History

Fleura is a pioneer of the cut flower trade. Fleura started in 1970 with fixed routes based on telephone sales. The opening of the first H.B.I. wholesales company in Hannover in 1978 was a crucial step. This wholesaler worked according to the Cash & Carry concept, and it turned out to meet a need. The crucial success factor turned out to be the fact that buying, export and the final sale were united in the one location. The decisive factor to the successful opening of new wholesale businesses on the market was control of the entire process, combined with the possibility of reacting immediately to locally changing market conditions. This made H.B.I. the driving force behind Fleura’s growth.

Fleura later expanded the Cash & Carry concept to Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland, by opening its own branches as well as through take-overs, such as those of Jules Sleutjes Bloemen and Hottinger.

At the same time, the export of flowers and plants to international wholesalers has expanded even further with Fleura Export and Jasfa (plants).

That growth meant that Fleura was in a position to establish international purchasing branches in Germany, Italy, France and South America. Additionally, we moved into a new headquarters of 18,000 m2 in Aalsmeer in 2004 to improve efficient processing.