After COVID, people couldn't wait to finally get together again. The horti industry seized the momentum and got together in a big way. Here are 10 of the many mergers and acquisitions that happened in 2022.
"We are not going to follow. We will lead the change"
AgriFORCE has been on an acquisition spree as of late. Recently, the company has announced two in-process acquisitions, namely AgTech consulting company Delphy and Belgian plant tissue culture propagator Deroose. "Our goal is to unlock the value of plants and food systems," says Ingo Mueller, CEO of AgriFORCE. "Our strategy is a two-legged stool. Our Solutions side is all about how to produce better crops more sustainably. On the Brands side, we are committed to delivering that to the consumer. The businesses of both Delphy and Deroose fit that profile -- capturing the whole value chain, starting from young plants, then it migrates up the chain, and ultimately to the consumer."
Signify completes acquisition of Fluence
Signify has completed the acquisition of Fluence from ams OSRAM. Fluence will operate with a separate go-to-market as an integrated business unit within Signify's agricultural lighting business in the Digital Solutions Division.
"Since we can see the whole life cycle of the greenhouse, we can think about it holistically"
Over the past year, the horticulture supplier BFG Supply has acquired four companies with a precise goal in mind: expand their network, products, and distribution capabilities. "The first acquisition we completed was Gard'n-Wise in December '20," Dave Daily with BFG says. "And then, in March '21, we acquired L&L Nursery Supply. The rationale behind these acquisitions was to expand in the Western US: with Gard'n-Wise, we entered the Mountain West region, while with L&L, we gained a foothold on the West Coast."
Profile Products acquires Quick Plug from Dümmen Orange
Profile Products announced the acquisition of Quick Plug, a leading manufacturer of bonded growing media for plant propagation. This acquisition from Dümmen Orange, a floriculture company based in the Netherlands, includes all Quick Plug products, technologies, employees, and facilities in the Netherlands, Canada, Oregon, US.
Bluelab to acquire Autogrow
New Zealand-based Agri-tech company Bluelab has acquired automation company Autogrow as part of a global strategy to expand operations into new territories and increase its range of technology offerings to customers.
Both companies combined have almost 60 years of expertise in the horticulture technology sector and have employees worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe.
Acquisition of Penny UK by Power Plastics
As part of Rutec Group, Power Plastics announces that Penny UK is now part of their group.
Just like Power Plastics, Penny UK is a technical wholesaler in the field of irrigation, locally oriented to the UK market. "By acting now, we anticipate a rapidly changing international market, in which it has become clear that there is a greater need for local contacts worldwide," says Maurice di Stefano with Power Plastics.
Midstream Lighting completes acquisition of Hyperion Grow
Midstream Lighting has completed its acquisition of Hyperion Grow Lights. Midstream will retain the Hyperion brand as its horticulture offering; under the leadership of former Hyperion Managing Director Jonathan Barton.
Decowraps completes acquisition of Flopak USA
Decowraps has completed its acquisition of Flopak USA, a major player in pre-formed pot covers and floral delivery systems.
Decowraps partnered with Palladin Consumer Retail Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, in August 2020. This is the second acquisition Decowraps has completed since Palladin invested in the company.
Esmeralda Farms acquires Sande Flowers. 
Esmeralda Farms has entered into an agreement to purchase Sande Flowers. This acquisition—which includes Sande's variety portfolio and its operations in Ecuador and the United States— will begin on June 1, 2022.
Sande Flowers, a fourth-generation, Dutch-owned farm in Ecuador, is renowned for its extensive Calla, Lily, and Ranunculus programs. Having popularized such names as Starfighter Lily, Schwarzwalder Calla, and Strauss Calla, Sande also cultivates a wide array of the newest breeds of summer flowers.
Denmark: Plantas Group acquires Euroflora
Danish company Plantas Group is growing and positioning itself as one of the ten largest wholesalers in Europe in the field of plants and flowers. Yesterday, they announced the acquisition of EuroFlora, which also grows and specializes in the export of Danish potted plants.
"We have experienced annual growth of 10% in recent years and has ambitions for further growth by expanding our existing business through its own power and acquisitions. And the acquisition of EuroFlora is a perfect match because there is synergy between the parties. Together we can strengthen the export of flowers and plants out of Denmark and purchases in both Denmark and Europe," explains Lars Bay-Smidt, co-owner, and CEO of Plantas Group.
Plantas Group has 40 years of experience as a flower and plant wholesaler with sales to, e.g., supermarkets, florists, and garden centers throughout Europe. The acquisition of EuroFlora is number three in a series of acquisitions and the largest corporate acquisition to date. In terms of organic growth, Plantas Group has opened a subsidiary in Germany at the beginning of 2022 and expanded in Poland.