Central Horticultural Association

What Central Horticultural Association does

Zentralverband Gartenbau e.V. (ZVG), also known as the Central Horticultural Association, is a German registered association (eingetragener Verein, or e.V.) founded in 1948 that serves as the central umbrella organization for the country's professional horticulture industry. Headquartered in Berlin with a secondary office in Bonn and an operational data protection presence in Cologne, the association represents the political and economic interests of German horticulture businesses — spanning production, retail, and services — vis-à-vis federal and EU policymakers, the broader economy, and the public. Its remit covers legal, tax, social, business management, and environmental matters, alongside workforce development and continuing education.

ZVG's core offerings are services rather than commercial products: political lobbying and representation (with documented successes influencing the Energy Efficiency Act and EU seed regulation positions), coordination of industry events (BUGA, IPM ESSEN, Green Week), industry publications (Gartenbau Report, annual report), and educational programs through affiliated entities including the Ernst-Schröder-Stiftung (1963) and Bildungsstätte Gartenbau Grünberg (1966). On the technology side, ZVG operates two digital member tools: PS Info 'MeinBetrieb', a plant protection documentation tool supporting mandatory digital recording requirements effective January 2027, and hortigate, an information portal for specialist horticulture content. ZVG also co-organizes the IPM ESSEN trade fair with Messe Essen, drawing 40,000+ trade visitors from 100+ countries.

ZVG is governed as a member-driven nonprofit. Its revenue model is subscription/recurring membership fees from federal associations, 14 state/regional associations, and individual horticultural businesses. Leadership consists of President Eva Kähler-Theuerkauf (since March 2023), Vice Presidents Karoline Heiser and Andreas Kröger, and General Secretary Bertram Fleischer. The association functions as a collective action vehicle for a fragmented industry, providing unified representation, standards coordination, knowledge transfer, and workforce development. It has no external shareholders, no funding rounds, and no private equity ownership.

Name

Central Horticultural Association

Legal name

Zentralverband Gartenbau e. V. (ZVG)

Website

https://derdeutschegartenbau.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zentralverband Gartenbau e.V. (ZVG) is Germany's central horticultural association, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Berlin, representing the political and economic interests of German horticulture businesses through lobbying, industry events, publications, and digital tools. It serves federal associations, 14 state associations, and individual horticultural businesses via membership-fee funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: ZVG operates as a registered association (e.V.) representing political and economic interests of German horticulture companies. Revenue is generated through membership fees from federal associations, state/regional associations, and individual horticultural businesses.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Zentralverband Gartenbau e.V. (ZVG) is Germany's central professional trade association for the horticulture sector, providing political representation at federal and EU levels, professional consulting, vocational training, industry publications, and member services. It also operates affiliated institutions, including the Ernst-Schröder-Stiftung (training foundation), the Bildungsstätte Gartenbau Grünberg (horticultural training center), and digital member platforms Hortigate and PS Info/MeinBetrieb.

Product overview

The Central Horticultural Association (Zentralverband Gartenbau e.V.) is a professional and economic association representing German horticulture businesses. It does not offer a unified software product but provides various services including digital documentation tools (PS Info MeinBetrieb), information portals (hortigate), educational programs through Bildungsstätte Gartenbau, the Ernst-Schröder-Stiftung foundation for scholarships and professional development, publications including the ZVG Gartenbau Report and annual reports, and the recruitment campaign "Gärtner. Der Zukunft gewachsen." These services support horticulture businesses with plant protection documentation, professional education, industry information, and workforce development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deutsche Blumenfee: Ambassador for flowers and plants, representing German horticulture and floristry (elected annually)
• Gartenbautage
• Ernst-Schröder-Stiftung
• Gartenbau Report
• Nachwuchswerbekampagne 'Gärtner. Der Zukunft gewachsen.'

