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Crates of roses, tulips, chrysanthemums and mixed blooms line the trading floor at Royal FloraHolland in Aalsmeer, where Valentine’s volumes reached 464 million stems.
Europe’s largest floriculture marketplace, Royal FloraHolland in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands, has reported that 464 million flowers were traded via its auction clock and direct trade platform in the run-up to Valentine’s Day 2026.
According to figures published this week on the Dutch cooperative’s official website, the total represents an increase from 2025’s 452 million stems. Of these, 150 million were roses, continuing their dominance and rising from 144 million during last year’s peak.
While roses remain the dominant Valentine’s product, Royal FloraHolland noted strong representation from tulips and chrysanthemums. Gerberas and lilies also ranked among the most traded flowers during the peak period.
Although consumers received flowers on 14 February, the busiest operational days for growers, buyers, and logistics teams occurred earlier in the week to ensure distribution readiness across the Netherlands, Europe, and international export markets.
Acting CEO David van Mechelen described the Valentine’s surge as the beginning of the platform’s extended peak season, which runs through to Pentecost. During this period, both digital trading systems and physical logistics operations operate at maximum intensity.
In its update, Royal FloraHolland also highlighted sector-wide sustainability progress, including reported reductions in the use of the most environmentally harmful crop protection products since 2015. The announcement referenced a recent study by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), cited in a report from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), which concluded that no health risks are expected from touching imported roses during purchase and vase placement.
Royal FloraHolland’s full Valentine’s trading update is available via its official website.
Valentine’s Day remains one of the most concentrated demand peaks of the year for the European cut flower trade, compressing timelines across production, auction platforms, freight gateways, and retail distribution.
These structural pressures are explored in depth in FloraCulture International’s February 2026 issue, which examines logistics and how the sector manages perishable supply chains during high-intensity trading periods.
Read the February issue here.
