Table of Contents
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Royal FloraHolland Aalsmeer |
| Founded | Cooperative roots c. 1910 – Royal title 2011 |
| Active Locations | Aalsmeer • Naaldwijk • Rijnsburg • Eelde |
| Area | ≈ 775,000 m² (≈ 200 football fields) |
| Daily Volume | ~43 million flowers & 5 million plants |
| Varieties Traded | 30,000 + species |
| Employees | ≈ 3,500 (44 nationalities) |
| Dutch Trade Share | ~ 90 % of national flower turnover |
Just outside Amsterdam lies Aalsmeer, the Dutch town where the global price of flowers is set every morning.
Here, inside the immense trading halls of Royal FloraHolland, millions of blooms change hands in minutes, a daily ritual that fuels the Netherlands’ position as the heart of the world’s flower trade.
The Beating Heart of the Global Flower Industry
Every weekday before sunrise, the vast complex in Aalsmeer awakens. Conveyor belts hum, auction clocks spin, and buyers compete in rapid-fire rounds for the freshest flowers on Earth.
More than 43 million flowers and 5 million plants are sold here each day, representing over 30,000 varieties sourced from across the globe.
The facility covers roughly 775,000 square metres (close to 200 football fields), making it one of the largest commercial buildings in the world.
Within a few hours, flowers purchased in Aalsmeer are already on trucks, planes, and trains headed for Europe, Asia, and the Americas, all orchestrated with near-perfect precision.
From Humble Auctions to a Royal Cooperative
The Aalsmeer story began in the early 1900s, when local growers gathered in cafés to auction flowers to the highest bidder.
These small cooperatives merged over time, giving rise to FloraHolland in 2008 through the union of several regional markets, including Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer.
In 2011, the organisation was granted the honorary “Royal” title by the Dutch monarch, becoming Royal FloraHolland, in recognition of a century of excellence in floriculture and cooperative enterprise.
Today, Royal FloraHolland operates major auction locations in Aalsmeer, Naaldwijk, Rijnsburg, and Eelde.
The former Bleiswijk site now functions as a logistics hub, and Venlo serves primarily as a trade corridor.
The cooperative unites around 3,500 member-growers and employs roughly 3,500 people from more than 40 countries.
Together, they handle about 90 per cent of the Dutch flower trade turnover, linking thousands of growers and buyers worldwide.
The Famous Flower Auction Clock
At the heart of the action is the legendary Dutch auction clock, an inverted bidding system that begins at a high price and ticks downward until a buyer stops the clock.
Blink, and you’ll miss a deal: hundreds of transactions occur every minute.
While the spectacle of the clock defines the auction’s identity, Royal FloraHolland has also embraced the digital age.
Its online trading platform, Floriday, connects global growers and buyers in real time, extending the cooperative’s reach far beyond the walls of Aalsmeer.
Visiting the Aalsmeer Flower Auction
Anyone can witness this incredible choreography by visiting the Royal FloraHolland Visitor Centre in Aalsmeer.
From an elevated glass gallery six metres above the trading floor, you’ll enjoy a panoramic view of the auction halls, logistics systems, and rows of colourful trolleys.
Audio guides and multilingual displays explain each step from the moment flowers are harvested to their rapid worldwide distribution.
Practical details (subject to change):
- Typical visiting hours: Early mornings on weekdays (most tours start around 07:00 and end by 11:00 a.m.)
- Getting there: Aalsmeer is about 13 km southwest of Amsterdam and roughly 6 km from Schiphol Airport. Bus connections and taxis are available from both.
- Accessibility: The visitor route is barrier-free and suitable for groups or individuals.
- Photography: Allowed from the viewing gallery only.
To see the auction at its liveliest, plan to arrive just after dawn trading starts early, and by mid-morning, the day’s global flower prices have already been set.
What You’ll See
Expect a sensory overload:
- Endless corridors of flower trolleys moving on automatic tracks
- Buyers watching multiple auction clocks simultaneously
- Flowers from over 50 countries, including roses from Kenya and Ecuador, orchids from Thailand, and tulips from Dutch greenhouses
- Sophisticated logistics systems that dispatch each order to trucks and aircraft within hours
It’s part factory, part theatre, a blend of artistry and engineering that only the Dutch could perfect.
Innovation and Sustainability
Royal FloraHolland is not only about trade; it’s about progress.
The cooperative actively works toward a more sustainable and transparent flower industry through initiatives such as energy-efficient logistics, waste-reduction programmes, and digital documentation that replaces paper transactions.
Many member-growers invest in eco-certified cultivation and low-carbon heating systems for their greenhouses. The aim is to ensure that beauty and responsibility bloom together.
Beyond the Auction: Exploring Aalsmeer
Once you’ve seen the market in motion, the town of Aalsmeer offers a quieter kind of charm.
- Visit the Flower Art Museum, where artists re-imagine the power of petals.
- Take a boat trip across the Westeinderplassen lakes.
- Stroll through local nurseries or garden centres open to visitors.
If you’re travelling in spring, combine your trip with the nearby Keukenhof Gardens or a drive along the Dutch Flower Strip, where tulip fields stretch as far as the eye can see.
Why the Aalsmeer Flower Auction Matters
A visit to Royal FloraHolland is more than a tourist experience; it’s a glimpse into the backbone of the global flower economy.
Every stem you see on a market stall, in a wedding bouquet, or decorating a hotel lobby likely passed through these halls.
The auction symbolises what the Netherlands does best: blending innovation, cooperation, and global connection.
It’s where nature meets commerce, and where a single morning’s work brings colour to millions of homes around the world.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a traveller, gardener, or entrepreneur, the Aalsmeer Flower Auction offers an unforgettable look at Dutch ingenuity in full bloom.
From its early-20th-century roots to its royal recognition and digital future, Royal FloraHolland continues to shape how the world experiences flowers efficiently, beautifully, and sustainably.
Come early, bring curiosity, and watch the world’s flowers find their way home.
Why Visit In ’t Aepjen
While Aalsmeer represents the global side of Dutch floriculture, Amsterdam itself offers countless places where the city’s love for flowers and trade history continues to bloom.
From vibrant local markets to hidden historical gems, every corner tells a story of the Netherlands’ enduring bond with nature and commerce.
If you’re fascinated by how trade shaped Dutch culture, don’t miss our article on In ’t Aepjen – Amsterdam’s Historic Inn of Merchants and Sailors. It reveals how the same spirit of enterprise that powers today’s flower auctions once fueled Amsterdam’s Golden Age trade routes.