Esmeralda Farms | H O L L A N D

Despite its multiple distribution channels, Esmeralda Farms BV relies heavily on one distinct channel, the Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer auction, where 60% of its flowers are sold. Hundreds of importers from all over the world are represented. The building’s floor area alone measures upwards of 999,000 square metres which, according to the Guinness Book of Records, makes Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer the largest commercial building in the world! Hundreds of different species of flowers are auctioned daily, each of which has a multitude of varieties. For example, there are 300 gerberas, over 500 chrysanthemums and 400 different roses. In addition to this, most flowers are available in different quality classes and stem lengths.

The auction starts at 5:30 am every morning and last until 11am. Prices (always given in Euro’s) start high and go lower as each second on the Auction clock passes. Flowers are brought before the auction clock by the cart load, exhibited first by variety, then by color, saying the name of the farm, how many stems, what length, the quality, etc. All of Esmeralda’s products, with the exception of our farm made bouquets, are exhibited at the auction.

Below you will find interesting Facts & Figures about the Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer Auction. For more info about the auction, you may also visit their website at www.vba.nl or www.aalsmeer.com.

The Auction Clock
The lights around the clock’s edge run back from 100 to 1. These lights indicate the price. The clock, therefore, runs from the highest to the lowest price, which is always per unit – i.e. per single flower or plant. If the light indicates the price that a buyer will pay, he very quickly pushes the button, stopping the clock at the price. If the number on this buyer’s card appears on the clock face, it means that he was the first to push the button and, therefor is the buyer. At that moment, he tells the auctioneer - using the microphone on his buyer’s bench – how much of the consignment, the remainder is put up again for auction. The information about concluded transactions is immediately entered into the central computer, from which invoices for buyers, payments for growers and statistics are processed. For each clock, some 1,500 transactions can be effected per hour.

Interesting facts

•	Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer sells more than 20 million flowers and plants every day;
•	7000 specialised growers from all over the world offer their flowers and plants via Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer every day;
•	The auction has an essential ‘break-bulk’ function: large lots are sold within a couple of hours and divided into smaller lots;
•	The customers who are situated at the auction (wholesalers and exporters) can be on their way to the consumer, anywhere in the world, within a few hours;
•	With its 999,000 m² of floor space (soon to be more than 1 million), the auction building is the largest commercial building in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records;
•	Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer turns over EUR 6 million every day.