CNB

What CNB does

CNB (Coöperatieve Nederlandse Bloembollencentrale UA) is the largest Dutch cooperative marketplace for flower bulbs, tubers, and perennials, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Lisse with a 12-hectare specialized refrigeration and preparation facility in Bovenkarspel. The company operates as a one-stop platform for the Dutch bulb sector, offering brokerage (bemiddeling) between growers and buyers, green and materials auctions, real estate brokerage (CNB Makelaardij) for agricultural properties, cooling and preparation services, license management and royalty administration (CNB New Plants / CNB Mercurius), cultivation advice (Teeltadvies), and administrative services delivered via the Mijn CNB customer portal.

The underlying technology combines physical infrastructure and a digital administrative layer. Physical assets include CATT (Controlled Atmosphere Temperature Treatment) cells, ULO (Ultra Low Oxygen) storage with Ultramist, and a recently converted ammonia refrigeration system — proprietary capabilities applied to roughly 175 bulb cultivars in ULO treatment alone. The digital layer is limited to administrative self-service (delivery notes, VAT overviews) rather than trading-platform automation; there is no evidence of AI/ML or advanced data products.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across transaction fees on brokered trades, auction commissions, professional services fees for cooling/preparation, license/royalty streams, and real estate brokerage fees. The cooperative pays an annual turnover discount (omzetkorting) back to members proportional to brokerage volume — €536,598 in FY 2024/2025, up from €473,496 in FY 2023/2024. Customer segments include flower bulb growers and traders (primary), plant breeders and propagators, forcing operations (broeiers), agricultural property buyers/sellers, and companies undergoing wind-down or relocation. Go-to-market is field-driven through crop-specialized product representatives, supplemented by a calendar of trade shows, show gardens, and digital marketing channels including a bi-weekly newsletter, blog, and social media presence.

Name

CNB

Legal name

Coöperatieve Nederlandse Bloembollencentrale UA

Website

https://cnb.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CNB is the largest Dutch cooperative marketplace for flower bulbs, tubers, and perennials, providing brokerage, auctions, refrigeration, license management, cultivation advice, and real estate services to growers, traders, breeders, and forcing operations primarily in the Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flower Bulb Marketplace Services

NAICS

Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (4251)

SIC

Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

Terminal Market / Produce Market Wholesalers (AFAIACAK)

Keywords

• Flower bulb brokerage
• Bulb trade marketplace
• Bulb refrigeration services
• Plant license management
• Agricultural real estate

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisse

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brokerage / Bemiddeling: CNB's core revenue stream is facilitating transactions between sellers and buyers of flower bulbs, tubers, and perennials. As the largest marketplace in the Netherlands, CNB acts as intermediary, earning fees on transactions.
2. Auctions: CNB organizes green auctions (groene veiling) for growing crops and materials auctions (materialenveiling) for machinery and equipment. Auctions include corporate closures, relocation sales, and consignment auctions.
3. Cooling and Preparation Services: CNB operates a 12-hectare refrigeration and preparation facility in Bovenkarspel, providing storage, CATT treatment, ULO storage, and preparation services for bulbs, focused on lilies and tulips. Services are offered for fees to external clients as well.
4. Real Estate Brokerage / Makelaardij: CNB Makelaardij provides real estate services for agricultural properties, including farmland, farm complexes, and greenhouses. Services include purchase brokerage, sale brokerage, rental brokerage, lease advisory, valuations, and official appraisal reports.
5. License Management / CNB New Plants: CNB New Plants specializes in introducing perennials and managing royalty fees for breeders. CNB Mercurius handles license contracts and royalty collection/disbursement for perennials. Services include worldwide plant breeder's rights applications, trademark filings, sublicense issuance, and full license administration.
6. Cultivation Advice / Teeltadvies: CNB offers cultivation advisory services including crop stage research, forcing schedule development, and technical advice on bulb cultivation, storage, and forcing.
7. Omzetkorting (Turnover Discount): As a cooperative, CNB annually pays a turnover discount (omzetkorting) to customers based on their brokerage turnover volume. For FY 2024/2025 the total discount paid was €536,598, up from €473,496 in FY 2023/2024.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CNB operates the largest Dutch marketplace for the trade in flower bulbs, tubers, and perennials, providing brokerage between sellers and buyers, auctions (green and materials), cooling and preparation services at a 12-hectare facility in Bovenkarspel, agricultural real estate brokerage, plant breeder license and royalty management, and cultivation advisory services for growers and forcing operations.

