Royal FloraHolland, the world’s largest flower auction, saw a rise in the volume of flowers and plants processed in its logistics operations in May compared to April. However, the total revenue generated through its clock auction system was lower than the same period last year.
Volume and Revenue Overview
In May, the number of products traded via the clock reached over 501 million pieces, an increase of 7 million compared to April. Despite this growth, the figure was 1.5% lower than in May 2024. The clock revenue for May amounted to nearly €218 million, €25 million higher than in April, but it decreased by 11.2% compared to May last year, even though the number of auction days remained the same at 21.
Record Transactions on Mother’s Day Week
On Monday, May 5th, the Monday preceding Dutch Mother’s Day, Royal FloraHolland processed a record number of flower transactions in Aalsmeer, totaling 93,317. This is the highest number ever recorded. The number of clock presale (KVV) transactions across Aalsmeer, Naaldwijk, and Rijnsburg also reached a high of 69,000 on the same day, 7,000 more than the previous year.
Price Trends
Price formation in May was under some pressure but remained in line with the same period two years ago. The average price per product was €0.43, slightly higher than in April (€0.39), but 9.8% lower than in May 2024. The different timing of Mother’s Day in some countries last year may have influenced pricing in certain product groups.
Operational Performance
Royal FloraHolland maintained high delivery reliability, with 99.8% of clock transactions completed without complaints. The availability of stack trolleys and CCs was good, and auction end times were achieved as planned, with virtually no clock breakdowns or standstills. Many customers have also become accustomed to multi-transaction auctioning (MTV).
Challenges and Areas for Improvement
Despite the overall positive performance, Royal FloraHolland faced some challenges. The temporary issuance stop of two types of plant containers disrupted operations. Forecasting work supply, especially on Mondays, May 5th and 19th, proved difficult.
Outlook for June
Looking ahead, Royal FloraHolland anticipates another peak day on Tuesday, June 10th, the day after Pentecost. The company has already announced an early auction day to manage the expected workload. Additionally, the week around the NATO summit on June 24-25 presents a challenge, for which Royal FloraHolland has prepared as best as possible. An extra early auction day has also been scheduled for Wednesday, June 25th. For more information, interested parties are advised to visit the NATO summit page on the Royal FloraHolland website.
