At the table with the Digital Consultation on Ornamental Horticulture - In conversation with: Marcel van der Lugt (Chairman of the Members' Council)

The floriculture industry faces a clear challenge: how can we work together to ensure a future-proof, affordable and scalable sector, in which growers, buyers and logistics partners can continue to collaborate efficiently? Digitisation is an essential prerequisite in this regard. In the Digital Consultation on Ornamental Horticulture, growers, buyers and Royal FloraHolland work together to set the direction for the sector’s digital development. Issues are discussed, priorities are set and momentum is maintained in the sector’s ongoing digitisation and innovation. 

During the meeting on 24 June, topics discussed included Hamiplant’s practical experience with Floriday, progress on digital ordering, new developments in Floriday such as daily prices and dynamic pricing, and Track & Trace. A conversation with Marcel van der Lugt, chairman of the Members’ Council and owner of Lugt Lisianthus.

Marcel, why is this consultation important for the sector?
“This consultation is important because here we are talking with growers, buyers, and Royal FloraHolland about issues that affect the entire sector. Digitisation is no longer a standalone IT theme. It’s about how we continue to work together, deliver, plan and settle accounts. “If we organise this in a smarter and more straightforward way, we’ll keep the supply chain affordable and workable for everyone.”

“The strength of this consultation lies in the fact that it brings together practical experience and strategy. We discuss not only what is technically possible, but above all what this means for the day-to-day operations of growers and buyers. “It is precisely that combination that is needed to really take digitisation forward.”

A key part of the consultation was the update from Hamiplant. What struck you about that?
“The Hamiplant update demonstrated very clearly what digitisation can achieve in practice. Floriday isn’t just a standalone system there; it’s an integral part of day-to-day operations. Hamiplant uses Floriday as its central source for supplies, order requests and supplier information. “Hamiplant demonstrates that digitisation can really deliver economies of scale.”

“What I found particularly noteable was that the other side’s view was also mentioned. Digitisation only works properly if the whole supply chain operates similarly. If suppliers do not list their supplies via Floriday, this immediately creates extra work. “And if agreements on delivery conditions, cancellations or changes are not consistent across the board, there will still be a great deal of manual coordination required.” 

What does this say about the phase Floriday and the sector are currently in?
“We are increasingly entering a phase where it is no longer just about building Floriday, but above all about using it.”  The figures show that the trend is continuing, but also that there are differences between product groups. When it comes to plants, digital ordering via Floriday is already more advanced than it is for flowers. “At the same time, we are seeing growth in the floriculture sector and positive initial results from the product group’s approach, for example with Lisianthus, Gerberas and Chrysanthemums.” 

“That is encouraging, but it also shows that we must continue to work in a focused manner. Not every product group behaves in the same way, and not every trade flow has the same requirements. “That is why it is important to look at what is needed for each product group in order to scale up further.”

New features such as daily rates and dynamic pricing were discussed. What do these developments mean?
“Daily rates and dynamic pricing show that Floriday is continuing to develop as a digital marketplace. Daily rates make it easier for cut-flower growers to keep their supplies up to date on a daily basis. Dynamic pricing goes one step further, as prices can fluctuate based on market information and performance.”

Track & Trace was also an important topic. What was the crux of the discussion there?

“Track & Trace addresses a very familiar question within the supply chain: where is my order and what time will it be delivered?” Greater insight can be very valuable, especially when something goes wrong or doesn’t go according to schedule. “Steps are therefore being taken in Floriday to make logistics information more visible.” 

Cybersecurity and two-factor authentication were also discussed. Why does that belong in this meeting?
“As more and more processes are carried out digitally, digital security automatically becomes more important. It’s not just about systems, but also about trust. Growers and buyers must be able to rely on their data being secure and access to systems being properly managed. And growers and buyers can play a part in this too. We are working towards further expanding two-step verification when logging into Floriday. It is already available on Floriday, and more and more growers and buyers are making use of it. “We are working towards making this compulsory for all users in the interests of greater cyber security.”

Floriday has opted for a user-friendly solution featuring an app and push notifications, ensuring that security and ease of use go hand in hand as much as possible. “The roll-out will take place in phases, with testing and communication with users.” 

What does the new name 'Consultation on Digitisation of Floriculture' mean to you?
“The new name makes it clearer what these consultations are about. ‘Sector Platform Consultation’ was rather broad and abstract. With the ‘Floriculture Digitisation Consultation’, we are making it clearer that this is about the digital development of our sector and the choices we need to make together in this regard.”

What are the main takeaways for you from this meeting?
“For me, the common thread is that, as a sector, we are entering the next phase.” We now have a lot of digital building blocks in place. “The challenge now is to make good use of them, to ensure they are compatible with one another and to ensure they work across the sector.”

“That calls for standardisation, clear agreements and joint coordination. But also to listen to what’s happening on the ground. What works for a major API user does not necessarily work for every grower or buyer. And vice versa: what works for screen users does not always work for API users either.  “That is why it is important for this consultation to bring together different perspectives.”

Participants in the Digital Consultation on Floriculture: Frank Koenen (FM Group), Hans van der Plas (Van der Plas Group), Huib Kranendonk (Royal Lemkes), Matthijs Mesken (VGB), Marcel van der Lugt (Lugt Lisianthus & RFH Members’ Council), Walter Arts (Florius Flowers & FPC RFH), Henk de Jong (The Orchid Growers & Plantform), Martin de Ruiter, Pieter Bootsma, André van der Linden, Marcel van der Ende (RFH).