What Borst Bloembollen does

Borst Bloembollen is a fourth-generation Dutch family-owned specialist producer of tulip bulbs, forced tulip flowers, and peonies, headquartered in Obdam, Noord-Holland, and founded around 1910. The company cultivates approximately 215 hectares across the Netherlands (165 ha in West Friesland, North East Polder, and Flevoland), Chile, and New Zealand, producing roughly 50 million tulip bulbs and 40 million forced tulip flowers annually, alongside peony cut flowers and cuttings on about 15 hectares. Its assortment includes around 250 exclusive tulip cultivars developed through a proprietary breeding programme with a 10-15 year development cycle, plus a peony portfolio co-owned through Peony Breeding v.o.f.

The business operates a vertically integrated model spanning proprietary breeding, bulb cultivation, and greenhouse forcing using modern container systems and Furora automated bunching lines (14,000 stems/hour), complemented by selection robots for virus management deployed since 2021 and a 2025-vintage heat pump with a 200-metre deep well. Revenue is generated through four streams: tulip bulb sales (exported to China, America, Southern Hemisphere countries, Europe, and Russia), forced tulip flower sales (marketed through the Dutch auction, direct regular buyers, and the Decorum cooperative), peony cut flowers and cuttings, and licensing royalties from co-owned peony varieties. Customers include flower bulb exporters, the Dutch auction, Decorum's 50+ member cooperative network serving garden centres, florists, and retailers, and direct international bulb buyers.

The company sells through a sales-led B2B motion targeting flower bulb exporters, garden centres, florists, and retailers, with pricing not publicly disclosed and inquiries handled via website contact forms. It holds Global-GAP certification, is an SBB-recognised training company, and markets through industry events, the Decorum cooperative, a bilingual website, a Floriday online shop, a newsletter, and PR including a 2022 Discovery Channel feature.

Name

Borst Bloembollen

Legal name

Borst Bloembollen

Website

https://borstbloembollen.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Borst Bloembollen is a fourth-generation Dutch family-owned specialist producer of exclusive tulip bulbs (50 million annually) and forced tulip flowers (40 million annually), plus peonies, cultivating 215 hectares across the Netherlands, Chile, and New Zealand and selling B2B through the Dutch auction, the Decorum cooperative, and direct international bulb buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flower Bulbs and Cut Flowers

NAICS

Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114), Floriculture Production (111422), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Greenhouse Floriculture (Cut Flowers) (AFAGAHAD)

Keywords

• Tulip bulb production
• Peony cut flowers
• Flower bulb export
• Tulip forcing services
• Bulb breeding programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Obdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tulip bulb sales: Production and sale of approximately 50 million tulip bulbs annually. Bulbs are used for own export, sold to flower bulb export companies, and used for growing tulips in the company's own nursery. Bulbs from Southern Hemisphere cultivation shipped to China, America, Southern Hemisphere countries, and European countries including Russia.
2. Tulip flower forcing and sales: Forcing of tulip flowers in greenhouses, producing approximately 40 million tulip flowers annually (late September to early May). Flowers marketed through the auction, regular buyers, and growers' cooperative Decorum Plants & Flowers.
3. Peony flowers and cuttings sales: Production and sale of peony cut flowers and peony cuttings. Peonies available as both flowers and cuttings. Flowers spread across early and late season through different varieties. Cut flowers sold via Decorum; Southern Hemisphere peonies sold on Dutch and American markets.
4. Peony Breeding v.o.f. (co-owned breeding programme): Co-ownership of peony breeding combination Peony Breeding v.o.f. alongside Tulip Trade and Borst Flowers. Revenue generated through licensing of new peony varieties bred through the programme.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Borst Bloembollen produces, breeds and supplies tulip bulbs and forced tulip flowers, as well as peony cut flowers and peony cuttings, for the international floriculture trade. The company operates across approximately 215 hectares in the Netherlands, Chile and New Zealand, producing around 50 million tulip bulbs and 40 million tulip flowers per year alongside its peony assortment, and runs its own tulip and peony breeding programmes to develop exclusive cultivars.

