Located in Maasdijk, in the Westland region of the Netherlands, Floriëtte has grown from a small home-based operation into a family business with international reach. The company, which specializes in dried flowers and lifestyle floral products, has been based in its current warehouse on the Honderdland business estate for two and a half years.
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From kitchen table to warehouse
Floriëtte was founded six and a half years ago by Manouk van Rijn and her mother Mariëtte, both of whom had previously worked for a flower exporter. "We wanted to put the product itself at the center, rather than focusing purely on trade," Manouk explains. The company initially concentrated on marketing, but after entering into a partnership with a dried flower grower, the direction shifted toward in-house production.
The early years were marked by frequent moves within the auction premises. "We started at the kitchen table, ended up at the back of an exporter's warehouse with a few tables, and now we have our own warehouse, a forklift, and an evening production team of fifteen to twenty people," says Manouk. Two farm cats also remain part of the operation, originally brought in for pest control.
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Family as a strength
Floriëtte is a family business in the true sense: in addition to Manouk and Mariëtte, partners, aunts, and cousins are all involved. "Our strength lies in working with family. You solve problems faster and know each other inside out," Manouk says. That personal approach extends to staff and customers alike. "It has to feel right. We pay real attention to that."
The company uses its own transport to supply customers at the auction. Floriëtte primarily sells through Dutch exporters, with end customers located largely outside the Netherlands. "Around 90 percent of our flowers cross the border, as far as the United States, possibly even more."
Growth in a special time
The timing of the company's launch proved fortuitous. During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for flowers surged significantly. "As difficult as that period was, for our business it was a positive time," Manouk says. "Fresh flowers were one of the few products that could still be sold. And the dried flower trend, which was already underway, really exploded."
That rapid growth brought its own challenges. Floriëtte deliberately keeps the majority of production in-house to maintain quality and give each customer consistent attention. "Because we want to do everything as well as possible, we sometimes make things harder for ourselves, customer-specific packaging and labels, for example, add complexity to our internal processes. We want to fully relieve our customers of that burden, which means we have to be very flexible."
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Artificial flowers and the search for sustainability
Floriëtte added artificial flowers to its range four years ago. That segment is now gaining traction, particularly in combination with dried flowers. Manouk remains thoughtful about the category. "As an ornamental horticulture sector, we are rooted in fresh flowers. So why would a consumer choose artificial ones?"
She believes the perception of sustainability plays a significant role in that choice. "People assume artificial flowers are more sustainable, but that is not necessarily the case. As a sector, we still have work to do there." Looking ahead, she sees more potential in natural alternatives, such as botanically derived materials. "How can we do even more with dried flowers? That is where our future lies."
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Certification
Certification remains an outstanding challenge within the dried flower supply chain. Production is often traditional, flowers are hand-picked and dried. "You need the entire chain to move forward together," Manouk explains. "We are genuinely searching for the right route and trying to bring growers along with us, because pressure from large retailers is increasing and their requirements are becoming stricter."
Assortment and trends
Floriëtte's own 'wildflower' range was its starting point and remains its flagship product. The company now supplies heavily to the lifestyle sector, including home stores and concept stores, and produces a significant volume under private label. A new catalogue is released each August, presenting color trends and new products. "We have to keep customers happy throughout the year with what they want, and that varies by country. A French customer makes very different bouquet choices than a Dutch one."
Seasonal occasions have grown in importance. "Valentine's Day, which was once irrelevant to us, has now become a genuine peak moment."
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A new fragrance line has recently been added to the assortment and has been well received, including by auction exporters. "You notice that they, too, are looking for additions alongside fresh flowers and plants."
Continuing to develop
Floriëtte regularly receives customers at its warehouse, which includes an inspirational meeting space and a showroom. The original kitchen table still holds a prominent place in the building: a reminder of where it all began.
For more information:
Floriëtte
Honderdland 354
2676 LV Maasdijk
+316 21 13 90 30
[email protected]
www.floriette.nl
