Vlot

What Vlot does

Vlot BV is a privately-held Dutch wholesale distributor of impulse articles (everyday consumer goods such as lighters, BBQ accessories, household cleaning supplies, garden tools, personal care items, fashion accessories, pest control products, and seasonal merchandise) headquartered in Maarn, Netherlands. The company operates an account-based B2B wholesale model, serving Dutch SMB retailers across at least seven vertical segments: garden centers and pet specialty stores, hardware/DIY stores, hospitality and supermarket chains, specialty and parts retailers, gift and ambiance shops, and online retailers. Vlot carries a 500+ SKU assortment spanning both recognized third-party brands (Vileda, Gorilla, Sodutch, Navata) and a portfolio of 17+ own and exclusive sub-brands (VLOT, Blossombs, Foetsie, Knipmaatje, Cleany, PROF, Oud Hollandsche Ambachtscrème, Super Ninja, Verlofix, and others).

The company's core offering is not just product distribution but a full-service merchandising solution called 'ontzorging' (complete outsourcing): field sales representatives visit retail locations to install displays, maintain point-of-sale presentation, and restock impulse merchandise. This service layer is paired with a B2B e-commerce wholesale portal that requires account registration and exposes wholesale pricing behind login. Revenue is generated through product margins on one-time wholesale transactions, with a 'koopkorting' (purchase discount) offered to registered B2B accounts. The company employs approximately 15–16 people, reports a 9.4/10 customer satisfaction rating across 646 Kiyoh reviews, and operates entirely within the Dutch market with no disclosed parent company, external investment, or ownership structure beyond being a private besloten vennootschap (Dutch BV). No technology stack, proprietary software, API, or AI/ML capabilities are part of the offering — Vlot is a traditional physical wholesale operation with a digital ordering veneer.

Name

Vlot

Legal name

Vlot BV

Website

https://vlotbv.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vlot BV is a Dutch B2B wholesale distributor of 500+ impulse articles (lighters, BBQ, household, garden, personal care, seasonal items) serving SMB retailers across garden centers, hardware stores, hospitality, supermarkets, specialty shops, gift shops, and webshops in the Netherlands, with a field-sales display-placement and restocking service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Misc Durable Goods (5090)

akta.pro primary industry

Retailer & Small-Store Supply (C-Store, Mini-Mart, Independent Retail) (CRAEAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Office, Janitorial & Facility Supplies (B2B) (CRAEAEAE)

Keywords

• Wholesale distribution
• Impulse products
• Retail supplies
• POS displays
• Seasonal merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Maarn

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wholesale product sales: B2B wholesale distribution of impulse articles to retailers. Products sold include lighters, BBQ accessories, household items, garden tools, personal care, toys, seasonal items, and fashion/lifestyle products. Revenue generated through product margin on wholesale transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Vlot BV is a Dutch B2B wholesale distributor of impulse articles (impulsartikelen) sold to retailers across garden centers, hardware stores, hospitality, supermarkets, specialty shops, gift shops, and webshops. The company supplies a 500+ SKU assortment spanning lighters, BBQ accessories, household cleaning, garden/outdoor/DIY, personal care, fashion and lifestyle, toys, seasonal items, and pest control, under both its own VLOT brand and distributed brands such as Vileda, Verlofix, PROF, Navata, Sodutch, Blossombs, and others. Alongside product supply, Vlot provides full-service point-of-sale support including display placement, POS maintenance, and restocking performed by field sales representatives.

Product overview

Vlot BV operates as a wholesale distributor of impulse products for retail stores, garden centers, and DIY businesses in the Netherlands. The offering is a portfolio of branded product lines and own-brand items organized into seasonal and year-round categories, complemented by a complete point-of-sale service including display placement and restocking. The product range spans lighters and BBQ accessories, household cleaning supplies, personal care products, fashion and lifestyle items, toys, seasonal merchandise, pest control, and garden/outdoor/DIY equipment. Major branded lines include Vileda (cleaning), Verlofix (DIY tools), Oud Hollandsche Ambachtscrème (skin care), PROF (fire starters), Blossombs (garden gifts), and Vlot's own VLOT brand. Products are sold through a B2B account-based webshop to retailers including garden centers, hardware stores, pet shops, hospitality businesses, supermarkets, specialty shops, and webshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VLOT: The company's own brand offering products such as BBQ sets, leather aprons, LED reflection vests, and wire display trolleys.
• Blossombs
• Foetsie
• Knipmaatje
• Cleany
• Navata
• PROF
• Sodutch
• Super Ninja
• Verlofix
• Vileda
• Oud Hollandsche Ambachtscrème
• Dr. Turbo
• Doctor Clean
• GS
• Gorilla
• De Smikkelplank

Products and services

• Complete display placement and restocking service Full-service point-of-sale support in which Vlot BV's field sales representatives visit retailer accounts to install, maintain, and restock impulse merchandise displays, marketed as "ontzorging" (complete outsourcing) of merchandising labor for retailers.
• VLOT (own brand)

Quantifiable outcome

• 9.4 customer satisfaction rating from 646 reviews

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sligro Food Group: Dutch foodservice wholesale group supplying hotels, restaurants, and small retailers. Comparable B2B wholesale distribution model serving Dutch SME buyers, although primarily food-focused.
• EDCO: Dutch closeout and discount wholesaler of non-food consumer goods including household, gifts, and impulse items. Operates with a similar concept of supplying mixed impulse consumer goods to retail buyers in the Netherlands.
• Makro Nederland: Dutch cash & carry / wholesale club supplying business customers and small retailers with mixed consumer goods. Comparable B2B wholesale model serving a similar SME retail buyer base as Vlot in the Netherlands.
• Hanos: Dutch foodservice and non-food wholesale business serving restaurants, caterers, and small retailers. Comparable B2B wholesale-to-SME model with field-sales-driven distribution in the Netherlands.
• B&S Group: Dutch-listed global wholesaler and distributor of consumer goods, serving retail customers in diverse and often remote markets. Closely comparable in B2B wholesale model, product breadth, and customer type to Vlot's retailer-servicing wholesale operation, though at far larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Metro AG: Global cash & carry and wholesale group (owner of Makro) operating across Europe. Comparable in B2B wholesale of consumer goods to small businesses and retailers, but at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Imperial Dade: Largest US-owned distributor of foodservice supplies and janitorial products serving foodservice operators, retailers, and facility customers. Comparable B2B distribution model for cleaning and household goods retailers.
• Bunzl plc: Global B2B distribution and outsourcing specialist operating across foodservice, retail, and hygiene. Overlaps with Vlot in wholesale distribution of consumer and cleaning goods to retailers, though at vastly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vlot-bv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Vlot