Van der Arend Tropical Plantcenter

What Van der Arend Tropical Plantcenter does

Van der Arend Tropical Plantcenter, trading under the unified "Plant World" platform and legally registered as Kwekerij Smit Sappemeer BV, is a Dutch horticultural group specializing in the cultivation, breeding, and wholesale distribution of green houseplants, hydrangea, and winter-hardy palms. The group was formed through the association of three founding nurseries — Tropicenter (Van der Arend Tropical Plantcenter), Jogrow, and Smit Kwekerijen — and operates owned production capacity of 39 hectares in the Netherlands and 100 hectares in France, supplemented by grower partnerships in Asia, Africa, and Central America. Its core technology is greenhouse-based tropical and subtropical plant cultivation, with a protected assortment of more than 150 varieties underpinned by 85 plant breeder's rights and a dedicated nursery ("kraamkamer") for new species development. Branded product lines include the Eden Collection (Eden Hangplanten, Eden Jungles, Eden Specials, Eden Seasonals) and the Adorables hanging-plant concept.

The business operates a B2B wholesale revenue model, selling exclusively to garden centers, exporters, retail chains, and DIY stores across Europe through direct sales relationships and the Dutch flower auctions, where plants are delivered fresh daily. Distribution is increasingly digital through the Floriday grower marketplace. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company employs 220 people (185 permanent) across its Dutch locations in 's-Gravenzande and Sappemeer, with go-to-market executed through a sales-led motion complemented by content marketing, brochures, social media (LinkedIn, Instagram), and newsletter communications. No public listing, venture capital structure, or external revenue disclosures are available, and there is no evidence of AI, software, or digital-product capabilities beyond standard marketing and marketplace tooling.

Name

Van der Arend Tropical Plantcenter

Legal name

Kwekerij Smit Sappemeer BV

Website

https://tropicenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Van der Arend Tropical Plantcenter, operating as Plant World, is a Dutch horticultural group that cultivates and wholesales over 150 tropical and subtropical plants to European garden centers, exporters, and retail chains via Dutch auctions and the Floriday marketplace.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ornamental Horticulture / Plant Wholesale

NAICS

Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114), Nursery and Tree Production (111421)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Plant & Nursery Stock Wholesalers (Grower-Wholesalers) (AFAGAHAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Protected Cultivation of Specialty Crops (Orchids, Bonsai, Exotics) (AFAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Tropical plant wholesale
• Ornamental horticulture nursery
• Greenhouse plant cultivation
• Hydrangea and palm supply
• Garden center distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Naaldwijk

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Plant Sales: B2B wholesale of cultivated tropical plants, hydrangea, and winter-hardy palms to garden centers, exporters, and retail partners across Europe. Plants delivered fresh daily to Dutch auctions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Van der Arend Tropical Plantcenter, trading as "Plant World," is a Dutch B2B nursery that cultivates and wholesales green houseplants, hydrangea, and winter-hardy palms. The company cultivates over 150 (sub)tropical plant varieties across 39 ha in the Netherlands and 100 ha in France, supported by grower partnerships in Asia, Africa, and Central America, and supplies them fresh daily to Dutch auctions and directly to garden centers, exporters, and retail partners across Europe. The portfolio is protected by 85 plant breeder's rights and organized into branded collections such as the Eden Collection and Adorables line.

Product overview

Plant World operates as a unified nursery platform combining multiple specialized growers (Tropicenter, JoGrow, and Smit Kwekerijen) to offer a comprehensive portfolio of over 150 tropical and subtropical plant varieties. The core offering consists of green houseplants, hydrangea, and winter-hardy palms, organized under branded collections including the Eden Collection (Eden Hangplanten, Eden Jungles, Eden Specials, Eden Seasonals) and the Adorables line. The company also provides Young Plants partnership services for commercial growers, with cultivation facilities spanning 39 hectares in the Netherlands and 100 hectares in France, complemented by international sourcing partnerships in Asia, Africa, and Central America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eden Collection: Plant collection brand including Eden Hangplanten, Eden Jungles, Eden Specials, and Eden Seasonals product lines.

