Even prouder
But what does that mean, the pride shared by those present during the Cooperative Day? The doability of the sector, it sounded. The floriculture as a whole. The growers. The trade. The collaboration. On innovation, sustainability and much more. And yes, of course: the family. Friends. The pride and greenery is deep, in the room, a poll during the welcome talk showed.
Someone who shares this pride is Pieter Bootsma. As of Jan. 1, he is the new CEO of Royal FloraHolland. Bootsma has been in the industry for a year now, after a long career in aviation. His impression of floriculture is clear: "With ten billion in export value, 155 thousand people at work, and a bastion of innovation and commercial spirit, floriculture has a lot to be proud of. Unbelievable what happens here on things like breeding, sustainability and innovation. We should be more proud: of our sector and of the cooperative we carry together."
Pieter Bootsma
Sharing the greenery heart
"In short: we can all be proud. But we do need our customers and consumers to share that pride. And that is precisely where the problem has been lately. Part of the Dutch population no longer takes a bunch of flowers to a birthday or other celebration." Someone who cares deeply about this is State Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature Jean Rummenie. During Cooperative Day, he made a fiery plea for our sector, and for the hard workers who carry floriculture. Flowers touch you, he said, talking visibly emotional about how he arranged flowers for East Germans who came to the West after the fall of the Wall. An argument, moreover, that he promises to continue to make for the sector, in the Lower House
Jean Rummenie, State Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature
An important link between floriculture and consumers is retail. Korneel van der Plas (Unit manager AGF, Bakery, Flowers & Plants, Albert Heijn) talked about pride during the panel discussion with Henk de Jong (The Orchid Growers) and the new chairman of the Members' Council Marcel van der Lugt (Lugt Lisianthus). Marcel van der Lugt is committed to more cooperation, i.e. connection between members, to keep the cooperative strong. Albert Heijn is currently working on a new positioning for plants and flowers in its stores.High quality and enough to choose from: that's what it's all about. Because plants are not only beautiful, they are also good for the mind. Henk de Jong stated that the sector collectively has a role to play in propagating that pride and the greenery more firmly. As far as he is concerned, Royal FloraHolland can even take a guiding role in this.
Korneel van der Plas and Henk de Jong
Someone who certainly looks back on his time in floriculture with pride is outgoing CEO Steven van Schilfgaarde. After the inspiration sessions, he bid farewell to Royal FloraHolland at the end of Cooperative Day after eight years. "It was super honorable to be a part of this," he said. With a smile, "I'm very happy that you guys granted me this." Matthijs Mesken (Director Branchevereniging voor de Groothandel in Bloemen en Planten), during his farewell speech to Steven, made a reference to the somewhat awkward conversations at the start, which erupted into respectful and constructive cooperation. Conversations that have had a positive effect for both growers and trade, partly due to Steven's personal commitment. With a warm handshake, a bundle of all his blogs from the past eight years and the Royal FloraHolland Diamond from the hands of Evert van Helvoort (Chairman Supervisory Board), Steven van Schilfgaarde concluded the official part of the day. Time to clink glasses. To pride, to floriculture. Cheers!
Farewell Steven van Schilfgaarde 