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Italian floral trade veteran Giacomo Bruni, remembered for his role in strengthening flower and bulb trade links between Italy and the Netherlands.
Giacomo Bruni, a long-time professional in the floral wholesale trade between Italy and the Netherlands, passed away on 5 February 2026. He was 80.
Born in 1946 as the son of an illustrious seed merchant from Cantù (a town situated in the province of Como), Giacomo, affectionately nicknamed ‘Giacomino’, graduated from Cantù’s Gallio Institute of Technology in 1968.
His business success began with the establishment of RAITES (Rappresentanze Italiane ed Estere/Italian and international business representation), a trading company specialising in fresh cut flowers, plants, and sundries for florists and professional flower and plant growers.
Over time, RAITES, located on Cantù’s Via al Monte, evolved into a major wholesale trading hub for flowers, plants, and bulbs imported from the Netherlands.
Bruni helped Dutch exporters navigate the complexities of entering the Italian market, from understanding market specifics to addressing bureaucratic barriers. He was the exclusive business representative for Hamiplant, a wholesaler of indoor and outdoor plants, and renowned bulb supplier Kapiteyn from Breezand. The business partnership with Kapiteyn proved particularly strong, lasting until Bruni’s death.
Closer to home, Bruni also built lasting client partnerships, notably with seed suppliers Magnani Sementi from Torri Bianche and Royal Seeds Srl from Mirandola.
Industry veteran, founder of Italy’s horticultural magazine Flortecnica, journalist, and poet Arturo Croci says that the death of his old friend has left him quite bereft.
He says, “It is not easy to summarise a life so full in just a few words. After graduating from Minoprio’s horticultural college in 1970, I started working as a floriculture crop technician at his company. So, the first step into the world of floriculture began with Giacomo. It was through him that I met my wife, Virginia. Again, it was Giacomo who took me on my first trip to the Netherlands, where we slept in a barge anchored in an Amsterdam canal.”
Croci continues, “Though our professional lives went different directions, Giacomo and I have never lost touch over the years. We regularly spoke to each other, exchanging opinions and sector news.
“The opening ceremony of Floricoltura Pironi’s newest greenhouse in Vertemate on 28 November 2025 turned out to be the last time Giacomo and I met in person. I was still recovering from an intense hospital stay, and Giacomo was battling cancer. He had lost weight, but overall, it seemed his condition had stabilised. We both dreamt of a mountain house overlooking the majestic Piacentino area, he about his’ and me about mine. Thank you, Giacomo!”
Charles Lansdorp, former Italian area manager of the then Flower Council of Holland and an ambassador and advocate for the Dutch-Italian and global flower industry through the PlantsConnectPeople initiative, joins in mourning the passing of Bruni. He recalls, “Giacomo was one of the Italian wholesalers I had the good fortune to get to know very well. We regularly met at trade shows and even worked occasionally together.
For example, it was Giacomo who supplied the bulbs for the Festa dei Nonni (Grandparents’ Day) celebrations in Italy. His passing reminds me of Renzo Ricco, who died in 2013 while in the Netherlands, purchasing flowers at the auction. Men such as Bruni and Ricco have been instrumental in the growth and development of the floral wholesale trade between the Netherlands and Italy, overcoming language and cultural barriers which, in the 1960s and 1970s, arguably were more significant than they are today.”
Kees Kapiteijn, area manager Italy at Kapiteyn, says, “For more than 40 years, Giacomo has contributed both directly and indirectly to the growth of prepacked bulbs in Italian garden centres. His passion for our product and customer-centric approach has meant a lot to us and has helped shape your journey. We, as the Kapiteyn family, are eternally grateful for everything he has done for us.”
Giacomo was a beloved father. He leaves behind his children, Federico and Martina. He was laid to rest on 7 February at a public funeral in Chiasso, Switzerland. It brought together over 100 florists, garden retailers, growers, and wholesalers from Italy and the Netherlands.
