Holland Bulb Market - expert in exports, partner in growth
 

Holland Bulb Market is proud to be the oldest export company of bulbs, flowers and plants in the Netherlands. We have been supplying top-quality flower bulbs and plants to customers all over the world since 1868. Our strength? A unique combination of experience, craftsmanship and the drive to constantly innovate. Thanks to this commitment and our focus on excellent service, we have been awarded the Royal Order of Royal Warrant as purveyor to the Royal Household.

We serve a wide range of customers: from large international retail chains to local garden centres, markets and wholesalers. We are also a regular partner in the world of landscaping - our flower bulbs colour parks, borders, private gardens and show gardens at home and abroad.

We also support professional growers with a complete range of starting materials and specialist cultivation advice. This is how we help cut flower and pot plant growers worldwide get the most out of their crops.

What really characterises us is our personal approach. We believe in long-term relationships in which we actively contribute ideas, provide tailor-made solutions and share our knowledge in order to grow together. With respect for tradition and an eye for innovation, we have been making the world flourish for over 150 years - and we do so with pride and passion.

Want to know more?

Find out how our bulbs, flowers and plants grow your sales. With top quality, global experience and tailor-made advice, we are ready to make your business flourish.

Contact us

  • Quality
  • Global exports
  • Professional service
  • Innovative & wide product range
  • Breeding & Cultivation

History

1868
vant hof   blokker catalogus 1929 3
A New Beginning on Startingerweg

Nicolaas Blokker (1839) married Lena Kokkes from De Rijp in 1867. Together they had nine children, including their eldest son Jan. In 1866, Nicolaas started a flower bulb business on Startingerweg in Akersloot, later known as ‘Van “t Hof and Blokker”. He grew 77 varieties of flower bulbs, mainly tulips, but also crocuses, fritillaries and lilies (lancifolium).

In 1868, the company was officially established. That year, Firma N. Blokker grew 18,990 lines of tulips, good for ƒ1,183.75½ (€537.16). The half-cent was carefully noted. Unfortunately, Nicolaas died at a young age due to a fatal accident.

1888
hondenkarren 1899 aangepast met vh b logo
A Bold Step: International Trade in Flower Bulbs

In 1888, widow Blokker-Kokkes (42) remarried Jan van ‘t Hof (24), who had been working as a foreman at the company for years. Together with the Blokker sons, he took over and further expanded the business. Son Jan Blokker dared to seek new markets abroad. In 1891, he exported the first flower bulbs to England. This was followed by America and Canada. During a business trip, he even convinced Lady Bung, wife of the Canadian viceroy, with his expertise - which immediately resulted in a nice order.

1922
vhb schuur 2
Growth through exports: New Grounds, New Opportunities

Because of growing exports and demand for better soil, Van ‘t Hof and Blokker moved to Limmen in 1922, taking over Jaap Dekker's nursery. This provided six hectares, later expanded by another nine hectares. They also bought 20 hectares of sandy soil in the Anna Paulowna polder. Cultivation in Akersloot continued, led by Jan and Nico Blokker, Jan Blokker's sons.

1940
canada reis op zee 1
War years: Survival and Enterprise

During the war years, exports to America and Canada collapsed. Limited trade with Sweden and Germany remained. Jan Blokker showed his creativity and founded subsidiary Hollandia, where he dried chicory roots for coffee substitutes and processed flower bulbs into pudding powder and cake powder. After 1945, the focus was again entirely on flower bulb exports. Trade recovered quickly, old markets returned and new ones were tapped. Exports reached record highs.

1945
canada scan 03
Royal Tulip tie between the Netherlands and Canada

During World War II, Princess Juliana fled to Canada, where Princess Margriet was born in 1943. The birth chamber at the Ottawa Civic Hospital was temporarily declared Dutch territory, so Margriet came into the world as a Dutch Princess. The flower ‘Margriet’ became a symbol of resistance to the Nazis.

After the war, Princess Juliana donated tens of thousands of tulip bulbs each year to Canada in gratitude for its hospitality and the liberation of the Netherlands. Van ‘t Hof & Blokker handled these deliveries, including 3,000 bulbs annually for the Ottawa Civic Hospital. This tulip tradition led to the first Tulip Festival in Ottawa in 1953, an event that has grown into an annual tradition. Today, the Canadian capital buys more than a million tulip bulbs annually, making it one of the largest tulip buyers in Canada.

1963
winder limmen 1
From Craftsmanship to High-tech

In winter, Van ‘t Hof & Blokker processed tens of thousands of flowers while tulips, hyacinths and daffodils grew in the fields. The bulbs were packed by hand and transported to the port - later in sea containers, which were loaded piece by piece by hand.

Not everything always went smoothly: from a driver who drove to Linne in Limburg instead of Limmen, to an incorrectly refrigerated container that had to be completely emptied. For Vancouver, even an open container was carpentered by hand and covered with tarpaulins.

Mutualisation changed the work enormously: where in 1965 4-5 people needed three weeks for 3 hectares, now machines and two people manage it in one day. A clever tradition? Hyacinths were always planted after lunch - easily visible at dusk.

