NL: Flower delivery the old school way at Danblomst

There is almost nothing as captivating as the vibrant world of international flower trade. Daily, countless companies work tirelessly to facilitate this global flow of flowers and plants. In Dekker Chrysantn's monthly column "Trade Talk," they highlight one of these companies. They share the history of the company, their relationship with Dekker as chrysanthemum breeders, and of course, their experiences with the many chrysanthemum varieties that Dekker has brought to market over the years. This time, Dekker is talking to Danblomst, part of Line BV.

On tour: a method that has long put the Dutch flower sector on the map. Every week, numerous trucks loaded with freshly purchased flowers and plants leave The Netherlands to sell their goods along "a line" of florists and wholesalers. Previous editions of Trade Talk have shown that many of these line-driving companies have significantly adapted their operations, for example, by launching a webshop or working with a so-called hub. However, there are still a few companies that maintain the "old-fashioned" line driving, and Danblomst (part of Line BV) is an example of this.

Like Father, Like Son
For this interview, Dekker spoke with William de Mooij, a salesperson at Danblomst. Every week, William drives a beautiful truck loaded with flowers and plants to Denmark, serving a route that caters to high-end florists. At just 27 years old, William has known since childhood that he wanted to be a line driver. He made this choice after spending many free hours and almost every holiday in his father's truck, which drove various routes to France. His love for the profession—working with flowers, the social aspect of sales, and driving beautiful trucks—was instilled in him from a young age.

Inherently, the life of a line driver means that William spends a lot of time on the road. His workweek begins on Sunday when he prepares the truck for departure. The flowers and plants are carefully packed on traditional line-driving carts, making William's "shop" ready for his customers. One notable detail is that the entire processing area is refrigerated. From the front door to the back, the cut flowers are kept in a consistently cool environment, ensuring optimal quality. Once the truck is loaded, the loading doors are closed, allowing him to depart at 3 a.m. on Monday. In eight hours, William drives his striking truck combination to his first customers in Denmark, where he then sells out his "shop" over the next three days.

The Parent Company
In addition to William's striking green truck, there are several other trucks in the same color scheme, with one notable difference: the name is proudly displayed in yellow letters on the cargo area. With names like Finblomst, Norblomst, and, of course, Danblomst, it seems that all of Scandinavia is represented. All companies have Line BV as the parent company that serves as a purchasing organization for its subsidiaries. Each subsidiary operates independently, but by bundling their purchasing power, the line drivers can offer their customers a very extensive range of flowers and plants. Besides the companies that are mentioned earlier, Roubos & Roubos, Louwers & van der Pijl, Tamelen, and TRT are also part of the entity provided with flowers by Line BV. The shared passion for both flowers and trucks is evident in the state of the fleet: a collection of richly decorated trucks that are all in pristine condition.

A Seasonal Market
During the interview, Dekker observes how the carts are loaded with neatly packaged bunches of flowers. Chrysanthemums play a significant role in this, as the selection of santinis and disbudded chrysanthemums is enormous. William explains that Danish florists are true enthusiasts of the seasons. With autumn in full swing, chrysanthemums are currently one of the most sought-after flowers among his customers. However, chrysanthemums remain a staple in William's assortment even outside of autumn. Especially the pompon-shaped santinis like Purpetta, Peptalk, and Doria are very popular among Danish florists, along with disbudded chrysanthemums such as Momoko, Kalimba, and Alibaba. The share of Dekker varieties in his offerings is therefore substantial.

Getting It Done and Moving On
After a short tour of the processing area, William mentions that he needs to continue preparing his truck. In a few hours, "the green giant" will be heading back to Denmark, and William wants to have his trailer perfectly ready. The music gets a little louder, and the last bunches of flowers are loaded. It is clear that passion, enthusiasm, and entrepreneurship are still the driving forces behind the sector.