Love flourishes at Gediflora

It is February and shop windows are turning red. February is the month dedicated love. The workplace is a place where colleagues interact in a professional manner. But sometimes a romantic spark can be spotted in the workplace. At Gediflora, for instance, we also have 2 lovebirds within the team. We invite them to share their love story with you.

A boundless love story

Aleksandra (32) and Michal (33) are both of Polish origin, met 11 years ago in the Netherlands and have been living/working in Belgium for 10 years. They met in an apartment building in the Netherlands where they rented flats on different floors. “Our acquaintance is actually a funny anecdote,” Aleksandra has to admit. “One day my doorbell rang and Michal was at the door with a laundry basket in his hand. His washing machine was broken and he asked if he could use the washing machine this one time. One thing led to another, and 10 years later I am still doing his dirty laundry,” Aleksandra laughs. Michal: “My neighbour had told me that there was a sweet Polish girl living on the 6th floor, and I thought maybe I could get in touch with her that way.” A few months later, they came together to Belgium where they started living together and they are happily married for four years now.

24/7

The fact that Aleksandra and Michal work in the same company means that they see each other a lot. “The advantage is that we can always drive to work together which means we only need 1 car. Financially, that is a big advantage,” says Michal. Real disadvantages the couple do not immediately experience from working in the same company. Aleksandra: “We do work in the same company, but we don’t have to work together very often. Michal is more active in production and I am part of the breeding team. We also try to be professional during breaks. During his breaks, Michael sits with his colleagues from production and I sit with my colleagues from breeding. During working hours, we are colleagues rather than a couple.”

Their love sealed

In 2019, the couple got married. Surrounded by family, friends and some close colleagues, they said I DO to each other. We wish these lovebirds lots of happiness in their professional as well as romantic lives.

Happy Valentine!

It’s always nice to see how our partners get inspired by our colorful Mums.
Vaughan is a broker in Illinois. We are really charmed about this email we received from them and we would like to share it with you.

Click the following link to read Vaughan’s mailing: https://mailchi.mp/vaughans/fall-in-love-with-gediflora-mums

Also our broker McHutchison got inspired by our blooming Mums.

Click the following link to read McHutchison’s mailing: https://mailchi.mp/mchutchison/your-most-profitable-mum-program-is-here

Earth Day takes place on 22 April every year. The main purpose is to raise awareness about the importance of our planet and life on it. It is our aim therefore at Gediflora to do our utmost to help take great care of our planet.  Below you will find the various initiatives we have put in place to meet these challenges.

Connection to the  MIROM local heating network

Gediflora is connected to the local heating network of Roeselare (Belgium). A heating network offers an eco-friendly alternative to individual heating systems. The principle is quite straightforward: a large heating plant in this case, the incinerator of MIROM in Roeselare, distributes heat via an underground hot water pipeline system to companies and housing units where it is fed into the heating system of the buildings. The water, that is subsequently cooled down, then flows back to the heating plant, where it is reheated.

As a result of using this local heating network, Gediflora is able to reduce its CO2 emissions by more than 653 tons per year. That is approximately equivalent to 93 return flights to Australia.

Solar panels

There are also a large number of solar panels installed on the roofs of Gediflora. The total electricity demand at Gediflora amounts to 485 MW per year of which the solar panels provide 30%. This equals 18 performances of the U2 rock band, 1,168 sauna sessions and the supply of electricity for 138 families.

In other words, our solar panels generate 130 MW per year. Thanks to our solar panel system, we are able to reduce our annual CO2 emissions by 81.5 tonnes, which is equivalent to 40 return flights to New York.

DCIM100MEDIADJI_0006.JPG

Initiatives to use water in the best possible way

We try to use every drop of water as efficiently as possible. The rainwater is used for ebb-and-flow irrigation, spraying via the irrigation booms, high-pressure misting and drip irrigation. Click on the link below and read how we at Gediflora make an effort to use water in a sensible and responsible way: https://gediflora.be/US-CA/world-water-day/

World Water Day takes place on 22 March every year. That’s why today we are taking a closer look at our water footprint and the initiatives that we are taking at Gediflora to use water in the best possible way. It’s not only humans who need water to stay alive, plants cannot thrive without sufficient water either. That’s why we are trying to use every drop of water as efficiently as possible.

