Flower Auction FloraHolland closed 2011 with a turnover of 4.16 billion euros, 0.7% more than the record-breaking turnover achieved in 2010.

However taking into account the new opportunity created for FloraHolland suppliers to generate sales through the joint venture auction in Herongen, Germany (whose turnover was not consolidated with the FloraHolland totals) in 2011, 3% growth was achieved, a positive result in the year the flower auction celebrated its 100th anniversary.

However while volumes were up, values were down in the flower sector where sales of 2.35 billion euros, equated to an increase of just 1%. However on plants, prices rose as volumes dropped, resulting in an increase in sales of 1.5% to 1.47 billion euros.

Due to the increased use of the Remote Buying (KOA) system, as well as the expansions to image auctioning at the FloraHolland marketplaces, the auction is becoming increasingly a virtual marketplace and while there may be three sites, given 60% of flower sales are made through KOA Aalsmeer, Naaldwijk and Rijnsburg are increasingly seen as a single marketplace.

“The sector is discovering more and more advantages to digitization, and that is important,” says General Director Timo Huges. “That is why FloraHolland will continue to invest in the auction clock to make it as powerful, effective and efficient a sales tool as possible.”