Data use and supply through Floriday

In the formal Members' Council meeting on December 7, the Members' Council decided on a number of amendments to the statutes of Royal FloraHolland. These included data use (in accordance with Information Policy) and the supply of flowers and plants through Floriday. During the November member sessions, these decisions were reviewed and explained to the members.


Data use (in accordance with Information Policy)
As a member, you share data with Royal FloraHolland on a daily basis. Its use is necessary to provide good service. In addition, by using data we put you in a better sales position, make the sales process more efficient and reduce the cost of our service. Because Floriday gives us more possibilities and more data is exchanged, we have made new agreements about the use of data. We guarantee this with a transparent and verifiable Information Policy, so that we treat your data with the greatest care, security and integrity. And only do with it what we are allowed to do with it.

We distinguish three types of data in the information policy: public data, non-public data and strictly confidential data. When we develop new functions in Floriday, such as providing supply forecasts, sending transport orders or the Floriday Messenger, we carefully consider which type of data is involved and what it may be used for, based on the Information Policy.

In addition, we have taken measures to prevent data from being used improperly. Data in Floriday and the exchange with software packages of growers and buyers is secured with the highest standards. Only Royal FloraHolland employees who need this for their job have access to the data. The strictly confidential data from in Floriday does not end up in other Royal FloraHolland systems. This is technically protected. We train employees and there are sanctions for violations.

How do we monitor this? The Data Committee, consisting of growers, buyers, an independent expert and a carrier, monitors the implementation of the Information Policy and commissions an independent audit every year. In addition, the Member Council reviews new developments at Floriday in relation to the Information Policy. The Member Council always has the opportunity to make adjustments.

Thanks to the Data and Information Policy, the measures taken and the controls in place, you can be confident that we treat your data with the highest security and integrity. And do with it only what we are authorized to do with it.

Commercial supply through Floriday
For more than 100 years, our marketplace has had value because both supply and demand can be found in one place. The position we have today was created by bundling all the supply from growers. Digitally this is no different. The collective use of Floriday ensures that buyers have one place for all the supply. This creates more outlets for growers.

To strengthen the network effect, we want to bring together as many suppliers and buyers as possible. Together we have the ambition to make Floriday the largest and most powerful B2B platform for the floriculture industry worldwide. For a powerful platform it is essential to bring together the supply of all growers.

New buyers starting on Floriday find little/insufficient supply in Floriday. In particular, the flower offerings that are now mostly unlocked through web shops, direct VMP links to buyers or via email are not found by customers. This ensures that we cannot adequately serve new, as well as existing buying power, through Floriday.

The current clearing obligation will therefore be expanded to include the obligation to also unlock all commercial offerings through Floriday. We will start with direct supply and expand this later with clock supply.

What does this mean for members?
The starting point is that a buyer must be able to buy all the supply from growers through Floriday, on equal terms as through other channels.

• For example, what members now offer for sale through their own webshop, directly VMP links across other channels (Excel, telephone), must soon also be offered through Floriday, on equal terms. The issue here is commercial stock. What part of the produced stock this is, the grower decides. For example: you have 4 trolleys in the cold store, but you only want to put 2 on the market.
• Selling through your own webshop or direct VMP links is still possible. These sales must be deducted directly from the commercial stock in Floriday.
• The effective date is July 1, 2024.

In the coming months, we will keep you informed about the next steps. If you have questions or for more information, please contact your account manager or the Customer Contact Center at 088-789 89 89 or contactcenter@royalfloraholland.com.