diseases or varieties that have a longer flowering time and are easier to maintain. A form of sustainability, something that FlorAmor is committed to.
Going the extra mile in sustainability
“These days, you don’t have a choice,” says Christoph. “Not only does the client expect this from you, so does the government with its stricter standards and regulations. And rightly so, as we are working with nature. We need light, soil and water to produce our plants. Adopting a respectful approach to nature is the least we can do. Although we can make people happy with an Azalea, this has an impact on our environment.
It is our duty to keep this impact as low as possible.” Christoph lists various efforts that the company is making. “It basically revolves around breeding and seeking out varieties that are more resistant, so that less crop protection is required. We also look for and breed varieties that need less water. In addition, our packaging is made of consumer waste, waste from the blue PMD bins (for plastic bottles, metal containers and drinks cartons) and can also be placed in these bins after use. The labels on our pots are made of old newspapers. And another thing: we collect as much rainwater as we can and reuse it…”
“The requirements are becoming increasingly stringent. Not only in terms of production, but also how you deal with the people in your company. Our ambition is always to go the extra mile on top of the specified standards. Our efforts are demonstrated by certificates such as MPS-A+, MPS-GAP, GLOBAL-GAP and MPS SQ and Product Proof.”
Response to consumer demand
“As far as we are concerned, sustainability and innovation are also found in the application,” adds Kris. “The new variety Azajoy from Hortinno® is a good example of this. Azajoy actually grew out of a consumer demand. In the Hortinno® mailbox, Hortibreed were frequently asked the same question by consumers, namely whether the plant could be planted outdoors after flowering? Well, Azajoy is the answer. This Azalea flowers as a houseplant in spring and then survives perfectly well in the garden. Plant outdoors after
indoor flowering is therefore clearly stated on the label. Zero waste, in other words. The advantage of having a short
needs and feed this information back to us. We strive to achieve a long-term partnership with a win-win for everyone in the
“Floréacareinthebestpositionto know the client’s needs and feed this information backto us.”
Krisverhaegen
line of communication with consumers is that we know what’s going on.”
Shared values with Floréac
These short lines are also an asset for clients like Floréac. Kris clarifies: “The link with Floréac has been around for a long time. After all, the company ID’Flor has long been part of the Floré group. These days, Floréac is a top client. Firstly, because they are enormously open to conveying our story to the client and, by extension, to the entire market. They’re in the best position to know the client’s
chain – for them, for their clients and for us. In addition, we completely identify with their three most important values: innovation, high-performance supply chain and dynamic open communication. Another plus: their clientele is closely aligned with our market positioning.”
Azalea & the post-coronavirus interior: a match made in heaven If you can believe trend gurus, colour is making a comeback. Good news for Azaleas.
Christoph and Kris agree. “That’s right, green will stay but will be given a coloured accent. Think
of a green leaf with red veins or a green plant with flowers, for example. And the Azalea is completely in line with this trend. We are also seeing more and more interest among young people. The Azalea has always had the image of a typical Flemish houseplant, loved by an older audience in particular. However, these days young people are also increasingly interested in local, authentic products. A trend that we wish to respond to with our Azaleas.”
“Now that people are still working from home, they are also paying more attention to colour and a green and healthy indoor climate*.”
“Today, the garden or terrace is often an extension of the interior too. There used to be a plastic table and chairs and that was it. Nowadays, everyone relaxes on loungers or has fun in outdoor kitchens. A garden azalea adds that little extra touch, right?” (he laughs)
Would you like to find out more about the air-purifying effect of an Azalea? Read all about this in the Hortinno® article about the study on page 18.
Headquarters : Headquarters: Lochristi +/- three million plants per year
What : 75% Azalea + Rhododendron, Clivia, Skimmia, Kalmia, Japonica evergreen, Cordyline and various terrace plants
Employees : 10 to 15 production staff. Sometimes more, depending on major campaigns; 8 employees in positions such as manager, grower, sales, accounting, import...
Sales market : 80% goes to the Netherlands, Italy, France, the UK, Germany, Finland, Switzerland and Austria, 10% to countries outside Europe such as Kazakhstan, 10% directly to local wholesalers.
BRING THAT OUTDOOR FEELING INTO
YOUR HOME
Bring the outside in with lush green plants everywhere. Rustic brown and green predominate, while gold and petrol provide softer accents. And it doesn’t always have to be spectacular. How about using a Chamaecyparis or Opuntia Subulata as a mini Christmas tree at the heart of your home? Your nose will love the fresh pine scent while you warm your feet by the crackling fire. Sometimes the little things are all you need.
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CHRISTMAS WITH A TOUCH OF LUXURY
Dreaming of a white Christmas ? All well and good, but this year feel free to add some glitter and gold to the Christmas tree. Luxury with a capital L, but still subtle. Enjoy in silence before the festivities begin. Spoil your customers with that little extra touch: a snow-white Anthurium in a gold pot, or a huge Phalaenopsis in silver ceramic. Or opt for mother-of-pearl to add some shine.
