Reinier Voskamp, Holex Flower
Would you describe Canada as an important export country?
“It is for Holex Flower. Even if, as a Dutch exporter, we’re mainly playing a complementary role. There’s quite a lot of local cultivation, including from many growers of Dutch origin. In addition, Canada imports a fair amount from Colombia and Ecuador.”
What kind of flowers do you ship to Canada?
“Tulips, but also some chrysanthemums, lilies and ranunculus. Trying to sell them large flowered roses is pointless though, unless they’re specifically looking for varieties they can’t get in South America. We do sell roses from Kenya, they can order those from us in small quantities.”
Would you describe Canada as modern or traditional?
“That depends on the location. People are much more into novelties in some cities than in others. But none of the towns can be compared to a city like New York. You can’t really compare Canada to the USA anyway; because of its population alone, the USA offers many more sales opportunities.”
What do you think the future of Canada is going to be like?
“Our position on the Canadian market has been stable for a good few years now. It means that florists in Canada are managing well, as that’s who our customers are selling to. If the European Union agreed to the CETA, the trade agreement between Canada and the European Union, that would be a great incentive. It would mean that eventually the European import duties would go down, which would further strengthen our position on the Canadian market.”
COMPANY Holex Flower
FUNCTION Account manager
MAIN MARKETS USA, Canada, Middle East and Far East
PURCHASES FROM auction clock, directly from growers, own import
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES 100
