Two major Dutch floriculture events set to shape the European flower and plant trade
IFTF and Trade Fair Aalsmeer return to the Netherlands this November, bringing together growers, breeders, buyers, suppliers and horticultural businesses from across the global floriculture industry
Print7 October 2026
The Netherlands will once again become the focal point for the international floriculture industry this November, when two trade events take place within the same week.
The International Floriculture Trade Fair (IFTF) and Trade Fair Aalsmeer will both run from 3–5 November 2026, creating an important opportunity for professionals to discover new varieties, explore market trends, meet suppliers, and develop new commercial relationships.
For Irish businesses operating across the flower, plant, garden retail and horticulture sectors, the events offer a valuable opportunity to see what is emerging across the wider European market.
IFTF
The 17th edition of IFTF will take place at EXPO Greater Amsterdam in Vijfhuizen, bringing together businesses from across the international flower supply chain.
The event is designed as a meeting point for breeders, growers, exporters, importers, wholesalers, buyers, logistics specialists, suppliers, industry associations, and service providers.
The 2026 exhibition will occupy five halls, with exhibitors representing major flower-producing and trading regions around the world.
The international nature of the event is one of its major attractions. The current exhibitor list includes companies and organisations from countries including the Netherlands, Kenya, Ecuador, Colombia, Ethiopia, Italy, India, Chile and Sri Lanka, alongside international logistics and supply-chain businesses.
For visitors, that creates the opportunity to see developments across the industry in one location – from new flower varieties and breeding programmes to production technology, packaging, logistics, cold-chain solutions, and other services supporting the movement of flowers from grower to market.
The 2025 edition attracted more than 24,000 attendees, including more than 8,500 visitors from outside the EU, underlining the increasingly global nature of the event.
While new varieties and product displays remain at the heart of IFTF, the event also provides an insight into the wider issues affecting international floriculture.
Sustainability, production efficiency, water use, certification, freight, traceability, packaging and changing consumer demand are all increasingly important considerations for businesses throughout the supply chain.
For Irish buyers and horticultural businesses, the value of IFTF therefore extends beyond simply finding new products. It provides an opportunity to understand how producers and suppliers in other markets are responding to the challenges facing the industry.
IFTF will open from 10am to 6pm on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 November, and from 10am to 5pm on Thursday 5 November. The venue is EXPO Greater Amsterdam, Stelling 1, Vijfhuizen.
Trade Fair Aalsmeer
At the same time, Trade Fair Aalsmeer, organised by Royal FloraHolland, will welcome the floriculture industry to its Aalsmeer auction location.
Now in its 26th edition, the 2026 event is already fully booked, with more than 600 exhibitors scheduled to occupy approximately 30,000m² of exhibition space. The fair will feature a broad range of flowers, plants and value-added products.
Trade Fair Aalsmeer has established itself as an important meeting point for growers, buyers and supply-chain partners.
Its visitor base includes exporters, wholesalers, retailers, garden centres, florists, floral designers, growers and suppliers, as well as professionals interested in market information, innovation and new business opportunities.
The emphasis is very much on networking, inspiration and doing business.
For growers and suppliers, the event provides a platform to present new products, concepts and innovations directly to an international trade audience.
For buyers, it offers the chance to compare ranges, discover new suppliers and identify products and trends that could have potential in their own markets.
Sustainability is also expected to feature prominently at Aalsmeer.
Royal FloraHolland has placed increasing emphasis on innovation and sustainability within the event, including the Royal FloraHolland Sustainability Award.
The award recognises sustainable and innovative solutions within the floriculture sector and forms part of the organisation’s wider efforts to encourage more sustainable production and trade.
The focus reflects a broader shift within European horticulture, where sustainability is becoming increasingly integrated into purchasing decisions, production systems and supply-chain relationships.
For Irish businesses, developments showcased in Aalsmeer can provide useful insight into where the European flower and plant market is heading – particularly in areas, such as sustainable production, product presentation, new concepts and changing consumer expectations.
Two fairs, one important week
Although IFTF and Trade Fair Aalsmeer are separate events, their proximity in the calendar makes the first week of November particularly significant for the international floriculture sector.
For Irish professionals travelling to the Netherlands, attending both events could therefore provide a particularly comprehensive snapshot of the market.
The two fairs also highlight the importance of the Netherlands as a hub for international floriculture. With Irish businesses operating within an increasingly interconnected European supply chain, the opportunity to meet growers, breeders, suppliers and potential business partners face-to-face remains significant.
For the Irish horticultural sector, the Dutch events offer more than an opportunity to source flowers and plants. They provide a chance to benchmark the Irish market against developments elsewhere in Europe, identify emerging varieties and concepts, investigate new suppliers and gain a better understanding of the direction of the wider industry.
Read more: GLAS 2026: your event, your views
© 2026, Growtrade.ie by Patryk Goron
Fans 0
Followers