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To what extent does a Hortinno® azalea purify the air? With this question and four collections under his arm, manager Stefan Laridon went to the Bio Science park in Leiden in the autumn of 2020. What was the result? Stefan tells in this article. We already reveal a corner of the veil: the results were exceptionally good. The star of this story is the radiant Christine® azalea, followed closely by the Classic collection.
Proven: Hortinno® azalea contributes to better and healthy room air quality
Why did you have the Hortinno azaleas tested in the Dutch lab?
Stefan: “Hortinno constantly keeps its finger on the pulse and invests heavily in R&D. When breeding our varieties, we pay a lot of attention to extralong flowering, but we have never investigated air-purifying properties before. I already had a suspicion that our plants would have a positive effect on the air quality. In addition, a great deal of research has already been carried out into air purification in plants, but to my knowledge this had never been done extensively in an azalea. And so I saw an opportunity.”
Why do you think this research is so important?
Stefan: “Because air quality is an underestimated problem. Our indoor air is sometimes quite polluted, just think of formaldehyde, a harmful substance found in paint and glues. But also in floor covering, wallpaper, MDF, etc. Especially in winter when ventilation is poor, these substances accumulate, also often after renovating a house. This can lead to headaches, skin and eye irritations, stress ... If it turns out that we can remove these substances from the air by means of our flowering plants (Hortinno® azaleas), then that would be a very strong plus.”
And so you went to the Netherlands. How did the research go?
Stefan: “Quite smoothly actually. The research was carried out in cooperation with Phytagoras in the Bio Science park in Leiden. All collections were placed in a closed room in which formaldehyde was injected. The time it took for the plants to break down the harmful particles in the air was then measured.”
And the result?
Stefan: “Without exaggerating: pretty spectacularly good score. The absolute number 1 in air purification was the Christine collection. It achieved a score of 8.5/10, with even one measurement of 9/10. Followed closely by the Classic collection with a creditable 8/10. The other two achieved an average of 7/10. Also nice. Why Christine is doing better, we will investigate further. We suspect that her dark green shiny leaves (mass) are in between.”
So what does this mean in concrete terms? Why should I enrich my plant collection with an azalea?
Stefan: “With one Hortinno azalea you purify about 20 to 25 m2 of living space. So with 2 or 3 Hortinnos in the living room you will go a long way. But with a Hortinno you are actually bringing a champion into your home: besides better air, you also enjoy them for a long time and they brighten up your interior. All that happiness in one plant, especially the multicoloured ones. Moreover, they keep the air humidity in balance. An azalea evaporates up to 50 cl of water per week. All good for your health and your
From left to right. : R. van der Meulen (Bachelor of Science/ Researcher Fytagoras), Dr. W.L. Holtman (Commercial Manager Fytagoras), S. Laridon (Hortinno)
A WINTER’S TALE
Cosy times are coming. Just imagine: a winter white landscape with the promise of sipping hot chocolate with melting marshmallows. Sounds great, right? Time to warm up your customers already, with Christmas coupons that evoke exactly that same feeling. Let amber flirt with intense night blue. And enchant everyone with a dew-blue orchid in a silver pot. Sometimes fairy tales really do exist.
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“By the time a Yucca reaches the store, it’s often three to four years old. Many consumers don’t give that a second thought.” William Fransen should know, as he has been monitoring the sale of tropical houseplants at VDA Plant for years. Together with Managing Director John van den Akker, he gives us an insight into the chain.
Collaboration in good and bad times
Importing, finishing and marketing
VDA Plant started out 50 years ago as an import and export company for young plant material from Central America and, to a lesser extent, China. From the outset, the focus was on tropical houseplants such as Areca, Cycas, Dracaena and Yucca. All of which are indispensable in a trendy interior these days.
“It was my uncle who saw the potential: tropical houseplants that you can’t grow in our climate but can finish here,” explains John van den Akker. “Later, my father came on board too. They got the company off the ground with a great deal of trial and error. In the beginning, we only imported young plant material from countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Costa Rica and left the finishing to other growers. But about fifteen years ago, we started doing the finishing ourselves.”
Managing all the links
These days, VDA Plant manages the entire chain itself: from growing, importing, finishing and export to clients. And this offers numerous advantages. “You can control all the links in the chain and are no longer dependent on others,” says William. “We are quite different from other companies in this respect. This allows us to reduce costs and work more
efficiently, as well as control the quantities and quality. Because we also wanted the beginning of the chain under our own management, we set up our own nursery in Costa Rica ten years ago: El Futuro.”
Exchanging expertise
Costa Rica isn’t exactly next door, so how do they keep track of the production?
“Someone from VDA Plant is on site about 70% of the year. To guide the growers, to give them advice and to introduce
new techniques. And also to exchange expertise. After all, they know their product inside out. When we are in Costa Rica, we also take the opportunity to visit other partner nurseries. This allows us to keep the lines short, despite the distance.”
Floréac as a Unique Business Partner
Keeping the lines short is an expression often heard during our conversation.
William explains: “It’s our way of constructively and jointly
“Ialwayssaythatweshouldtranslate ourUniqueSellingPointintoaUnique Business Partner.”
