What Excellence Végétale does

Excellence Végétale is a French interprofessional association (association loi 1901) founded in 2009/2010 and headquartered in Paris, operating as the officially recognized Organisme de Défense et de Gestion (ODG) for SIQO quality and origin signs in the French horticultural, floristry, and landscape sectors. It manages a portfolio of certifications covering three families: quality (Label Rouge for plants including dahlias, roses, Christmas trees, geraniums, lawns, fruit trees, and tomatoes; Charte Qualité Fleurs for cut flowers), origin (IGP Sapin de Noël du Morvan, Fleurs de France), and environmental (Plante Bleue with three levels, where Level 3 equates to HVE). Its core technology stack comprises multiple digital platforms: MY VEGGIE for certified company data management, La Ruche (launched March 2020) as a collaborative intranet on the eXo platform, the Veggie cartographic mapping application with API-driven data flow, and a mandatory Plante Bleue recording tool (effective January 2026) built on MPS infrastructure and integrated with the EU-validated HortiFootprint Calculator.

The business model is fee-based and membership-driven across multiple revenue streams: annual section cotisations from producers and distributors, internal and external audit fees (via OCACIA for independent verification), royalties on Label Rouge certified product sales (partially remitted to INAO), the Plante Bleue tool subscription at €299 HT/year, and La Ruche subscriptions at €60/year for 1–3 users plus €15 per additional user. Fleurs de France is offered free but requires enrollment in a recognized environmental certification (Plante Bleue, MPS, AB, or CQF). The organization serves approximately 360 certified production companies and over 2,000 participating professionals, operating in close partnership with VALHOR (which owns Plante Bleue), ASTREDHOR (technical institute), INAO (regulator), MPS (tooling), and OCACIA (audit body), with a lean team of 12 employees executing certification management, standards development, consumer studies (Kantar, PwC, IFOP), events (Salon du Végétal, Week-end de la Rose à Bagatelle), and B2B/B2C promotion across garden centers, DIY chains (Leroy Merlin, Castorama), and food retailers (Carrefour, Leclerc, Auchan).

Name

Excellence Végétale

Legal name

EXCELLENCE VEGETALE

Website

https://qualite-plantes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Excellence Végétale is a French interprofessional non-profit association managing official quality, origin, and environmental certifications (Label Rouge, IGP, Plante Bleue, Fleurs de France, CQF, HVE) for horticultural producers, distributors, and retailers across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horticultural Certification Services

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)

Keywords

• Horticultural certifications
• Plant quality labels
• Environmental certification horticulture
• Geographical indication plants
• Interprofessional association

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees (Cotisations): Excellence Végétale generates revenue through annual membership fees charged to section members (producers, distributors, and partners). Fee amounts vary by section. The collaborative platform La Ruche subscription costs €60 per year for 1 to 3 users, plus €15 per additional user.
2. Certification Audit Fees: Revenue is generated from audit fees charged to producers seeking certification. Internal audits are conducted by Excellence Végétale according to published fee schedules. External audits are conducted by independent certification bodies (e.g., OCACIA).
3. Royalties on Certified Sales: Two types of royalties are collected: one fed into the association's budget, and another passed on to INAO. The Excellence Végétale royalty amount depends on the revenue from products sold under the Label Rouge. An online calculator tool is available for forecasting.
4. Plante Bleue Tool Subscription: Annual subscription to the Plante Bleue recording tool is priced at €299 HT per year for certified companies (2026–2027 period). This cost was negotiated by VALHOR and Excellence Végétale.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Excellence Végétale is an interprofessional association (loi 1901) recognised by INAO as an Organisme de Défense et de Gestion (ODG) that manages, defends, and promotes official quality, origin, and environmental certifications for the French horticultural sector. It administers a portfolio of certification labels — including Label Rouge (superior quality), IGP Sapin de Noël du Morvan (protected geographical indication), Plante Bleue, Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE), Fleurs de France, and Charte Qualité Fleurs — and supports certified producers, distributors, and retailers through digital platforms and audit services.

Product overview

Excellence Végétale is an interprofessional association (law 1901) recognised by INAO as an Organisme de Défense et de Gestion (ODG) for official quality and origin signs in horticulture, floristry, and landscaping. Its core offering is a portfolio of official and interprofessional certifications: Label Rouge (superior quality plants), IGP Sapin de Noël du Morvan (protected geographical indication for Christmas trees), Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE, high environmental value), Charte Qualité Fleurs (cut flower quality charter), Fleurs de France (French origin guarantee), and Plante Bleue (interprofessional environmental certification with 3 levels). These are complemented by digital platforms: MY VEGGIE for certified company data management, Veggie for cartographic display of certified professionals, La Ruche d'EV as a collaborative intranet for members, and a mandatory Plante Bleue recording tool built on MPS for production data registration (€299 HT/year). The certifications collectively cover quality, origin, traceability, and environmental responsibility across French horticulture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Label Rouge Official French superior quality sign applied to plants, distinguishing rigorously selected varieties for vigour, flowering, yield, disease resistance, and longevity. Assigned by the French Ministry of Agriculture via INAO. Available to certified horticultural producers.
• IGP Sapin de Noël du Morvan Protected Geographical Indication for Christmas trees (Nobilis, Nordmann, or spruce varieties) produced in the Morvan region of France. The first IGP dedicated to a plant in France, protecting local know-how, traceability, and eco-responsible production practices.
• Plante Bleue Interprofessional environmental certification for horticulturists, florists, and nursery owners. Covers seven indicators including biodiversity, crop protection, fertilisation, irrigation, waste, energy, and social rules. Available in three progressive levels, with Level 3 corresponding to HVE certification.
• Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) High Environmental Value certification created in 2011 by the French Ministry of Agriculture, representing the highest level of environmental commitment for horticulture. Based on biodiversity preservation, phytosanitary strategy, fertilisation management, and irrigation management.
• Fleurs de France National signature guaranteeing that plants are produced in France. Free for beneficiaries but requires prior enrolment in a recognised environmental certification (Plante Bleue, MPS, Charte Qualité Fleurs, or Agriculture Biologique).
• Charte Qualité Fleurs (CQF) Interprofessional quality charter dedicated to cut flower producers, guaranteeing bouquets of high quality with excellent vase life of at least 7 days. Flowers are grown and selected according to precise technical requirements.
• MY VEGGIE Digital platform enabling certified companies to centralise and manage all certification-related information including documents, certificates, audits, invoices, and production data. Each certified company receives three accounts with multi-site management capabilities.
• La Ruche d'EV Collaborative intranet platform for association members, accessible via web browser and mobile apps. Allows members to follow news, access calendars, communicate via sections, co-edit documents, and reduce in-person meetings. Subscription: €60/year for 1-3 users, €15 per additional user.
• Plante Bleue Recording Tool Production data recording tool for Plante Bleue Level 2 and Level 3 certified businesses, developed in partnership with MPS. Covers fertilisation, plant protection, irrigation, and energy management data. Integrated with HortiFootprint Calculator for environmental footprint calculation. Annual subscription: €299 HT per year per certified company.