Products and services

• Green Houseplants (Groene kamerplanten) A wide assortment of strong, unique, and sustainable green houseplants cultivated in own nurseries in the Netherlands and France, supplied daily to Dutch auctions and distributed to garden centers and DIY stores across Europe.
• Hydrangea Outdoor hydrangea plants cultivated as part of the core product range, supplied to garden centers and retail partners across Europe.
• Winter-hardy Palms (Winterharde palmen) Hardy palm varieties suitable for outdoor cultivation in cooler European climates, supplied as part of the core product range.
• Eden Collection Brand umbrella for curated plant collections including Eden Hangplanten (hanging plants), Eden Jungles, Eden Specials, and Eden Seasonals.
• Eden Hangplanten Curated selection of hanging and trailing plants under the Eden Collection brand for retail partners.
• Eden Jungles Jungle-style plants under the Eden Collection, featuring lush foliage varieties for retail partners.
• Eden Specials Special and unique plant varieties under the Eden Collection with distinctive characteristics, for retail partners seeking differentiated offerings.
• Eden Seasonals Seasonal plant offerings under the Eden Collection aligned with specific retail seasons, supplied to garden centers and retail chains across Europe.
• Adorables A product line featuring attractive, small-scale plants designed for retail appeal, including the "Adorable little plants" hanging plants concept launched March 2025.
• Miniplanten (5.5 + 7 cm) Miniature plants in 5.5 cm and 7 cm pot sizes for compact retail displays, supplied to garden centers and retail partners.
• Young Plants Partnership program offering young plant seedlings to other commercial growers for propagation and cultivation under a separate partnerships page.
• Plant World Concepts Curated plant concepts and collections designed to help retailers strengthen their product offerings with innovative plant varieties.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TropicentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the formation of Plant World. Tropicenter is one of the founding partners of Plant World.
• JogrowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the formation of Plant World. Jogrow is one of the founding partners of Plant World.
• Smit Kwekerijen (Smit Nurseries)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the formation of Plant World. Smit Kwekerijen is one of the founding partners of Plant World. Located in Sappemeer with Siepweg 4 address.
• Growers in Asia, Africa, and Central AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative growing partnerships for expanded production capacity and diversified plant sourcing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Selecta One: European breeder and propagator of ornamental bedding and pot plants, headquartered in Germany. Comparable business model: breeder's-rights-protected assortment, young plant production, and supply to garden retail across Europe.
• Florensis: Netherlands-based breeder and propagator of bedding plants, pot plants, and perennials serving European retailers. Comparable as a wholesale ornamental propagator with proprietary young plant varieties and European garden-center distribution.
• HilverdaKooij: Dutch breeder-propagator of cut flowers and potted plants with strong proprietary variety portfolio. Comparable on breeder-rights model, greenhouse propagation, and European B2B distribution focus.
• Royal Van Zanten: Dutch breeder and propagator of potted plants, cut flowers, and outdoor plants with proprietary varieties. Highly comparable on breeder's rights model, B2B supply to European garden centers, and greenhouse-based propagation.
• Dümmen Orange: One of the world's largest ornamental plant breeders and propagators, headquartered in the Netherlands. Directly comparable to Plant World as a grower-wholesaler of flowering and foliage plants with extensive breeder's rights, multi-continent production, and global B2B distribution to garden retailers.
• Beekenkamp Plants: Dutch family-owned grower of ornamental plants, bedding plants, and young plants, supplying garden centers across Europe. Comparable in ownership profile, scale, and B2B ornamental grower model.

Broad incumbents

• Ball Horticultural Company: One of the largest global horticulture companies, supplying seeds, cuttings, and plants to ornamental growers and retailers. Comparable as an ornamental breeder-wholesaler serving the same European and North American retail channels.
• Syngenta Flowers: Global seed and crop protection major with a substantial flowers and ornamentals business. Comparable as a large-scale ornamental breeder and producer, but operates across a much broader portfolio beyond plants.

Others

• Koppert: Dutch leader in biological crop protection and beneficial insects for horticulture. Relevant adjacency given Plant World's use of 'Natuurlijke Ninja's' (beneficial insects) for pest management in its own nurseries.
• Royal FloraHolland: Operator of the Dutch flower and plant auctions to which Plant World delivers fresh daily. Relevant as the dominant marketplace infrastructure for the European ornamental supply chain in which the company participates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vanderarendtropicalplantcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/plantworldnl
• Facebookfacebook.com/tropicalplantcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Van der Arend Tropical Plantcenter