The rainwater collected on the roofs of the Gediflora site is reused in a variety of ways. For example, we use this water for ebb-and-flow irrigation, spraying via the irrigation booms, high-pressure misting and drip irrigation. Furthermore, all the water used on our premises is recirculated so that not a drop of water is wasted.

Water is a fundamental element for our plants. It goes through a long journey before it ends up on the plants. When it rains, the water collects on the roof of the storage building and the greenhouse. The water then flows into the rainwater cistern via the roof gutter. The water is then pumped out and passed through a UV filter. The result is pure water that can be used for irrigation purposes in the greenhouses and also for mixing with nutrients for our plants. All the water is then collected again and passed through the UV filter so that it can be used a second time.

Apart from this, at Gediflora we also make an effort to use water in a sensible way. In the summer, we only give the plants water at night to avoid loss of water through evaporation. Furthermore, the toilets and showers are also connected to the rainwater system, so that precious drinking water does not have to be used for this purpose.

Interesting fact : The volume of our water basin is 10,000 m³. This means that the amount of water we can store at Gediflora is equivalent to the capacity of 4  Olympic size swimming pools.

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on the 8^th of March. This is also the case at Gediflora. To mark this special day, we put our CEO, Elien Pieters, in the spotlight. She followed in her father’s footsteps 9 years ago and has been running the company ever since. We asked her a few questions to find out more about this impressive woman.

How do you manage to get all your employees to work as one team ?
By working closely with our employees and by sharing responsibilities with them. I believe in a horizontally structured organization. In this way you create responsible and self-managing teams. Regular consultation with our teams is a priority for me, in order to see how we can support them even more in achieving our targets.

Everything starts with the people you hire. It’s not only their skills, but above all it’s their attitude that will determine how successful your organization will be.

What’s the most important thing your parents taught you ?
Above all, they taught me to believe in myself. To have the courage to make your dreams come true is something they’ve always encouraged. They taught me at an early age that it’s more important to dare to do something than to be afraid of failing.

How does it feel as a woman to be at the helm of a multi-national company ? A woman in a man’s world.
I have never felt inferior to, or different from a man in that respect. Whether you’re a man or a woman, it makes no difference. So I don’t really dwell on it. It’s rather a matter of having self-confidence and knowing what you’re talking about that is the key.

Who inspires you ?
A lot of people inspire me, each one in their own way. I love listening to other people’s stories, their successes and failures, their experiences… I always learn something from it.

But the most inspiring person for me remains my mother. Her enthusiasm and joy for life have had a great impact on me. She taught me that enjoying what you do is the most important thing in life, that those who persevere win and, above all, that you should not be afraid of making mistakes. She believed in my abilities. For my self-confidence that was well worth its weight in gold.

How do you manage to maintain a healthy work-life balance ?
Proper planning is crucial!
Quality time? It remains a challenge to stay focused when at home to spend time with your children and your partner, and not to let your thoughts drift off to your to do list.

What would you say to women who are about to start up a business, but are not sure if they want to take the step ?
Any choice is a good choice, as long as you are prepared to give it your total commitment. Ask yourself whether starting and running a business is really what you want and if you are prepared to go all out for it. Above all, listen to your gut feeling. Be honest with yourself. Stay close to your inner self, that’s where the key to success lays.

What is your superpower ?
Being vigilant.  Quickly sensing what is needed to make progress, to expand. Being critical, very critical … is a superpower but can also be a pitfall.

Advice for your daughters
Practice and perseverance are the key to success. You will never reach the top unless you have enough willpower and demonstrate total commitment. If you really enjoy doing something, and if you put enough effort into it, then success is guaranteed !

If given the chance, what would you like to change for the benefit of all the women in the world ?
Education is an absolute must, knowledge brings strength of character and self-confidence.

Guilty Pleasure ?
Reading gossip tabloids (“blik en co”) when I’m at the hairdresser’s 😊 ;  Netflix binge-watching (no-brainer series)

Your favourite relaxation / favourite day ?
No wake-up call, copious breakfast, going for a walk, massage/wellness, nice food, going to bed early.

What do you like spending money on ?
Like many other women, I have a particular weakness for handbags …

Which book would you recommend to everyone ?
“The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle.

