Koninklijke Vereniging Bloemist Winkeliers

Name

Koninklijke Vereniging Bloemist Winkeliers

Legal name

Koninklijke Vereniging Bloemist Winkeliers

Website

https://vbw.nu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ede

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: VBW generates revenue through annual membership fees from approximately 1,300 member florists. New members receive a 6-month free trial. In 2026, paying members receive their full contribution back through the entrepreneurs budget.
2. Partnership contributions: Some partners like Plantion pay VBW contributions on behalf of their customers as part of strategic partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Koninklijke Vereniging Bloemist Winkeliers (VBW) is the Dutch entrepreneurial trade association for florists, providing approximately 1,300 member florists with training programs, business support, lobbying, HR/legal services, and digital tools (DC Online POS and DC Dashboard analytics) plus marketing campaigns to promote the florist profession.

Product overview

VBW (Vereniging Bloemist-Winkeliers) is a Dutch trade association for florists offering a suite of digital tools and services centered around their DC Online and DC Dashboard platform for point-of-sale and sales analytics, complemented by specialized modules including Floral Profit for margin management, FlorIT for sustainability footprint tracking, VBW Vacaturebank for recruitment, VBW Marktplaats for business transfers, and various training programs. The core DC platform provides florists with kassa (POS), invoicing, and daily business intelligence, while the add-on modules address specific business needs including pricing, sustainability, HR, and professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DC Online (DC Kassa Online) Cloud-based point-of-sale (kassa) software specifically developed for florists, featuring intuitive operation, cloud storage, multi-device access, and integrated invoicing capabilities. Sold to member florists via the VBW partnership.
• DC Dashboard Cloud-based sales analytics dashboard providing florists with daily insights into sales figures, best-selling bouquets, seasonal trends, product analysis with price points, and revenue forecasting. Aggregates anonymized data from 288 data points for industry benchmarking.
• VBW Training Program Comprehensive training and workshop programs including leadership training, bridal work, mourning work, floral design, marketing, and business skills development. Offered in-person at partner schools and VBW office, and via e-learning.
• VBW Vacaturebank Job portal specifically for florist vacancies, connecting florist businesses with potential employees in the industry.
• VBW Marktplaats Online marketplace where florists can list their flower shops for sale or takeover, facilitating business transitions in the industry.
• VBW Membership Annual subscription-based membership providing florists with services, training, business tools, lobbying, member discounts, and access to the Mijn VBW digital portal. New members receive 6-month free trial.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members represent over 60% of Dutch florist industry turnover and employment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aeres Hogeschool Wageningen, Aeres MBO, Aeres Training CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026Comprehensive partnership for future-proof florist sector. Collaboration on craftsmanship, innovation, and future-oriented education. Includes development of continuous learning pathways between vmbo, mbo, and hbo. Aeres Hogeschool renamed Associate degree to 'Plantaardige Vormgeving' to better match current professional practice.
• PlantioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Plantion is a flower market in Ede. Strategic partnership where Plantion pays VBW membership fees for regular clock-purchasing florist customers. Partnership was extended to strengthen the flower sector. Joint activities include events like 'Vier de Lente' and NK Floral Art hosted at Plantion.
• DC OnlinecoreTechnology or IntegrationDC Online provides cloud-based POS and dashboard solutions specifically developed for florists. Their DC Kassa and DC Dashboard systems are promoted by VBW to members for sales tracking and business intelligence.
• Flow AccountantsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAccounting firm specialized in florist retail. Provides administrative optimization, CAO salary administration, and business economics support to VBW members.
• Philip Vijfhuize BedrijfsadviesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBusiness advisory services including startup guidance, business purchase/sale, rental advice, financial problem guidance, personnel matters, and mediation for VBW members.
• Omnia EnergyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEnergy partner providing free advisory services to VBW members on energy costs and sustainable solutions. Offers dynamic energy contracts with average 25-40% savings.
• NK Floral Art sponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors include Plantion, GHC Plantion, Decorum, Marginpar, Smithers-Oasis, Every Alstroemeria, FloraHolland-Campanula, Alflora, Renault, Alpine, and Stichting Sociaal Fonds Bloemenspeciaalzaken.
• Lokaal RetailbelangminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal lobby organization developed by retail trade associations. VBW members can use Lokaal Retailbelang for local and regional government matters including spatial planning, retail visions, mobility, and accessibility.
• VBW RiskminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInsurance advisory services for VBW members covering business risks including refrigeration breakdowns. Helps members assess risks and find appropriate insurance coverage.
• ZZP NederlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Schenkkring (donation circle) providing income security for self-employed members during illness. Monthly contribution of 4.5% of chosen benefit amount.
• Bloemenbureau Holland (BBH)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint communication efforts to promote flowers and plants to consumers. Focus on wellbeing themes and campaigns for gift occasions like Mother's Day.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• LTO Nederland: National Dutch agricultural entrepreneurs' organization. Co-files major lobbying positions with VBW and is structurally comparable as a Dutch sector-wide dues-funded association representing SME entrepreneurs upstream of the florist channel.
• Bloemenbureau Holland: Dutch marketing organization for flowers and plants. Runs the consumer campaigns (e.g., Mother's Day) that VBW co-activates with, making it a directly comparable, complementary trade-body peer focused on demand generation rather than member services.
• Tuinbranche Nederland: Dutch trade association for garden retail centers. Closely comparable membership/dues business model, lobbying activity and SME service stack serving an adjacent retail-horticulture constituency.
• Florint (International Florist Organisation): Global umbrella federation for florist trade associations. Directly comparable as the international counterpart to VBW, organizing the World Cup Floral Art that VBW supports, and representing the same florist constituency one level up.
• Royal Anthos: Dutch trade body for flower bulbs, nursery stock and tree products. Co-lobbies with VBW on VAT/sierteelt issues and runs an analogous Koninklijke SME-services model in an adjacent ornamental-horticulture segment.
• Koninklijke VHG: Dutch trade association for the green services and garden-contractors sector. Structurally identical dues-funded, SME-servicing, lobbying model for an adjacent horticulture constituency, making it a like-for-like trade-body peer.
• VGB (Koninklijke Vereniging van de Groothandel in Bloemkwekerijprodukten): Dutch trade body for flower wholesalers. Co-files lobbying positions with VBW (e.g., VAT protests) and serves the supply-side counterpart of VBW's florist-retail members, making it a structural peer in the same sector umbrella.

Broad incumbents

• Royal FloraHolland: Largest Dutch flower auction and grower cooperative; a far larger incumbent across the same value chain. Comparable as the dominant ecosystem player that VBW members buy from and that shapes sector-wide economics through clock pricing.
• Union Fleurs – European Floral, Nursery and Landscape Association: European federation of national floriculture trade associations. Comparable as the EU-level umbrella over bodies like VBW's national peers, operating a lobbying-and-information model rather than direct member servicing.

Regional players

• Fachverband Deutscher Floristen (FDF): German florist trade association. Directly analogous trade-body model (membership, training, Meister qualification, lobbying) for the same florist-retail trade in another country — a textbook regional peer for benchmarking VBW's service stack and pricing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vbw-centrale-vereniging-bloemendetailhandel

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 Koninklijke Vereniging Bloemist Winkeliers