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Winner of the Horticultural Entrepreneur Prize 2019

On Wednesday 9 January, we received the Horticultural Entrepreneur Award. The presentation of this award took place in Keukenhof, Lisse. The theme of this 33rd edition was ‘Horticultural transition: tackling gives energy’. With this prize, we are entitled to call ourselves Ambassador of the horticultural sector for a year.

Dutch horticulture, which plays a major role in the global market, faces the task of maintaining a strong international position. To do so, entrepreneurs must demonstrate innovative strength, daring, decisiveness and perseverance. The Horticulture Entrepreneur Prize places leading entrepreneurs in the limelight, which is good for both the entrepreneurs and the sector.

The Horticulture Entrepreneur Prize is a prestigious price and worth the effort. The winner receives a valuable work of art, recognition, an increase in its network and media attention – values that cannot be expressed in monetary terms. Moreover, the title makes the winner eligible to receive the prestigious King Willem I Prize and the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards.

Iwan van der Knaap, director of Anthura: “We are very proud and honoured to receive this award. 2018 was a special year for us, in which we celebrated our 80th anniversary. The prize feels like a crowning moment, which inspires and motivates us, together with all our colleagues, customers and chain partners, to continue contributing to a colourful world! We thank Interpolis for its nomination for the Horticultural Entrepreneur Prize and look forward to being ambassadors for our thriving sector throughout the year.

The jury’s opinion:
The jury is impressed by how Anthura has developed over the years. The company has a very expert and committed management. Anthura thinks in terms of a long-term vision that applies not only to their branches in the Netherlands, but also in Germany, Macedonia and China. Sustainability is high on the agenda and is implemented in business processes according to the latest standards. Its cooperation with customers through the chain transparency project FSI, which aims to achieve at least 90% sustainably produced flowers and plants by 2020, also bears witness to this. The company invests heavily in R&D. This is evident not only from the DNA mapping of both Phalaenopsis and Anthurium, but also from the investment in a new innovation and breeding centre. The company has entered into a strategic partnership with other breeders under the name of GenNovation. Anthura is a particularly good employer; talents are given the space within the company to develop. With 35% of employees with higher professional or scientific education, this company has a lot of knowledge and expertise at its disposal that is used to further innovate and develop the sector.