read about the latest trends
hear about new exhibtions
gain insights to our latest reports
The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) members consist of thousands of growers of flowers and ornamental plants around the world who are together united by one essential goal – promoting the place of plants in people’s lives.
AIPH is responsible for approving the world’s most exceptional horticultural expos creating long lasting green legacies in cities across the globe.
AIPH Blooming Economies & Cities to Inspire The World 2.0. Up-to-date statistics from recent Expos hosted in Asia and Europe.
Learn moreAIPH hosts several conferences, webinars and events such as the International Grower of the Year award throughout the year. Read about these along with the latest news about the association’s activities.
The AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards celebrate the best of the best in ornamental horticulture
Learn moreAIPH’s key aim is to stimulate demand for ornamental trees, plants and flowers worldwide. We are committed to supporting growers in achieving this by protecting and promoting the interests of the industry.
The AIPH’s Global Industry Intelligence Centre (GIIC) is an international hub for industry information and knowledge exchange.
The report contains insights on production and consumption of the floriculture industry in Thailand, imports and exports, and business opportunities
DownloadAIPH Green City activities promote the essential role of plants in creating vibrant urban areas in which people and businesses can thrive.
15 September 2020
On 15th September 2020, AIPH brought together an impressive line-up of expert international industry speakers to share experiences of the impact of COVID-19 on the horticultural industry and the prospective outlook for the future.
The 200 plus delegates at ‘Recovery from Crisis – the future for ornamentals’, held in a virtual format for the first time, heard about the key challenges faced by the industry over the last six months, the lessons learned, and plans for the future.
Dr Charlie Hall serves as the Chief Economist for AmericanHort and Co-Chair of the Advisory Council of Seed Your Future. He is former President and Past-President of the board of directors for America in Bloom. He is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association and has received TNLA’s Staff Award for Outstanding Service to the Nursery Industry.
He received the Paul Ecke, Jr. award from the Society of American Florists for professional contributions to the floral industry and the Porter Henegar Memorial Award from the Southern Nursery Association for significant contributions to ornamental horticulture research and the Southern Nursery Association.
Ms Carin van Huët-Laan has worked at Rabobank since 2010, first as Managing Director, then as Chairman of the Board of several local banks and as Regional Delegates Assembly Director for the Southwest of the Netherlands.
She has been Head of Sector Management Business Clients and Director of Food & Agri The Netherlands since 2018. Carin has extensive management experience from her previous positions at Rabobank, ING/NN and accounting firms.
In her position as Head of Sector Management Business Clients, she focuses on the strategy, financing and risk management of individual companies in all sectors. Together with her Food & Agri, Trade, Industry, Services, Healthcare, and Real Estate Finance teams she envisages the major transition issues in these sectors and urges to debate these with clients and branch organisations in the Netherlands to create societal impact. Carin has a master degree in Agricultural Economics from Wageningen University.
As a result and because of her background, she has in-depth knowledge of the F&A sector. Next to that, she has during her career obtained knowledge and gained experience in other sectors as well.
Mr Frank de Hek is Partner at Oaklins, a leading mid-market corporate finance advisory firm. Frank specialises in horticulture M&A transactions – and has been involved in many transactions, including the merger between Agribio and Dümmen, the sale of Olij Rozen to Dümmen Orange, the sale of Floranova to Syngenta and the sale of Microflor to Smile Invest.
The horticulture market has seen strong consolidation over the past decade, but COVID-19 brutally stopped several mergers and acquisitions processes. During the conference, Frank will talked about what can the impact of COVID-19 be on future market consolidation.
Mr Josh McBain joined Foresight Factory in 2012 and since then has been heavily involved in developing the company’s thinking towards the future of consumer trends. Expanding the company’s trend analysis, Josh has worked with industry bodies and leading global brands to produce numerous reports on the future of retail, travel, data and brand engagement. Alongside such work, Josh has written numerous articles on consumer futures for publications such as Marketing Magazine, Marketing Week, Retail Week and Data IQ. He also speaks regularly at Foresight Factory and client conferences and has taken part in numerous debates on the future of the consumer world. Josh was previously listed as one of the 100 most influential people working in Big Data in the UK by Data IQ magazine. Josh has also worked with the Horticultural Trade Association in the UK for over 5 years and has spoken often at their Garden Futures conference.
PERA Event is an international service agency for special events, M.I.C.E. entertainment and event counselling. Based in Istanbul, Turkey, the group offers solutions, support and services to participants in the development and implementation of International Horticultural Exhibitions.
Ms Emma Coupe, Trading Manager (Horticulture & Frozen), Marks & Spencer, UK outlined the retailer view on the challenges of selling flowers during the COVID-19 crisis and how this will affect the future in terms of sourcing and selling flowers and expected consumer response.
Mr Simon Ogrizek is president of Florint – the florist association of the world. He has been the head representative since 2018, working up from a board member and a position within the technical committee at Florint’s international floristry championships since 2006. On a more local scale, he is president of the Slovenian Florist Association and president of the Education Committee of Slovenia’s Chamber of Craft & Small Business.