Products and services

• Membership in Zentralverband Gartenbau e.V. (ZVG) Membership subscription in Germany's central horticultural trade association, providing political representation, consulting, publications, training access, and member benefits to horticulture businesses and associations.
• Political representation and lobbying services for the horticulture sector Political representation of horticulture businesses at federal and EU levels, advocacy on relevant regulation (e.g., plant protection, energy, labor), and coalition building with regional and federal member associations. Provided to member horticulture businesses and affiliated trade associations.
• Hortigate information platform Online information platform providing horticulture news, member resources, and industry content, operated by ZVG for its member horticulture businesses.
• PS Info / MeinBetrieb member application Mobile application and digital toolset (PS Info / MeinBetrieb) for member horticulture businesses, supporting operations and access to association information.
• Bildungsstätte Gartenbau Grünberg training center Horticultural vocational training and continuing education delivered at ZVG's affiliated training center in Grünberg, offered to member companies and the broader horticulture sector.
• Ernst-Schröder-Stiftung training foundation Foundation activities supporting qualification, training, and education in the horticulture sector, run as an affiliated institution of ZVG.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful lobbying resulted in adjustment of the Energy Efficiency Act (Energieeffizienzgesetz)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Euro Plant Tray eG (EPT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2026ZVG presidency decided on July 8, 2026, to join Euro Plant Tray eG as a member organization. This membership supports the development of a Europe-wide reusable plant tray system aimed at reducing single-use plastics in the horticulture industry.
• TASPO StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2025ZVG provides annual financial support of 500 euros to TASPO Stiftung to strengthen scientific young talent in the green industry. The foundation awards the 'Junge Wissenschaft' (Young Scientists) prize for practical, scientific works by students and researchers up to age 35, with funding up to 5,000 euros per round.
• CIOPORA DeutschlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVG and CIOPORA Deutschland jointly welcomed the federal cabinet's High-Tech Agenda, particularly the classification of biotechnology as a key technology. They advocate together for innovation-friendly legal frameworks and EU-level regulation of New Genomic Techniques (NGT) for plant breeding.
• Wissenschaftlicher Beirat für Natürlichen Klimaschutz (WBNK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVG welcomed recommendations from the Scientific Advisory Board for Natural Climate Protection regarding the further development of the Natural Climate Protection Action Program (ANK), supporting suggestions for perennial plantings and conversion of lawns to species-rich meadows.
• Bundeslandwirtschaftsministerium (BMEL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Ministry of Food and Agriculture partners with ZVG on initiatives including Innovationspreis Gartenbau awards, Runder Tisch Torfminderung (Peat Reduction Round Table), and Auslandsmesseprogramm (foreign trade fair program) for German horticulture companies.
• Ernst-Schröder-StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVG co-founded this foundation in 1963 to support vocational training in horticulture. The foundation provides scholarships, supports young gardeners (AdJ), and Bildungsstätte Gartenbau Grünberg. Original co-founders included ZVG and Deutsche Hagelversicherung (now Gartenbau-Versicherung VVaG).
• Forschungsgesellschaft Landschaftsentwicklung Landschaftsbau (FLL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVG is represented in the FLL presidency by Alexander Hildebrand, elected as a member of the board. FLL is the research society for landscape development and landscape construction, setting standards for the industry.
• Messe EssencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZVG serves as ideological sponsor/trustee of IPM ESSEN, the world's leading horticulture trade fair. Together they organize the Neuheitenschaufenster (Innovation Window) competition showcasing new plant varieties.
• Bundesverband Einzelhandelsgärtner (BVE)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBVE is a federal association within ZVG representing retail gardeners. Organizes events like 'We love GREEN' youth recruitment at IPM and Sommertreff conferences for industry networking.
• Bund Deutscher Champignon- und Kulturpilzanbauer (BDC)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBDC represents German cultivated mushroom producers within ZVG. Participated in BUGA 2023 with educational displays showing mushroom cultivation in darkened rooms with optimal lighting.
• Bundesfachgruppe Gemüsebau (BfG)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFederal specialist group for vegetable cultivation within ZVG. Holds annual Bundesberatertagung (federal advisor conference) addressing plant protection, fertilization, and regulatory challenges facing vegetable producers.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft deutscher Junggärtner (AdJ)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdJ is supported by ZVG through Ernst-Schröder-Stiftung for youth development. Organized Bundesberufswettbewerb (federal professional competition) for young gardeners at BUGA 2023 with approximately 2 million visitors.
• Bund deutscher Staudengärtner (BdS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBdS represents perennial gardeners within ZVG. Participates in BUGA events and organizes summer trips to trade fairs. Partnered with Bund deutscher Baumschulen at IPM 2026 for climate adaptation displays.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Royal Horticultural Society (RHS): UK's national horticultural charity and membership organization, established in 1804. Directly comparable as a national horticultural membership body providing gardening advice, education, events (e.g., Chelsea Flower Show), and industry representation, paralleling ZVG's role in Germany.
• Forschungsgesellschaft Landschaftsentwicklung Landschaftsbau (FLL): German research society for landscape development and landscape construction, setting industry standards and best practices. Comparable as a peer standards-setting organization in the green industry with overlapping membership and joint initiatives; ZVG holds board representation.
• Fleuroselect: International organization for the ornamental plants industry representing plant breeders and young plant producers. Comparable as a peer trade association in horticulture with international scope, member-driven innovation programs (Gold Medal), and industry representation similar to ZVG's ornamental plant focus.
• Bundesverband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau (BGL): German federal association for the garden, landscape, and sports ground construction industry. Comparable as a peer German trade association in the broader green industry space with similar member services, advocacy, and apprenticeship coordination, representing an adjacent subsector.
• CIOPORA: International community of breeders of asexually reproduced ornamental and fruit plants. Comparable as a peer advocacy organization for horticulture plant breeders on intellectual property and regulatory matters; explicitly partners with ZVG on NGT and biotechnology policy.
• American Hort: US national trade association serving the horticulture industry through advocacy, education, and networking for nursery, greenhouse, and garden center businesses. Directly comparable as a national trade association representing horticulture businesses, with parallel advocacy and member-service functions.

Broad incumbents

• Industrieverband Agrar (IVA): German industry association for crop protection and plant nutrition products. Comparable as a broader incumbent in adjacent agricultural input industry with overlapping regulatory and advocacy interests in plant protection policy at German and EU levels.

Regional players

• Bund deutscher Baumschulen (BdB): German trade association for nursery (Baumschule) businesses. Comparable as a regional trade association within the German horticultural value chain, representing tree and nursery production, with ZVG co-presenting at IPM ESSEN on climate adaptation topics.

Others

• AMI (Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft): German agricultural market information provider supplying data and analysis on agricultural and horticultural markets. Comparable as an enabling service provider whose market intelligence (cited in ZVG's market data) supports the German green industry value chain.
• Deutsche Bundesgartenschau GmbH (DBG): German federal garden show company organizing BUGA exhibitions. Related through ZVG's involvement in BUGA events and horticulture displays, but operates as an event organizer rather than a comparable trade association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/derdeutschegartenbau
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/zentralverband-gartenbau
• Instagraminstagram.com/derdeutschegartenbau
• Xx.com/zvg_gartenbau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

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 Central Horticultural Association