What would you like to do, apart from Gediflora?
There are still a lot of things on my bucket list, especially leisure-related activities which don’t involve too much thinking. 😊 Pottery is one of them, taking singing lessons (yes I like singing), even more yoga, …

Which of your achievements are you most proud of?
My greatest pride is really in my perseverance. Coming to the helm of an international company at the age of 27, I didn’t give it much thought, but now I do. The pressure of being No 1 in the world and the idea that it won’t last is always there. There is also the pressure of succeeding a ‘legend’ in the chrysanthemum world. And now realizing that you have continued to expand globally over all these years, gives the satisfaction that you haven’t done so badly. That’s a great feeling. None of this, of course, would have been possible without a dedicated team. After all, behind every leader, there is a group of strong women (and men too, for that matter).

On 4 January 2022 we celebrated the 40 years of employment of our breeder Wim Declercq. Exactly 40 years ago Wim started his career at Gediflora and for this reason a festive reception was given in his honour yesterday.

On Monday, 4 January 1982, Wim Declercq started his career as a picker at Gediflora, which at that time was still known as Georges Pieters and Son. After two years spent picking cuttings, Wim was given the opportunity to help with the packing and shipping of the cuttings. For several years he managed to combine these tasks but over time Wim was gradually given more responsibilities while working in the greenhouse. He eventually took charge of the mother plants, which at that time were still grown in Oostnieuwkerke (Belgium). He also took on planning tasks. This involved making decisions about which cuttings were to be used as mother plants and where and when they were to be planted as well as supervising this process himself. In 1987, Dirk Pieters, the founder of the company, started breeding his own chrysanthemum varieties.  The person actually responsible for breeding had given up after a few months, and that is how Wim’s career as a breeder began. Since the late 1990s, Wim has been working full-time on the breeding of our Belgian Mums and he is now proud  to call himself “head breeder” at Gediflora.  As a result of his expertise gained throughout the years, Wim has also been closely involved in the set-up of production sites in Brazil, the US and Kenya. Due to his exceptional knowledge of mother plants, which he still retains from the early days of his career, he also acts as advisor at these production sites.

The day started with a delicious breakfast accompanied by accordion music to provide a celebratory atmosphere. Elien Pieters, the current Managing Director of Gediflora, had especially written the personalized lyrics for a song which was dedicated to Wim as a way of thanking him for his 40 years of commitment. Elien: “He is not only a loyal employee whom you can always count on, but he is also my right hand in all professional matters.”

The day was rounded off with everybody enjoying a convivial drink. Furthermore his colleagues and Elien extended their warmest congratulations to Wim and expressed their hope that he would remain active in the company for a long time to come. So what is the key to being a good breeder according to Wim ? Wim: “To be a good breeder, you have to be passionate about your job and also be a little crazy.”

We are dancing into the new year because we have a celebration in 2022!
Next year, Gediflora will celebrate its 70th birthday.
We hope you are as excited about the year to come as we are!We wish you a happy end of year and a happy and healthy new year!

The Gediflora Team

Today, Elien is the third generation of the Pieters family who runs Gediflora. It all started with the tomato growing business of grandpa Georges. Dirk Pieters, Elien’s dad, turned the company into a global leader, cultivating ball-shaped chrysanthemums, together with his right-hand man Wim Declercq, who is still head breeder today. And as everyone knows, behind every great man stands a dedicated woman. Dirk’s wife, Christine, is no exception to that rule. In a nostalgic mood, we listened to the story of these three Belgian Mums pioneers. A story about a great deal of manual labour (in the field and in the office), about having the courage to make decisions and about their passion. And last but not least some good advice for young people: learn languages.

Wim and Christine, how were your first years in a family business?

Christine: “Right from the start, I was fully involved in the family business. I started at the bottom of the ladder, but gradually climbed up the rungs. It was a family business, with father, mother and son – who would later become my husband. My husband’s two sisters also worked in the company. It was a complete change for me, where I had to but also wanted to prove myself right from the start. We worked 7 days a week and in the little time that was left, I spent on administrative tasks. In the early days, that too was all done manually. I still remember when we finally bought our first computer.”

Wim: “I started here on 4 January 1982. That’s almost forty years ago. I started as a labourer and of course the business was quite a lot smaller then. When I started here, we were with just four employees.

