Dutch horticulture will be present through FloraMondo 2.0 at IPM

The German Internationale Pflanzenmesse?(IPM) is the most important international horticultural trade fair. Royal FloraHolland?shall again be represented there as a Dutch collective of growers and buyers. "Our theme is: digital trade and the possibilities for sustainability." The IPM trade fair in Essen is being held from 24 to 27 January 2017. It will house 1,587 exhibitors from 49 countries and attract 57,000 visitors from around the world. Royal FloraHolland has been part of it since the beginning, but this year is special as the Netherlands will be a partner country. Home of OpportunitiesThe Royal FloraHolland House is located in Hall 1, under the banner 'Home of Opportunities'. This is a perfect meeting place for members and potential buyers, where you can talk and conduct business. In addition, 19 innovative products will be prominently on display at the stand. We shall be focussing on the developments in digital trade and sustainability in the horticultural sector and happy to talk to visitors about these themes. FloraMondo 2.0Digital trade is the new standard for the immediate future. Direct trade is growing, there is an evident shift towards big growers and big buyers, and the world in general is rapidly digitising. This presents enormous challenges for the horticultural sector. We have already taken our first steps with FloraMondo, the online trade platform of Royal FloraHolland. Currently, over 1,200 growers and 750 buyers are actively using the platform, and 150 webshops are linked to FloraMondo. The next step is to launch FloraMondo 2.0 in 2017: we are building up the digital organisation behind FloraMondo and investing in the collaboration with members and buyers. During the trade fair, come and ask about the latest developments. Sustainability offers promiseTogether with members, buyers and chain partners, we are also working on ensuring a sustainable product, geared to the market. For example, we helped set up the Sustainable Horticulture Platform, so chain partners can work more efficiently together on this aspect. We are also stimulating innovations in green and greening and actively contributing to sustainability initiatives. Because if horticultural products have a sustainable image, more consumers will spend more on flowers and plants. We would be happy to discuss with you the possibilities for sustainability in our sector during the IPM trade fair. ?