Product overview

CNB operates as a unified platform combining multiple services for the flower bulb, tuber, and perennial industry. The core offering is Bemiddeling (brokerage), supported by Veilen (auctions), Koelen en Prepareren (refrigeration and preparation), and Makelaardij (real estate). Additional services include Licentiebeheer (license management), Teeltadvies (cultivation advice), Productpromotie (product promotion), and Administratie (administration). CNB New Plants handles perennial introductions and royalty management as a specialized sub-brand. The Mijn CNB digital portal provides 24/7 access to administrative functions, tying together all customer-facing services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bemiddeling (Brokerage)

Quantifiable outcome

• CNB paid €536,598 in turnover discounts to customers in FY 2024/2025 (up from €473,496 in FY 2023/2024), demonstrating direct financial returns to the cooperative's member-customers.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jungheinrich NederlandcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025CNB and Jungheinrich Nederland have an ongoing partnership for the sale of Jungheinrich forklifts, pallet trucks, tractors, and stackers. CNB's customers benefit from preferential pricing, access to energy-efficient German-quality trucks suitable for intensive use, and Jungheinrich's nationwide service network with 180+ technicians and 24/7 support. The partnership was renewed in 2025 and offers discounted models and favorable terms through the CNB advantage program (cnbvoordeel.nl).
• Troostwijk VeilingencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018CNB and Troostwijk Veilingen co-organize materials auctions (materialenveilingen) including consignment auctions and inbrengveilingen. This partnership allows CNB to offer comprehensive liquidation services for machinery and equipment when businesses relocate or close. Used for corporate closures such as Germaco B.V. and Laarakker.
• BVS BVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017BVS BV was founded by CNB to address competition law risks associated with grower associations making price, area, and market allocation agreements. BVS manages production planning (area) and sales activities for affiliated bulb growers, reducing competition authority risks. First growers (including Gallery Dahlia) joined in 2018.
• VertifycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVertify (formerly PPO/Praktijkonderzoek Plant & Omgeving) collaborates with CNB on tulip bulb research, including the PPS Integral Tulip Bulb Mite approach and pilot projects. Joint webinars on tulip bulb mite (tulpengalmijt) are organized with KAVB and Wageningen UR.
• KAVB (Royal FloraHolland / Bloembollenhandel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKAVB is the flower bulb trade association. CNB collaborates with KAVB on trade regulations (Handelsreglement voor de Bloembollenhandel), quality inspections (KAVB keuringen), and sector-wide initiatives including the Ambitie Toekomst Bollenvak sustainability program together with Royal Anthos.
• Royal AnthoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoyal Anthos (Royal General Board for Flower Bulb Crops) collaborates with CNB and KAVB on the 'Toekomst Bollenvak' (Future Bulb Sector) sustainability program, committing to goals for 2030 across eight pillars including plant health, soil, water, biodiversity, energy, labor, and communication.
• Kapiteyn Captain Calla B.V.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCNB and Kapiteyn Captain Calla B.V. co-organize the annual Calla sector networking event. CNB's calla representative Nick Broersen participates, and Kapiteyn hosts the event at their facility.
• NekovriminorOthersNekovri is the Dutch cold storage and freezing sector association. CNB's Bovenkarspel facility is a member. The Nekovri team visited CNB Bovenkarspel to review infrastructure investments including the new ammonia refrigeration system.
• Wageningen URcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWageningen University & Research collaborates with CNB and KAVB on tulip bulb research including the integral approach to tulip bulb mite (PPS Integrale Aanpak Tulpengalmijt) and pilot Tulip and Bijgoed projects. Joint webinars on bulb mite treatment are organized.
• De Tulperij (Voorhout)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDe Tulperij in Voorhout hosts multiple CNB show gardens: CNB Dahliashowtuin (640-650 varieties), CNB Hyacintenshowtuin, and CNB Narcissenshowtuin (220+ varieties). CNB organizes networking events including barbecue at the show gardens.
• Floratuin JulianadorpcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFloratuin in Julianadorp hosts the CNB Narcissenshowtuin alongside its existing broad assortment of 1,200+ varieties of alliums, tulips, hyacinths, and muscaris. CNB participates in the Flowerbulb Business Days at this venue.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Troostwijk Veilingen: Troostwijk is a major Dutch generalist auction house that co-organizes CNB's materials auctions (materialenveilingen) for equipment and corporate liquidations in the bulb sector. Comparable as an enabler of CNB's auction-based liquidation services rather than as a direct bulb-trade competitor.