I was hired as a picker and at that time everything was still done by hand: picking, planting cuttings, filling pots, setting out pots in the open, weeding, etc. We still grew our own mother plants here and at that time we were still working exclusively with chrysanthemums as the traditional flower for the 1^st of November, intended for the Belgian and French markets.”

Dirk, was it obvious to you from the start that you would have to think outside the box to expand?

Dirk: “When I made the decision to take over my parents’ company, I already knew through my contacts that there was a huge international market for chrysanthemums that had nothing to do with the 1^st of  November. From there, the idea grew not to focus on ten different products, but on one single product which would then be marketed worldwide. And then our ambition was to become as good as possible and to deliver top quality. When the French started to cross-pollinate and patent their plants in the 80s, I knew I had to make a decision: ‘Either I start cross-pollinating myself, or I had to look for something else’. There wasn’t much time to hesitate or wait, because it can easily take a good five years to market a new plant.”

Has that been the driving force behind your growth? The decision to develop and breed new varieties yourself?

Christine: “Absolutely. It’s thanks to our breeding activities that the company has been able to expand so fast and that we have become a global player. Of course, that is also thanks to my husband, who’s idea it was to bring new varieties onto the market.”

Dirk: “Starting our own breeding was indeed one of the most important decisions we ever had to make. If we hadn’t done that, it would have been over and out. Crossbreeding and pollinating is not difficult, but it is the genetics behind it that are important. That’s the information that’s worth its weight in gold. But to be able to implement this decision, of course you also need the right people. Who are you going to hire or have trained for that? I think that’s very important.”

Fortunately, with Wim in your ranks, you didn’t have to search too far for the right person…

Wim: ” That’s true, but it wasn’t like that from the start. Dirk had hired someone to take care of the breeding, someone who had studied. He then started the breeding, but at that time our company was not as big as it is now. This meant that he had to spend the rest of the time rolling up his sleeves and helping out elsewhere. In the end, he only stayed with us for three months. He wanted a job that was more in line with what he had studied. I then approached Dirk and said: ‘Dirk, take your time and look around for someone else, and  in the meantime I’ll take over. And that’s how I started as a breeder in 1988 and 33 years later I am still here doing it.”

The close relationships and minimal hierarchy between employees are typical for your company, aren’t they?

Christine: ‘”Yes, that’s true, and that’s what Elien is trying to do too. Keeping some distance from your employees is necessary, especially when the company is expanding. But we have given everyone the freedom to do what they like doing best. The driver is still the same one as in our time. He has been working here since 1984/85. This shows the strong bond that exists within the company.”

Dirk: “You have to have faith not only in yourself, but also in your employees. With this in mind, I have always given our employees some responsibilities. I was always asking them what they thought we could do better. And when we travelled abroad to see the flower trials, I took four or five employees with me. If you don’t get them closely involved, they may believe what you say, but if you give them the chance to travel with you, you can start brainstorming on the plane, or while you’re visiting the flower trials. I think that’s very important. And Elien does it the same way.”

That brings us to your adventures abroad.

Wim: “When we decided to start working together with a Dutch company, Dirk told me that he had been invited to go to America to see how the chrysanthemums grew and flowered there. My wife doesn’t want or dare to fly. I had already once made a flight in a small sports plane in Wevelgem, but that was all. Then I decided to take the plunge. I gathered all my courage and told Dirk: ‘I don’t care what it costs, but I want to go. I will never get this chance again in my life.’ He wanted to think about it for a while, and after a few months he agreed and said it was okay to come along.”

Dirk : “It is only when you go on site that you learn and that the eagerness to learn is very important. Wim was always my right hand, so he accompanied me. And my wife, being left handed, was my left hand.”

Christine : “We were always on the same wavelength. We never felt restricted in our ambitions. In fact, we always had the same ideas. We complemented each other very well.”

Didn’t your parents ever worry, Dirk? Weren’t they afraid that you were taking on too much?

Dirk: “No, I certainly never had that impression. My father knew my character, of course, and therefore gave me carte blanche so to speak. When I joined the company, there was still a lot of work to be done. At that time there was no talk of research and breeding. Sales were limited to Belgium and France. But suddenly the other European countries opened up together with Japan, America etc. I saw it as  a challenge and never really thought much about it. And my father supported me.”