Mr Steven van Schilfgaarde is CEO of cooperative Royal FloraHolland U.A since 2018, a world market leader in sales of flowers and plants (turnover 5 bln). Steven has more than 25 years’ experience in general management, strategy, corporate finance and business finance. He began his career in 1990 at KPN, a Dutch telecommunications company, and held various roles at KPN affiliates until 2014. In 2012 and from 2013 to 2014, he was CFO and member of the board of management ad interim of Royal KPN N.V. He was CFO (2007 to 2011) and CEO (2011-2013) of Getronics N.V., an international ICT company. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam. He has also completed the Postgraduate degree of Controller at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the New Board Program at Nyenrode Business University.
Mr Craig Musson immigrated to Australia in 1991 after setting up a leading Floriculture growing operation in Zimbabwe and established WAFEX. From humble beginnings, the company has grown into a vertically integrated flower business comprising breeding, flower production and marketing with offices in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Kenya, South America and the USA.
Mr Vadim Bogdanov is the co-founder and CEO of Potted, a Dutch startup company, offering an online membership-free wholesale retailer that offers worldwide shipping of flowers and plants to the door of bulk-sized packages via the Potted website. It is based in Aalsmeer and was founded in November 2018 primarily aimed at young florists and plant specialists. Vadim is an engineer and entrepreneur. He received a Master’s degree in Informatics from the Bauman Technical University. He decided to pursue a business career instead of further education. In 2008, Vadim founded Potted, a flower and greenery services company, which was later transformed into an online wholesale. In 2019, Vadim co-founded Assay; an American genetic startup company focused on developing DNA-tests and genetic arrays for medical centres, with money raised from a small group of angel investors.
Ms Gao Rongmei has 25 years of experience working in the operation and management of agricultural-related materials and flowers transactions, while familiar with the management of key areas for agricultural industry development. Since 2001, she has participated in the preparation of the Kunming International Flower Auction and Trading Center. She is engaged in all aspects of flower trading and supply chain construction.
Mr Augusto Solano has been the Executive President of the Association of Colombian Flower Exporters (Asocolflores) in Bogotá, Colombia, since 2000. In this role, he is responsible for leading the process of making Colombia’s flower industry more competitive, with a focus on sustainable development and social responsibility. Asocolflores was established in 1973 to promote the flower sector internationally and seek the comprehensive development of Colombian floriculture. Augusto Solano has supported many initiatives to increase flower consumption worldwide.
Mr Ryoji Kato graduated from the University of Tsukuba, Japan (Major: Macroeconomics), and worked at MUFG Bank, Japan’s largest bank, for 12 years mainly as an FX and bond dealer. Through his experience of living in the Netherlands on a three-year transfer at the bank’s Amsterdam branch, he quit his job. He decided to study Floriculture and Floral design at HAS University of Applied Sciences, Den Bosch the Netherlands. And after coming back to Japan, he has been working at Ota Floriculture Auction Co., Ltd. since 2009.
Mr Richard Fernandes, more commonly known as Kiki, founded the cut flower company Kariki Ltd in Kenya in 2001 and has since then been instrumental in growing the business across both Kenya and Ethiopia.
Mr Jan-Dieter Bruns is the President of ENA – European Nurserystock Association. Since 2018, he is in charge and was awarded ‘Niedersächsischer Staatspreis’ Lower Saxony State Award by Prime Minister Stephan Weil.
Michiel de Haan is CEO of Royal Lemkes. A position he has held since 2015. The organisation is a 138 years old family-owned Plants Service Provider to leading European Retailers such as IKEA, OBI, Kingfisher, Maxeda, Jardiland, Aldi, Jumbo (NL), Systeme U and Truffaut, with annual sales totalling around 300 million euros. Royal Lemkes is impact-driven and strives for “Sustainable Growth”, of its’ employees, its relations, and the world in which we operate. Lemkes is based in The Netherlands and has 250 employees.
Peter Vaughan, Chief Executive Officer at Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA), the peak industry body for businesses and organisations that provide products and services for green life production; produce, supply and retail green life or promote the benefits of and share green life with the community.
Wojciech Wróblewski is a well-respected figure in the Polish nursery industry, Wróblewski has been president of the Polish Nurserymen Association since 2015. His involvement with the management of the association began in 2012 when he became a member of the audit committee.
Abe van Wingerdenheads Metrolina Greenhouses, a family-owned, wholesale plant company that started business in April 1972. It is the largest single-site heated greenhouse in the United States at 162 acres under roof. There is also 15 acres of outdoor growing space and it is still expanding. There is a second location in York S.C. that has 175 acres of outdoor growing space.
Anthura is a worldwide specialist in anthuriums and orchids. As a breeder and propagator, Anthura is constantly working to develop new techniques, stimulate entrepreneurship and make the chain more sustainable.
Evelyn Lu, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Taipei Flower Market Incorporated. Taipei Flower Market is a non-profit organisation, under the Chinese Taipei government’s charter, to protect and to promote the interests of farmers, farmers’ associations, and related agricultural enterprises.
Mr Andre van Kruijssen studied at the University of Agronomy from Wageningen from 1983 to 1988, where he studied Horticulture with an emphasis on Economics and Marketing. From 1996 to 1998 he did a postgraduation course in Business Administration at the IBO Business School in Zeist.
Keeping flowers and plants constantly top of mind with the consumer – that’s what we at the Flower Council of Holland devote ourselves to every day. We ensure that consumers become and remain inspired to buy flowers and plants.
VAL’HOR has been supporting French professionals in horticulture, floristry and landscape since 13 August 1998.
