Yesterday, Plantion’s General Members’ Meeting looked back on a difficult 2025 and ahead to a promising 2026. Members approved the appointment of Martin Hogenboom (Vireõ) to the Board and Supervisory Board. Martijn Meskers’ term as Supervisory Board member has been extended by four years. There was a strong focus on Commercial Director Guus van Logtestijn, who is retiring after 43 years at Plantion and its predecessors.
Managing Director André van Kruijssen provided insight into the situation in 2025. The sector as a whole was flooded with negative feedback, especially in the days leading up to Mother’s Day. At Plantion, this mainly affected clock sales, with the share of digital sales increasing but volumes decreasing. Plantion’s intermediary service is heading for a slight increase in turnover. Total product sales will probably be about 2.5 percent lower than last year.
Challenges
Other developments also posed a challenge. For example, the news on 19 August of the bankruptcy of Paardekooper and closure of Dillewijn Alflora at the Plantion Wholesale Centre came as a blow. After all, the supplier of floristry products is an essential part of Plantion’s one-stop shopping formula. What’s more, Royal FloraHolland announced the closure of the Eelde site by 30 June 2026.
Continuation of Alflora
Yet according to Van Kruijssen, these challenges present opportunities too. When a relaunch of Dillewijn Alflora failed to materialise, Plantion management, along with Theo van Mullem and Karin Lamers from Paardekooper, decided to take up the challenge of continuing Alflora themselves. Customers can therefore still turn to Plantion for flowers, plants and a wide range of floristry items, both physically in Ede and through Plantion’s webshop. As far as the closure of Eelde is concerned, Plantion and Royal FloraHolland are in talks about the options for serving customers in the north of the Netherlands from Plantion in future. Furthermore, Plantion expects investments in digital purchasing options in combination with hubs and transport facilities to have a positive effect, thereby significantly expanding the market.
Certification
Plantion generally views 2026 with cautious optimism, a year in which clock sales should at least stabilise, intermediary revenue will continue to grow and the digital share rise again. The key question is to what extent the negative image surrounding flowers and plants can be reversed. What will help with this is for small growers who supply Plantion to certify themselves according to FSI standards. Next, it’s a matter of ‘being good and broadcasting it’: telling positive stories about the beauty and expressiveness of flowers and plants. Plantion relies on sector-wide promotion and also develops a number of initiatives itself.
Farewell to Guus van Logtestijn
Following the Members’ Meeting, we bid farewell to Commercial Director Guus van Logtestijn in the auction room. Guus was showered with kind words befitting 43 years of loyal service, during which he rose from Assistant Inspector to Commercial Director and became a leading figure in the sector. After a little resistance (‘there’s no need’), he deservedly accepted the golden Plantion pin with pride.