Today, it is by no means easy to enter the international market, but in the past it must have been even harder, especially from a technological point of view. How did you approach this challenge and how did you find the right business partners?

Christine: “There is no question that it was more difficult in the past than it is today. We didn’t have any mobile phones and computers were almost non-existent. You still had to go to a travel agent to book airline tickets back then.”

Dirk : “In choosing our partners, I have always been guided by market reputation. The strongest party is the one that matters most to me. It is mainly a question of mentality and attitude. It’s not just about sales or turnover. For me, the main thing is that they have green fingers, are driven, and have the right attitude. Nothing else interests me, no matter how high their turnover is. And therefore it is important that you go and see for yourself. When we first started in America, I travelled to LA, New York and Texas myself. Because it is just like in Europe, a Spaniard is not like a Swiss and a West-Fleming is not like a Limburger. So you have to be out there in that market yourself and  get to know it.”

The beginning of the cooperation with Brazil has also been one of the milestones in the history of your  company, hasn’t it ?

Dirk: “Yes, that’s right. Again, my contacts played a decisive role. They convinced me to move the production of young plants to Brazil. Why? Because as a result the plants were much stronger and better. We needed those plants in February, March and April. What kind of weather do we have here during these months? The climate there is so much more favourable for our plants.”

Wim: “You couldn’t compare a cutting from Brazil with one produced here. Brazilian cuttings took root within 10 days, while ours needed 15, 16 or 17 days. Moreover, all their cuttings were the same. The difference in quality was enormous and that was decisive. Of course, there is also the price difference, but the main reason why we went to Brazil was purely because of the quality.”

Have you managed to establish a name for yourself on an international level as well?

Wim: “I have to say that I really had to adapt mentally, and today I feel that I was a bit to blame for that. This is also something I advise my children: it is important to learn languages at school. I remember saying to my French teacher when I was at horticultural school: ‘Hell ! I don’t need to know French to talk to my flowers.’ But how I regret not having done more to learn a foreign language ! When you are young, you think you don’t need to bother and at that age  actually you don’t realise how important language skills are. At horticultural school we had one hour of English a week. Nothing much at all. But later on, you go to America on business and so you learn by doing, by trial and error, but you manage. The first time we went to Brazil, we were sitting around the negotiating table with  five people of the Brazilian company. They, including the CEO, the planner and the person in charge, on one side and Dirk and I on the other side. At the start of the meeting they said: ‘Please, go ahead !’. We sat there with our mouths open, the sweat ran down my back, that is how nervous I was. Now I no longer feel nervous, but I was really sweating in those days.”

And to conclude, perhaps one last question: What were the highlights for you?

Christine: “The completely new complex that we started building here in 1989. That was phenomenal for us that we could build up such a business. We built beautiful offices and greenhouses and everything was equipped in a state-of-the-art concept. Another highlight was when my husband was elected Entrepreneur of the Year. At that time, we drove to Antwerp for the award ceremony, but we didn’t yet know that we had won. I guess, they had said it on the radio but we hadn’t heard it.”

Dirk: “When we quickly found a few good varieties early on, the international interest we received also increased. Again, through word-of-mouth. The varieties were sold as end products through auction and then people started asking: Where do these varieties come from? What kind of varieties are they? That is still the best way of advertising.”

Wim: “It may not be a highlight, but it’s a great story. Once, I went to America for half a day only. We wanted to see the flower trials but the people there hadn’t informed us that the plants were flowering far too late. They hadn’t told us there was no point in coming to America and that it would be better to delay the trip for a fortnight. So we flew to America and when we arrived there, one third of what we wanted to see was flowering and the rest wasn’t. Dirk immediately said: ‘No problem, within fourteen days you come back, full stop’. I left here on Saturday morning, went first to London and then on a direct flight to Los Angeles. I arrived there on Saturday evening, had to hire a car to drive an hour or two to Oxnard, went to the hotel to sleep, the next day I got up early, drove to the company, looked at the flowers and then flew back to Belgium in the afternoon. By Monday evening I was back in Belgium again. So I was only in America for half a day. Crazy but fantastic!”

Christine: “There are so many beautiful moments. If you ask me tomorrow if I want to do it all over again in the same way, I would say ‘yes’. I wouldn’t hesitate for a single second.  Despite all the ups and downs, I would definitely do it over again. I don’t regret a second of it.”