1968
overhandiging tegel plaquet 1
From Akker to Court Supplier - 100 years anniversary

In 1968, Van ‘t Hof & Blokker celebrated its 100th anniversary. During the jubilee reception, the company was awarded the Royal Supplier designation by the mayor. The Royal Family had a special connection with the nursery for many years. Queen Juliana even personally passed on which tulip varieties she wanted to see in the Ottawa gardens. In addition, Klaas Blokker, who took the company to the top 25 in the Netherlands, was appointed a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

1978
eerste seizoen schuur heiloo 1979 4
Moving to Heiloo

In 1978, Van ‘t Hof & Blokker moved from Limmen to Kapellaan 130 in Heiloo - our current location. The move was not without hassle: the building permit was for a ‘bulb shed’, but there were secret plans for tennis halls. When this came out, the municipal council threatened to halt construction.

Director De Jager managed to convince the province with a good story - about flower bulbs, of course - anyway. One of the officials used to peel bulbs himself and that was the deciding factor. Thus, The Blokkerhof was eventually festively opened.

1988
kantoor vhb kapellaan
Name change to Vanhof & Blokker

The name Van ‘t Hof & Blokker was changed to Vanhof & Blokker. This sounded better internationally and was easier to pronounce for English- and French-speaking customers in Canada. According to Mr De Jager, they kept tripping over the name ‘Van “t Hof”

1992
logo hbm rood
Holland Bulb Market – Dutch Quality, Global Reach

Kees van der Velden took over Vanhof & Blokker and renamed the company: Holland Bulb Market / Holland Bulb Market. The company made a fresh start: roses disappeared from the range, many old activities were discontinued and the focus shifted to expansion. It was also decided to be less dependent on its own company in Canada, and to operate more as an independent supplier.

1998
foto exo
Holland Bulb Market conquers Europe and beyond

In 1998, Holland Bulb Market was already exporting heavily to several new markets. The first pallet to Greece was transported in a refrigerated meat truck a few years earlier. In the following years, Russia and Austria followed, and Poland was also added to the customer base. Thanks to the efforts of Ab Hofstra, Roland Hillebrink and Joris van der Velden, who travelled the world in search of new markets, exports grew rapidly. The product catalogue expanded into a comprehensive seasonal catalogue with thousands of products, further strengthening Holland Bulb Market's international position.

2010
20200923 164749
From exhibition floor to customer visit: Flowerbulbs without borders

Round 2010, Holland Bulb Market increasingly focused on Eastern Europe, with new markets such as Latvia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Earlier, the first pallets went to Ukraine, Slovenia, Turkey and Belarus. Although Russia remained the biggest customer, the company decided to spread the risk and be less dependent on one market. By actively attending international trade fairs and visiting customers in person, Holland Bulb Market was able to further expand its global customer base - a strategy that is still central.

2016
tulip trade event 2016
Beginning of the Tulip Trade Event

In 2016, the very first edition of the Tulip Trade Event took place - and we were there from the beginning as a proud participant and co-founder. With this biennial event, together with other leading companies, we open our doors to customers from all over the world. The TTE has since grown into an important platform where we showcase the latest developments and put the strength of the Dutch tulip on the map internationally.

2018
hbm 1 (281)
150 years of Holland Bulb Market: a worldwide flowering anniversary

In 2018, Holland Bulb Market celebrated its 150th anniversary, a milestone that was extensively celebrated. The anniversary not only underlined the company's rich history, but also its strong international growth in recent years. Since 2013, Holland Bulb Market has managed to enter new markets in Thailand, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Vietnam.

During the anniversary year, the Prinses Margriet Amaryllis was also christened by Princess Margriet herself – a special tribute to the long ties with the Royal House.

Our Team

silhouette man
Jeroen van Buggenum
BIO bulbs pioneer
Jeroen is our experienced Sales Manager, born and raised in a true bulb family. Flower bulbs are in his blood! With his humour, open view, passion for organic bulbs and many years of experience, he brings fresh ideas and energy to our team. In addition, he is a true lover of Spain - something you immediately notice when talking to him.
Responsible for Western Europe, South and North America, North Africa and India.
Languages Dutch, English, German
salesbulb@hollandbulbmarket.nl 0642236317
silhouette man
Marceli Piechna
Tulip expert with an eye for detail
Marceli has been working with tulips since 2016 and knows every step from bulb to flower. He is responsible for markets in Central and Eastern Europe and works with tulip growers worldwide. He also draws inspiration from his passion for travelling and photography.
Responsible for Central and Eastern Europe and global tulip production.
Languages Dutch, English, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian
saleseurope@hollandbulbmarket.nl 0639331373
silhouette woman
Hua Wang
Your contact for Asia
Originating from China and with an agricultural education in Wageningen, the Netherlands, she combines her precision and creativity to respond perfectly to the needs of the Asian market. Thanks to her cultural knowledge and product expertise, she is an indispensable link between Holland Bulb Market and its customers in Asia.
Responsible for Asia
Languages English, Chinese, Japanese
salesasia@hollandbulbmarket.nl 0612345678
silhouette woman
Nino Ruchadze
Also speaks the language of flowers
With her international flair and passion for dance, she sees flowers as stories full of colour and movement. With her language skills and eye for beauty, she connects Eastern Europe and Central Asia to the world of Holland Bulb Market.
Responsible for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Languages Dutch, English, Russian, Serbian, Georgian
sales@hollandbulbmarket.nl +31648452185
silhouette man
Niels Schunselaar
The connector within our team
After 15 years in the fashion world, he knows exactly what beauty means - not only in products, but also in people and relationships. With his experience working with different cultures around the world, he now brings that open mind to Holland Bulb Market. Niels makes sure our team feels like one family, where everyone's talent blossoms, just like our flowers.
Responsible for Head of Sales
Languages Dutch, English
niels@hollandbulbmarket.nl +31639331370