Yesterday it was announced that Bunnik Group, a well-known name in the sector, will gradually wind down all its activities over the coming months. The board and shareholders made this decision after efforts to restore the company's financial health failed. With this step, the company aims to avoid bankruptcy.
Shocked reactions from the sector
Jolanda Nieuwenhuijze of De Hoog Orchids calls the news "terrible." "We also use Bunnik pots, and so do many of our customers and exporters, so now we all need to find a new supplier. We knew about the downsizing and the sale of some of their nurseries, but nobody expected this. For the staff it's devastating news—although outright bankruptcy would of course have been even worse."
She also points out that Bunnik's in-house trade fair in the Netherlands, Novae Fabula, was canceled this year due to rising costs. "Some growers chose not to participate this year, but we all assumed the fair would return next year. Working with the people at Bunnik was always a pleasure. This news is really hard to take—we will miss them, not just their pots but above all the people themselves. On behalf of everyone at De Hoog Orchids, we wish the management and all employees strength as they navigate this difficult decision."
An isolated case
Jan Willem van den Berg of Dutch bank ING believes this is more of an isolated case than a reflection of wider structural problems in the floriculture sector. "Overall, the industry is doing well. But in general, companies must keep innovating and investing to remain future-proof. Markets are constantly changing, and entrepreneurs need to adapt accordingly."
CNV raises critical questions
Dutch trade union CNV also expressed shock. According to union representative Laura Vermeulen, many questions remain about the process and the future of Bunnik's more than one hundred employees.
"We want to know why this path was chosen and what will happen after the wind-down. This must not become an operation to get rid of employees on the cheap," Vermeulen said.
She also cast doubt on the so-called social plan mentioned by Bunnik. "It hasn't been agreed with us, so you can't really call it that. There is no works council, so who exactly were these arrangements made with? And what does it actually mean for employees in the end?"
For now, CNV advises employees not to sign any settlement agreements until there are clear guarantees that promises will be kept. "We urge members to have any such agreement checked by CNV first. Otherwise, they could end up empty-handed," Vermeulen warned.
The news is a sensitive subject within the sector. While many are taken aback, few are willing to respond publicly at this stage.