“You have to have faith not only in yourself,

but also in your employees.”

– Dirk Pieters

Enthusiasm

It’s thanks to our genetics, our DNA, that Gediflora is flourishing like never before. As a family business with ambitious goals, we look to the future with enthusiasm and continually invest in our breeding process, in order to continue doing what we do best: Making our customers successful with our first-class genetics.

It’s time to begin a new chapter !

Customers and suppliers know our typical West Flemish company slogan:  “Dream (Dromen), Discover (Denken), Dare (Durven), Do (Doen) and Improve (deure Doen)”. In order to make our dreams come true, it is time to begin a new chapter. After several months of planning and preparatory work, the time has finally come to take action.  For weeks we have been eager to share the news with the world, but now that the building work has commenced, we can make it official: the building of our long-awaited new breeding greenhouse has officially started ! The greenhouse will be built as an extension to the already existing greenhouses and will include not only the breeding greenhouse, but also new offices for the breeding team.

Cross-fertilisation

Feedback from our customers, together with the many years of experience within our R&D team, ensures a unique cross-fertilisation that results in an ever-improving product in the long term. In order to fully exploit this dynamic, our new greenhouse has been specially designed for the future. Flexibility, hygiene, sustainability and respect for people and the environment were the decisive factors in this process.

Elien and David

With this investment, Elien, David and the Gediflora team are laying the foundations for the future. A future in which we will continue to invest in the coming years, focusing on our floral DNA, the Mum Flowers. Innovating and inspiring with one clear goal in mind: providing exceptional value to our customers and the product.

In concrete terms

For the curious among us: the building work started in April and the greenhouse has to be finished in the autumn. So, it’s time to move on. And we are really looking forward to it! Follow us on social media to keep up with the latest developments.

Yesterday the presentation of the Womed award took place, organized by Markant and Unizo. Elien Pieters from Gediflora went home with the main prize and can call herself ‘ female entrepreneur of the year’.

Elien Pieters from Gediflora (Staden) won the Womed Award and is entrepreneur of the year. She received the award on Wednesday evening in Brussels from the Flemish Minister of Economy, Innovation, Work, Social Economy and Agriculture and Sea Fishing, Hilde Crevits. This year, Elien will be an ambassador to promote female entrepreneurship.
It is the first time that someone from the green sector has won a title like this. The title brings many opportunities to show the outside world how dynamic and innovative the green sector is. Elien is therefore determined to seize this opportunity with both hands.

The company motto: ‘Dream, Think, Dare, Do and Do better’ inspires Elien to make growers all over the world successful. Elien took over the family business from her father in 2013 and has continued the company with the same passion ever since. International growth increased under her leadership. Every year, Gediflora supplies eighty million cuttings to plant growers in more than forty countries. Worldwide, almost 50% of all ball-shaped chrysanthemums originate from Gediflora.

The WOMED Award is a prize for the ‘entrepreneur of the year’ that is awarded annually by markant vzw and UNIZO. Elien Pieters, manager of Gediflora, a B-to-B world player in the field of breeding and propagation of chrysanthemums, is one of the 3 finalists this year who has a chance to win this prestigious award. With the company motto: ‘Dream, Think, Dare, Do and Do better’ Elien is driven to make growers all over the world successful. The wide range of unique varieties and families is known under the brand name Belgian Mums.

Elien took over the family business from her father in 2013 and has continued the company with the same passion ever since. International growth continued under her leadership. Every year, Gediflora supplies eighty million cuttings to plant growers in more than forty countries. Worldwide, almost half of all pot chrysanthemums come from Gediflora.

It is the first time that someone from the green sector is nominated as female entrepreneur of the year. This nomination is the ideal opportunity to show the outside world how dynamic and innovative the green sector is.

On Saturday, October 5, Gediflora organised their first Mum Run. This family event, for a good cause, attracted approximately 500 runners of all ages and about 1,000 enthusiasts who walked around the outdoor chrysanthemum fields.

The concept was simple: first the flower trail was open to recreational walkers and all other interested visitors, followed by a running competition against the clock for different categories. The family event was rounded off with an after party. According to the charity committee of Gediflora, the first edition of the Mum Run was an incredible success.  Throughout the day, approximately 1,500 visitors came along.