Product overview

Borst Bloembollen is a specialist tulip and peony company offering a comprehensive portfolio of bulb and flower products. The product portfolio consists of two main categories: (1) Tulips, with approximately 250 exclusive cultivars grown across approximately 215 hectares in the Netherlands, Chile, and New Zealand, producing around 50 million tulip bulbs and 40 million forced tulip flowers annually; and (2) Peonies, with around 14 exclusive varieties of cut flowers and cuttings cultivated on approximately 15 hectares. Products are distributed through the auction, direct buyers, and the Decorum Plants & Flowers growers' cooperative. The company also offers breeding services and organizes market forcing shows to showcase new varieties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tulips (assortment of bulbs and forced flowers) Specialist tulip bulbs and forced tulip flowers with approximately 250 different exclusive cultivars including crispa, parrot, crown, and double (peony) tulips. Cultivation spans approximately 215 hectares across the Netherlands, Chile, and New Zealand. Sold to flower bulb exporters, auction, regular buyers, and Decorum cooperative.
• Peonies (cut flowers and cuttings) High-quality peony cut flowers and cuttings with exclusive varieties including around 14 distinct cultivars such as Angel Cheeks, Coral Sunset, Dinner Plate, and Miss America. Flowers and cuttings spread across early and late season through different varieties. Sold via Decorum, Southern Peonies partnership (Chile), and Bloomia (US).
• Tulip Bulbs Approximately 50 million tulip bulbs produced annually, distributed to customers globally. Bulbs are exported to flower bulb export companies and used for the company's own forcing facility. Bulbs from Southern Hemisphere cultivation are shipped to China, America, Southern Hemisphere countries, and European countries including Russia.
• Tulip Flowers (Forced) Approximately 40 million tulip flowers produced annually in greenhouses from late September to early May, distributed through the auction, regular buyers, and the Decorum growers' cooperative.
• Peony Cuttings Peony propagation material (cuttings) sold in autumn from plants cultivated on approximately 15 hectares of peonies, supporting further propagation by buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 215 hectares total cultivation area producing 50 million tulip bulbs annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Peony Breeding v.o.f.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-owned breeding combination (v.o.f.) for peonies. Borst Bloembollen is co-owner alongside Tulip Trade and Borst Flowers. The partnership focuses on breeding peonies for flower production, working on broadening the colour spectrum with selection criteria including bud presentation, flower production, flower fullness, and shelf life.
• Decorum Plants & FlowerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQuality brand and growers' cooperative with 50+ members marketing 4000+ products under Decorum and Feel Green brands. Borst Bloembollen is a member growing tulips and peonies marketed through Decorum to flower exporters, garden centres, florists, and retail. Decorum targets Global or MPS-Gap certification for all members; Borst Bloembollen holds a Global-Gap certificate.
• Southern Peonies (Chile)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 2018 with Southern Peonies in Chile. Chile's climate on the Southern Hemisphere is ideal for growing peonies, enabling harvest of cut flowers in November. Cut flowers from Chile are sold on the Dutch and American markets.
• Bloomia (Virginia, USA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Bloomia in Virginia, USA for growing peonies that are directly marketed on the American market. Borst Bloembollen runs the peony nursery; Bloomia handles domestic US sales. Bloomia also operates a tulip forcing facility for year-round tulip production for the American market.
• Borst FlowerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 2008, Borst Flowers breeds peonies on 5 hectares annually, focusing on the newer range of approximately 40 varieties. Flowers are cut in spring and part of the cuttings are sold in autumn. Borst Flowers is also co-owner of Peony Breeding v.o.f. alongside Borst Bloembollen and Tulip Trade. Borst Flowers also breeds over 25 varieties of peonies on 15 hectares at Borst Bloembollen.
• Remarkable Tulips (breeders' association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTulip growers' association focused on marketing new tulip varieties and breeding tulips that are an improvement for the future and current tulip assortment. Most promising new varieties are further developed and assessed during market forcing shows.
• Hybris Tulpen (breeders' association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTulip growers' association for joint variety marketing and breeding. Most promising new varieties assessed during market forcing shows.
• Double Future (breeders' association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTulip growers' association for joint variety marketing and breeding through Hobaho. Most promising new varieties assessed during market forcing shows.
• Marax Tulpen (breeders' association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTulip growers' association for joint variety marketing and breeding. Most promising new varieties assessed during market forcing shows.
• Combi Tulip (breeders' association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTulip growers' association for joint variety marketing and breeding. Most promising new varieties assessed during market forcing shows.
• Bola (breeders' association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTulip growers' association for joint variety marketing and breeding. Most promising new varieties assessed during market forcing shows.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Florensis: Dutch breeder and propagator of young ornamental plants (annuals, perennials, pot plants). Comparable as a Netherlands-headquartered ornamental producer in the same floriculture supply chain, with a broader crop focus.
• Syngenta Flowers: Global flower seed and cutting producer serving the professional ornamentals market. Comparable as a large-scale breeding company operating in the same floriculture value chain with proprietary genetics.
• Dümmen Orange: One of the world's largest ornamental plant breeders and propagators. Overlaps as a broad incumbent in floriculture breeding and propagation, though with a much wider portfolio than Borst's tulip/peony specialisation.
• Ball Horticultural Company: Global breeder and distributor of ornamental flowers and vegetables. Comparable as a diversified incumbent in floriculture breeding supplying the same professional grower and retail channels.

Direct peers

• Royal Van Zanten: Dutch-based flower breeder and propagator of cut flowers, potted plants and flower bulbs. Comparable as a Netherlands-based specialist breeding and forcing operation with proprietary varieties sold to international floriculture markets.
• HilverdaKooij: Dutch breeding and propagation company focused on cut flowers and potted plants. Highly comparable as a Netherlands-based ornamental breeder supplying the same international floriculture trade with proprietary genetics.
• VWS Flowerbulbs: Dutch flower bulb export and trading company. Comparable as a Netherlands-based tulip bulb exporter selling to similar international buyers, though with more of a trading focus than integrated cultivation.
• P. Nelis & Co: Long-established Dutch tulip bulb grower and exporter. Direct peer with similar product mix (tulip bulbs and forcing) and customer base of international bulb buyers and auction-sold flowers.
• Marklily: Dutch specialist in tulip and lily forcing and bulb trade. Direct peer in greenhouse forcing, bulb export and auction-supply channels serving the European floriculture market.

Regional players

• Bloomia: US-based cut flower grower (and Borst's Virginia peony partner) operating tulip forcing for the American market. Comparable as a flower-forcing operator with tulip expertise, primarily serving North American demand rather than competing head-to-head in Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/borst-bloembollen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Borst Bloembollen