Quantifiable outcome

• Label Rouge plants show a reprising rate exceeding 90% for roses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MPS (Multi Product Services)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023MPS is the international organization providing the recording tool infrastructure for the Plante Bleue certification. Excellence Végétale and VALHOR partnered with MPS to adapt its recording tool for Plante Bleue Level 2 and 3 requirements, making it mandatory for certified companies from January 2026. The tool also integrates with the HortiFootprint Calculator for environmental footprint calculation.
• Institut National de l'Origine et de la Qualité (INAO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2010INAO is the French government body responsible for managing and protecting quality and origin signs (SIQO). Excellence Végétale was officially recognized as an ODG (Organisme de Défense et de Gestion) by INAO, giving it the authority to define, manage, and defend certification standards for the horticultural sector under the Label Rouge, IGP, and related quality signs.
• VALHORcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVALHOR is the French interprofessional body for horticulture, floristry, and landscaping. It supports and co-finances Excellence Végétale's activities and is the owner of the Plante Bleue certification. VALHOR and Excellence Végétale collaborate on joint webinars, studies, press communications, and the promotion of certified labels.
• ASTREDHORcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerASTREDHOR is the French horticultural technical institute. It provides technical expertise, experimental research, and professional training. ASTREDHOR co-organizes the annual Bonnes Pratiques Days with Excellence Végétale and collaborated on studies such as 'La Main dans le Bac' with ESA Angers and Excellence Végétale.
• Plante & CitécoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlante & Cité is a technical partner referenced alongside ASTREDHOR and VALHOR for ensuring the technical credibility of Excellence Végétale's certification schemes.
• OCACIAcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOCACIA is the certification body that conducts audits for Plante Bleue, Fleurs de France, and other certifications managed by Excellence Végétale. It performs independent verification against certification specifications and issues certificates to compliant producers.
• AFSSNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFSSN (Association Fleurs et Senteurs du Sud Nord) collaborated with Excellence Végétale on the IGP Sapin de Noël du Morvan project, bringing together producers from the Morvan region.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: One of the world's largest testing, inspection and certification companies with significant agricultural and food certification operations. Comparable peer in delivering accredited certification and audit services, but as a diversified global TIC incumbent rather than a horticultural specialist.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection and certification (TIC) incumbent that performs audits and certification across many industries including agri-food. Comparable as a peer certification body, but operates as a broad commercial TIC player rather than a horticulture-specific interprofessional association.
• Eurofins: International laboratory testing group with significant agri-food and environmental testing services. Comparable as a peer provider of certification-adjacent testing and compliance services for agricultural producers, though not a French ODG for horticultural SIQO.
• Intertek: Global TIC incumbent providing assurance, testing, inspection and certification services including agricultural supply chains. Peer in operating accredited certification schemes, but with a much broader industry portfolio than Excellence Végétale's horticulture focus.
• Ecocert: Global certification body specializing in organic and sustainable agriculture. Comparable as a scheme operator/administering organization for French and European agricultural certification, but at much broader scale and across all of agriculture rather than horticulture specifically.

Direct peers

• ASTREDHOR: French horticultural technical institute that co-organizes Bonnes Pratiques Days with Excellence Végétale and provides technical/experimental support to certified producers. Peer in serving the same French horticulture value chain with technical, training and R&D services.
• OCACIA: French accredited certification body that performs independent audits for Plante Bleue, Fleurs de France and other Excellence Végétale labels. Direct operational peer in delivering accredited third-party certification audits to French horticultural producers.
• VALHOR: French interprofessional body for horticulture, floristry and landscaping that owns the Plante Bleue certification co-managed by Excellence Végétale. Closest structural peer: another interprofessional association funding and steering the same French horticultural ecosystem, with overlapping membership and governance roles.

Emerging players

• MPS (Milieu Programma Sierteelt): International organization providing the environmental recording-tool infrastructure (MPS-ABC) on which Plante Bleue Level 2/3 is built. Peer in delivering standardized, audited environmental certification data for ornamental horticulture, but at international rather than French national scale.
• GLOBALG.A.P. Global organization setting voluntary standards for agricultural production (including flowers and ornamentals). Peer as a scheme owner of internationally recognized agricultural sustainability standards that partially overlap with Plante Bleue/HVE in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/excellence-v%C3%A9g%C3%A9tale

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Excellence Végétale