The starting shot was fired by the Mayor of Staden (Francesco Vanderjeugd). The trophies and prizes were presented by Gwendolyn Vandermeersch, who is the alderman for Sport and Culture. The After Party began soon after the prize giving ceremony and the entertainment was provided by Taxi Lane. Managing director Elien Pieters and her husband David Daenens announced immediately after the prize-giving ceremony that a second edition of the Mum Run event would be held next year.

All of the profits from the Mum Run will go towards a good cause and this year, the charity committee chose the Sint-Idesbald primary school, which is just a stone’s throw away from Gediflora.

This year, Gediflora is organizing the Mum Run for the first time for the benefit of a local charity. The Mum Run will always take place on the first Saturday of October. This year the event will therefore take place on Saturday 5 October. During this period of the year the impressive and colorful fields form a particularly unique setting. The trail goes along and across the flower fields and is a must-see for everyone.

In the early afternoon, recreational walkers and curious visitors can enter the trail. In the later afternoon, different categories (Kids Run 500 m and 1 km, adults 5 km and 10 km) run against time. Ambiance and entertainment are permanently provided in the covered hall, even for the little ones. We end our event with a afterparty!

The Gediflora team chose the elementary school of BuBaO Sint-Idesbald from various charities. they offer special education for children aged 3 to 13. The school wants to use the proceeds from the Mum Run to furnish 2 comfort rooms where the students can relax.

Gediflora has been chosen by Unizo as the “most staff-friendly company” in our province. Together with four other provincial laureates, we competed for the national title. That honorary title eventually went to marketing agency NMG from Aarschot in Flemish Brabant.

The competition was launched by Unizo on the Day of the Employee, better known as Secretary Day, on the third Thursday of April. “With provincial competition laureates and a winning company, we are pushing role models forward for other SME employers,” says Unizo Managing Director Danny Van Assche. “At the same time, we want to show our gratitude to the many employees who are responsable for the success of our SMEs. Moreover, this competition is a means to demonstrate the good relationship between the boss and his staff in SMEs. Unfortunately, this good understanding makes the news much less than the contradictions between trade unions and employers. ”

As a company firmly committed to sustainability, Gediflora is contributing positively to the protection of the environment and society…. Examples of initiatives taken by Gediflora so far include its solar panels, collection and reuse of waste water, and the use of residual heat from a local heating network. This impressive list has now been extended to include purified water due to the installation of a water filter which allows all our employees to drink purified water free of charge. They can choose between cold water, water at room temperature as well as sparkling water. This is Gediflora’s way of promoting a healthy lifestyle. After all, water is the essence for a healthy body.

What is even more important however, is the commitment to ban the use of plastic as much as possible in our company by trying in different ways to minimize its use. By using this new water filter Gediflora also intends to fight against the use of plastic (water) bottles. For this reason, every employee received a reusable water bottle in Gediflora’s typical yellow colour as a New Year’s gift. “We are delighted that these water bottles are being used on a large scale by our employees”, says CEO Elien Pieters. In addition, glass bottles are also provided to enable visitors to enjoy the purified tap water. This new initiative is not only a great gift for today’s team but also for the future of our planet.

Gold rose winner and young plants gold

We are so excited to announce that we won two prizes tuesday night at the AIPH (Association of Horticultural Producers) IGOTY Awards. We have been awarded the ‘Gold Rose’ award and we also received the Gold award in the Young Plants category.

The AIPH IGOTY Jury, consisting of six internationally renowned horticulture experts chaired by AIPH Vice-President Tim Edwards, said “Gediflora excels in its field and is true to its motto: ‘Dream, dare, do and do better’. As a worldwide leading specialist in Chrysanthemums this business demonstrates outstanding innovation and production and is a reliable and inspiring partner for growers.”

Elien Pieters: “This one goes out to the whole team and especially to my mom and dad. They’ve put Gediflora on the world wide map, kept the focus on mums and always believed in their dreams!”

We want to thank all of you: our customers, our partners and last but not least the Mum-believers. In the future, we will strive to secure our position as the specialist in Mums. Our mission remains to make growers successful and we continue to strive for the best quality of our golden genetics. Once more; a big thank you!

During the month of September 2018, we will organize again the Gediflora Open Houses. Leave your greenhouse and come visit one of our trial sites. You will definitely find some new varities, ideas and be able to take a look at how others produce their garden mum crops.

