Just as I was getting over my jetlag from my last trip, I boarded a plane to Amsterdam for my annual pilgrimage to attend these two shows.
IFTF presented by hpp Exhibitions is one of the finest working shows you can attend in the floral world. Booths from over twenty countries and visitors from all over the world pack this event each year. The top breeders and growers of the world are showcasing their latest offerings in stunning displays.
While roses are clearly the product that fills most exhibits here, there are all types of other flowers and products for review. For the cut flower business this is the place to be.
Italian ranunculi are appearing in more and more booths over the last few years as these beautiful flowers have come a long way. Longer stems, better vase life and a rainbow of colors have really pushed these into an in-demand flower
What you do not see very much here are bouquets for the mass markets. This show caters to those selling bulk products to all types of buyers.
Some of the buzz around the show was about a few senior members of Kuehne and Nagel logistics company resigned and formed a new freight forwarding company called Freight Wize.
With so much flower freight crossing borders around the world, the competition for kilos is a big business. Time will tell whether customers will follow the people to the new start up or if they will stay with the big name. Good Luck.
The other big floral event in town is the Royal FlorHolland Trade Fair held at the Aalsmeer flower auction. The exhibitors at this event are members of the auction.
What you will see here are more potted plants, bedding plants, and shrubs. There are over 600 exhibits, so you must figure out what you want to see and remember how you got into the building. This building is huge and once held the title of the largest building under one roof in the world. These days most of the auctions take place online, so there is not as much activity as in years passed. This allows lots of room to host a huge trade fair.
There are a few friends and customers that exhibit here so I always make sure to spend a few hours there.
These two events always remind me that the flower industry is a very small business in a large industry. By that I mean that there are a relatively small number of companies and people that control a big global industry. It is a business of people doing business with people with flowers being our currency.
There is always a lot of talk about industry consolidation at all levels. One large grower told me that consolidation is not a bad thing. Large growers generally understand the market better than smaller growers who can cause price instability.
I think the consolidation is just a sign that the industry is maturing and is part of the natural business cycle.
Since I missed Proflora this year in Bogota I did not post the news that Agusto Solano the man behind Asocolflores is retiring. This is big news because he was the guiding light at Asocolflores (Association of Colombian flower growers.). These are big shoes to fill, and I hope they can find someone who can take the organization to a new, even higher level. Good Luck Agusto.
This is my last show of the season, and I look forward to a rest, but I will continue to interview and write about my floral journey in the coming weeks.
Thanks
Williee Armellini
Editor: Flowersandcents.com
Editor: Flowersandcents.com
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