Direct peers

• Kapiteyn: Kapiteyn is a Dutch calla (Zantedeschia) bulb breeder and grower that co-organizes the Calla sector event with CNB and participates in CNB's brokerage channel. Comparable as a Dutch specialty bulb company operating in the same supply chain and customer base that CNB intermediates.
• Van Zanten Flowerbulbs: Van Zanten is a Dutch-based flower bulb breeder and propagator with significant lily, tulip and Zantedeschia programs. Comparable to CNB as a Dutch flower bulb industry participant using similar channels, trade shows, and customer relationships in the brokerage and breeding ecosystem.
• Hilverda De Boer: Hilverda De Boer is a Dutch flower bulb and perennial company active in breeding, propagation, and export. Comparable to CNB because it operates in the same Dutch flower bulb trade ecosystem, connecting growers and international buyers of tulips, lilies and other bulbs.
• Jan de Wit en Zonen: Jan de Wit en Zonen is a multi-generational Dutch flower bulb export and forcing company. Comparable to CNB because it sources Dutch bulbs from growers and sells to international forcing operations and retailers, operating in the same trade ecosystem CNB intermediates.
• P. Nelis & Zoon: P. Nelis & Zoon is a long-established Dutch flower bulb trading house exporting tulips, daffodils and other bulbs worldwide. Comparable to CNB as a Dutch bulb trader working with similar growers and serving similar international customers through overlapping sales channels.
• Verbeek Export: Verbeek Export is a Dutch flower bulb exporter handling tulips, lilies, daffodils and other bulbs for international customers. Comparable to CNB as a Dutch bulb trade intermediary serving the same growers, exporters, and international buyer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Ball Horticultural Company: Ball Horticultural is a major global horticultural supplier of seed and plant inputs to professional growers. Comparable to CNB as a participant in the broader ornamental horticulture supply chain serving professional growers, though Ball is far broader and operates outside the Dutch bulb niche.
• Dümmen Orange: Dümmen Orange is a large global breeder of ornamental plants and flowers (pot plants, cut flowers, perennials). Comparable to CNB only at the edges — both touch the Dutch ornamental horticulture value chain, but Dümmen is a breeding-driven incumbent rather than a bulb-trade marketplace.
• Royal FloraHolland: Royal FloraHolland is the world's largest flower auction and a Dutch cooperative marketplace for cut flowers and plants. While CNB specializes in flower bulbs, tubers and perennials and FloraHolland focuses on cut flowers and pot plants, both operate cooperative B2B marketplaces intermediating transactions in Dutch ornamental horticulture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CNBbloembollen
• Facebookfacebook.com/CNBLisse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cnb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 CNB