Shelly de Groot and Patrick Kapteijn are the founders of Groot Packaging. Patrick focuses on raw materials and commerce, while Shelly handles product development and production. What started as a small experiment in the kitchen has grown into an innovative company in Haarlemmermeer. Groot Packaging produces sustainable packaging from flower waste, showing that what is often discarded can actually gain new value.
© Gemeente Haarlemmermeer
How it all began
It all started during the COVID-19 period—a time when there wasn't much to do, but Patrick Kapteijn had an idea. He recalls that during this time, thousands of flowers were thrown away. "I thought that was a waste. Flowers contain cellulose, and from cellulose, you can make paper." That's how the idea for Groot Packaging was born.
The first sheet of paper was made at home on the stove. "Boil the flowers, strain them, scoop… and suddenly you have a sheet of paper. And it looked pretty nice too," Shelly recalls. Soon, they were allowed to use an old steam machine in a museum, which could produce 200 sheets at a time. That's when they realized: this works. This could become a real product.
Knowledge from the region
Patrick grew up in Abbenes, among flower growers. From an early age, he learned how the flower industry operated. "If you harvest 100 flowers and sell 97, that's good. But what about the three that are left? That's considered waste—yet it's actually a raw material." He now applies that knowledge at Groot Packaging.
The company makes paper from different flowers: tulips for sturdy cards, roses for soft flower sleeves. Customers can even have their own flower waste processed. "It's not simple recycling; it's real material development," Shelly explains. "Every flower behaves differently. My role is to translate what's technically possible into something practical, beautiful, and scalable. Tulips have a lot of starch, which is perfect for cards. Roses have longer fibers, making them better suited for flower sleeves. This way, you always know what can be made from which leftover product."
Innovation step by step
At Groot Packaging, it's all about experimenting and learning. "Out of 10 ideas, 8 fail, but the 2 that work move us forward," says Shelly. Many products come from customer requests: a sticker, a card, or a plant tag. "Does it fit? Does it look good? That's how it starts. We try small and learn from every failure."
At the FlowerPaper LAB, they also experiment with new applications, like biobased panels and bee hotels. Patrick adds: "Sometimes it fails completely. It may look good, but it doesn't work in production. That's part of the process. That's how you discover what works and what doesn't."
Sustainability and regional impact
Paper is more sustainable than plastic, though slightly more expensive. An extra few cents for a flower sleeve may seem small, but for a bouquet, it makes a difference, Patrick explains.
Plastic is still often the default. Paper is easier to separate and naturally decomposes. Fortunately, more consumers and stores are choosing sustainable options. Groot Packaging now supplies multiple European countries, from Germany to Finland.
Collaboration with social workshops is a key part of the company. People there stick labels, fold cards, and make sleeves. "We give people meaningful work. One man made fifty sleeves a day and proudly checked if they were on the store shelves. Isn't that wonderful?"
For Groot Packaging, this isn't an extra—it's a core value. "Our competitors produce in Asia. We choose to create local jobs and help people grow. We'll continue to do this, even as we get bigger."
Recognition: SHARE Award
Recently, Groot Packaging won the SHARE Award, the municipal prize for sustainable entrepreneurs. "It felt like having a birthday," Patrick recalls. "Congratulations everywhere and new contacts. It shows that our way of doing business works." The award also led to new collaborations with schools and educational programs.
Everything is about value
For Groot Packaging, nothing should go to waste. Waste doesn't exist—it's simply raw material waiting to be discovered. Patrick looks proudly at what his company has achieved. He concludes: "What I love most is that we create something people actually see and use, and that it makes a difference for the environment and for the people who contribute to it."
Source: Gemeente Haarlemmermeer