William Fransen
looking for a solution that satisfies all parties. A win-win situation for everyone. I always say that we need to translate our Unique Selling Point into a Unique Business Partner. If you partner with us, we will look for ways to relieve you of tasks and leave you free to focus on your clients. The same applies to our collaboration with Floréac. About 18 months ago, we started working together intensively. That pretty much coincided with the beginning of the pandemic. I think we can safely say that we have enhanced each other. You know, at some point the market prices for houseplants went sky-high really quickly, the orders were huge. We could just as well have taken our range to the auction to achieve higher profits there. But we deliberately chose not to do so. We always try to achieve long-term relationships, in both good and bad times. To continue
to grow together in every respect. I’m not just talking about sales but also about sustainability, about striving to achieve a higher return for retailers. And ultimately, at the end of the chain, to strive for happy consumers.
Our collaboration with Floréac is bearing fruit. Recently, our plants have been distributed in France through the prestigious brand SILENCE, ça pousse. And we’re very proud of that.”
“Our collaboration with Floréac has serveduswell.Recently,ourplants have been distributed in France throughtheprestigiousbrand SILENCE,çapousse.Andwe’revery proudofthat.”
William Fransen
Sustainable growing
The plants that VDA Plant imports here originally come from a climate where the sun provides extremely high levels of energy. The start of a sustainable cultivation process that they continue to pursue in their company in the Netherlands.
“We make a great deal of effort,” explains John. “For example, we are currently conducting a study into low-peat or even peat-free potting soil. We’re also heating one of our locations using geothermal energy. 80% of the heat requirements will be covered within a year, and we are now also connecting other locations. Together with our neighbours, a pepper and tomato grower, we form an energy cluster. We use their residual heat to heat and light our greenhouses. Our pots
William Fransen
John van den Akker
are made of consumer waste and are 100% recyclable.”
The future is green Today, VDA Plant is surfing along with the prevailing green trend. Green houseplants are here to stay. Both men are entirely convinced of that. “Our plants are among the top ten most air-purifying plants. A big asset for us, given that the focus on a healthy indoor climate is only increasing. Another thing that plays to our advantage: our plants are easy to maintain. This is an important factor for a young audience and is reflected in the sales figures. Especially since coronavirus. Working from home has also boosted sales. But it’s hard to really look a long way ahead. We do have high expectations for online sales, however. Floréac is an important and reliable link here.”
Headquarters : De Lier, Netherlands + El Futuro farm in Costa Rica 14 ha in the Netherlands, 40 ha in Costa Rica
What : Specialist in tropical houseplants: Areca palm, Yucca, Camellia, Croton, Dracaena, Cycas Employees : 50 production staff, 15 employees in positions such as manager, grower, sales, accounting, import... Sales market : Germany, UK, France, Norway, Sweden, Poland. Both DIY stores and garden centres as well as Cash&Carry
From South America to the Netherlands
It all starts with partner nurseries in Central America and at El Futuro, the company’s own nursery in Costa Rica. When the young plants are strong enough, they are transported to the Netherlands by container. There, they briefly go into quarantine. Once approved, they are potted on and finished in VDA Plant’s own greenhouses. This takes 8 to 35 weeks, depending on the plants. Only when they are big and strong enough, and after a strict quality check, will they be dispatched to the client.
CHRISTMAS ISN’T JUST FOR INSIDE!
Your gardens and terraces can also shine at Christmas. Not just to make things look cosy, but especially to make that wonderful Christmas atmosphere last longer. The Ilex aquifolium Argentea Marginata looks great decorated for Christmas. It also colours your garden an intense green all year round. Be sure to add mood enhancers such as cyclamen and hellebores to your range, as they are guaranteed to bring pleasure throughout the spring. Just add a dusting of snow for that perfect finishing touch!
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FRESH GREEN
New Year, new start. Winter gives way to spring, and Christmas trees to lush greenery. Because in 2022, you can’t ignore the trend either: the urban jungle is here to stay. Green plants in the living room, kitchen, home office and even in the bathroom are a must. Climbing towards the ceiling or casually hanging down, they come in all shapes and sizes and fit into any interior. Play that trump card and your year can’t go wrong.
Cheers!
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Pilea by nursery Mostert
You probably associate the Mostert nursery with Schefflera. But did you know that they also grow Pileas and other innovative varieties? Quite coincidentally, in fact. Ruben Mostert explains how it happened: “About three years ago, my brother bought a cutting from a woman in Rotterdam. The price was far too high. But we saw opportunities here and decided to propagate the variegated species. The result: our range has expanded by 20 varieties in just four years!”
A few of these Chinese money plants can already be found in our range, for other varieties you will still need to wait a while. But we’re already curious...
PHILODENDRON VERRUCOSUM
PHILODENDRON PLOWMANII
MONSTERA ADANSONII VARIEGATED
RHAPHIDOPHORA FORMINIFERA
PRINCE OF ORANGE
SYNGONIUM VARIAGATED
PILEA PEPEROMIOIDES
PILEA MOJITO
NEW
poinsettia
gaultheria
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If you buy for a purchase value of € 500 per theme, we will give you a free 33 x 67 cm paper poster of the chosen theme.
