Floréac is celebrating its 70th birthday. In order to honour this moment we gathered some of our long-standing partners to reflect on the joint development of our cooperation, across generations. To mark the occasion, you can also find their special celebration offer in our 70 Years – 70 Days of Deals promotion! Join us for this one-of-a-kind celebration—you’ll love being part of it!
‘Who does green, meets green’. Plantanious’ vision is short and sweet. By investing heavily in geothermal energy and solar panels, this nursery of green houseplants and seasonal flowers produces completely climate-neutral products. A story they continue together with nursery Persoon Potplanten. Each with its own identity and structure, but joining forces. Because one plus one is always more than two. An interview with co-owner Joost Jansen.
Plantanious produces on 4.5 hectares, with the acquisition the total area is around 9.2 hectares. The product range complements each other nicely. “We specialise in small-leaved green houseplants such as the Ficus, while Persoon Potplants has rather large-leaved houseplants in its range, such as the Monstera, Alociasia, Philodendron and Strelitzia.
What can you tell us about the pioneering days at the beginning of the co-operation with Floréac?
What happens in the family, stays in the family. More than eighty years ago, grandfather Piet Jansen laid the foundation of what is Plantanious today. Back then with a focus on growing vegetables. Twenty-four years ago followed a first tipping point.
“If you grow vegetables then it has to be fast and besides, you are not in contact with customers,” Joost explains. “Our father Loek Jansen missed that aspect. He no longer felt it fit our values. Hence the switch to potted plants.”
Thirteen years ago, sons Joost and Freek joined the business. Twin brothers with dark green hearts. In everything they undertake, they consider the impact on the environment. Their mission? To make the company grow and prosper and strive for a green, healthy world. Growing in breadth trough the merger with nursery Persoon Potplanten. Scaling up while maintaining a family character.
“As entrepreneurs, Freek and I are always looking for ways to take steps forward. We wanted to unburden our clients with an even wider range of products. Just then, our uncles Aad and John Persoon were looking for an acquisition candidate. A golden opportunity. The two nurseries retain their individuality but join forces.”
How many generations does this go back in the history of your company?
‘Our company has 3 generations, my grandfather started with vegetables, my father (nursery Loek Jansen) took over and later switched to potted plants.
We, Joost and Freek Jansen (twins) continued this and changed the name to PLANTANIOUS.
More recently (January 2024), Quint Persoon, John Persoon’s son, also joined the company.’
Is there a anecdote you can tell about our collaboration?
“ I can still clearly remember my first personal experience with Floreac. I was working at my father’s horticultural company alongside my studies and first got on the phone because my father had an appointment. I had Pieter Van De Velde from Floréac on the phone about hibiscus bush (we were importing it from Spain at the time) and then sold my first order 😊
I proudly told this to my father and after 15 years, many orders have followed!”
How has the business relationship developed over the years?
“For Plantanious, sustainability is also in long-term partnerships. Like the one with Floréac. No incidents but subscriptions’. It clicks and we know what we can gain from each other. An example: when we suddenly had to order via Floriday, it was quite radical. As a result, we had to reconnect our own system. Floréac expertly guided us through this. And vice versa, they can count on us.
After all, we want to supply the day trade and then continuity is essential.
And last but not least: a deal is a deal.”
