75 Years of Passion for Flowers

With 75 years of experience and the business now in the hands of the third generation, flowers are truly part of the Van der Vijver family’s DNA. The company originally started on a small scale, selling flowers to other traders and street vendors. Today, fourteen delivery vans travel across the Netherlands and Belgium every day. This professional, all-round wholesaler supplies florists and garden centres in the mid- to high-end market with flowers, plants and decorative materials.

That Extra Step

Gerrit Baris enthusiastically shows us around the family business in Rijnsburg. Over the past few years, the company has grown significantly, both in size and in the range of activities it offers. According to Gerrit, much of this success can be attributed to the high level of service Van der Vijver provides to its customers.

From full flower carts to delivering a single bouquet, Van der Vijver always goes that extra mile for its customers. And just like its customer base, the company’s reach has expanded considerably in recent years. What started with a Cash & Carry in Rotterdam has grown into a business whose delivery vans now travel from Rijnsburg all the way to Belgium.

No Is Not an Option

Walking through the cold storage facilities and various processing areas at the Rijnsburg auction buildings, it quickly becomes clear that Van der Vijver offers a very comprehensive range. Cut flowers, garden plants, houseplants, seasonal products and decorative materials – the company offers florists a wide selection under one roof.

Speed is another important part of the service. Orders placed before 7:30 p.m. can be delivered as early as the next morning, even before opening hours. Chrysanthemums are a frequent part of these deliveries. With a wide range of varieties, shapes and colours available, chrysanthemums are an important part of Van der Vijver’s assortment and can easily be ordered through the recently renewed website.

Standard in the product range

Van der Vijver’s cut flower range is highly diverse. During our visit, the cold storage rooms are packed with sunflowers, gladioli and dahlias. Alongside these seasonal favourites, the company always maintains a broad core assortment, with chrysanthemums firmly established as part of it.

That place in the assortment is no coincidence. Chrysanthemums are versatile flowers that combine easily with other flowers, while also making a strong statement on their own. With such a wide range of shapes, colours and types available, they also offer florists plenty of opportunities to create different arrangements.

Fresh from the auction or direct from the grower

Disbud, spray chrysanthemums and Santinis are purchased daily through various flower auctions or delivered directly from growers to Van der Vijver. Disbuds and Santinis, in particular, are widely used by Dutch florists. Disbuds make an elegant statement, while Santinis are valued for their versatility and ability to add volume.

At the same time, Gerrit has noticed some exciting developments in recent years. New and distinctive varieties show that the Santini, in particular, continues to evolve. Varieties such as AAA Bluff and the recently introduced AAA Wicked stand out with their distinctive appearance. As a result, Santinis are increasingly being used for more than simply adding volume to an arrangement.

‘Beauty and brains’

Although chrysanthemums are increasingly being chosen for their distinctive shape, colour or appearance, Gerrit also sees another important strength of the flower: reliability.

Chrysanthemums are strong, travel well and have an excellent vase life. This means they offer florists not only plenty of creative possibilities, but also reliability. It is precisely this combination of beauty and dependability that makes chrysanthemums such an interesting choice for a professional assortment.

Or, as we like to say at Dekker Chrysanten: beauty and brains.

Future-proof