• 09/18:
  Schenck Farms, St Catharines, Ontaria
  (Natural Day trial)
• 09/20:
  Lucas Greenhouse, Monroeville, NJ
  (Natural Day trial)
• Week 39:
  Lou Davino, Hightstown, NJ
  (Natural Day trial)
• 09/25:
  Kube Pak, Hightstown, NJ
  (Natural Day trial)
• 09/27:
  Metrolina, Huntersville, SC
  (Natural Day trial)

We hope to welcome you at one (or more) of these locations.

Here are some pictures from our participation at Cultivate in Ohio.

We presented our new varieties

From Saturday 14 till Tuesday 17 July, you can find us at Cultivate in Ohio. We will present our newest Belgian Mums introductions. We hope to welcome you at our booth (2124).

During this edition of IPM, the Gediflora team presented several new collections, more specifically, ‘Dazzling Aduro’ and ‘Magnetic Amiko’.

Those who stopped by our  Belgian Mums booth were treated to a refreshing Mum Beer or a delicious chrysanthemum liqueur.

From Tuesday January 23rd till Friday January 26th, Gediflora will be present at IPM Essen (Germany). IPM Essen is a global gathering place for the green industry. New products will be presented, trends will be introduced and future topics will be discussed with professional expertise.

The Gediflora team wishes you and your family a happy new year!

During the month of September 2017, we will organize again the Gediflora Open Houses. Leave your greenhouse and come visit one of our trial sites. You will definitely find some new varities, ideas and be able to take a look at how others produce their garden mum crops.

• 09/14:
  Green Valley– Ramsey, MN
  (Natural Day & shaded trial)
• 09/19:
  Schenck Farms, St Catharines, ON (Canada).
  (Natural Day trial)
• 09/20:
  Lucas Greenhouse, Monroeville, NJ.
  (Natural Day trial)
• Week 39:
  Lou Davino, Hightstown, NY.
  (Natural Day trial)
• 09/26:
  Kube Pak, Hightstown, NJ
  (Natural Day & Shaded trial)
• 10/05:
  Metrolina, Huntersville, SC
  (Natural Day trial)

We hope to welcome you at one (or more) of these locations.

We are happy to look back on a succesful IPM. Thank you all for the visit!

We are looking forward to meet you at the Spring Trials 2017!
This year we will present the loveliest families at Floricultura.

When? April 2-5: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where? 25425 Esperanza Rd – Salinas, CA 93908

Gediflora wishes you and your family Happy Holidays & a sparkling 2017 !!!

There simply is no better way to get to know our varieties than seeing them grow in the greenhouses and on the fields of our partners.
Come and discover our new Vega Red and our other Belgian Mums on these locations:

• 09/09:
  Grolink – Oxnard, CA.
  (Natural Day trial, on day of Open house and on appointment)
• 09/13:
  Schenck Farms, St Catharines, ON (Canada).
  (Natural Day trial, on day of Open house and on appointment)
• 09/15:
  Green Valley, Ramsey, MN
  (Natural Day & Shaded trial, on day of Open house only)
• 09/20:
  Raker, Litchfield, MI.
  (Natural Day trial, on day of Open house and on appointment)
• 09/21:
  Lucas Greenhouse, Monroeville, NJ.
  (Natural Day trial, on day of Open house and on appointment)
• 09/22:
  Wieber Greenhouse, West Seneca, NY.
  (Natural Day trial, on day of Open house only)
• 09/26:
  Lou Davino, Hightstown, NY.
  (Natural Day trial, on day of Open house and on appointment)
• 09/27:
  Kube Pak, Hightstown, NJ
  (Natural Day & Shaded trial, on day of Open house only)
• 09/29:
  Metrolina, Huntersville, SC
  (Natural Day & Shaded trial, on day of Open house only)

We hope to welcome you at one (or more) of these locations.

Gediflora wishes you all the best for 2016 !

At the end of January 2015 Gediflora participated again in IPM Essen, the largest international trade fair for plants in Germany. Gediflora’s presence at the fair was a big success this year and attracted many interested visitors who were welcomed with our new Belgian beer: Mum n°1, Belgian Mum Beer. This made for a pleasant surprise and the story of our beer is certain to be continued. Be sure not to miss it!