ANNUAL REPORT 2023 Past | Present | Future 2023-2024
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Contents 02 04 10 36 Our mission and vision 2023 at a glance www.royallemkes.nl Foreword 2023 Sustainable growth of our strategy 08 26 Sustainable growth of the world around us Highlights 2023 Sustainable growth of our relationships 06 12 42 Sustainable growth of our people Sustainable growth of our business Our story
Foreword 2023 Alice van Veen – Director Sourcing, Sustainability & Marketing Jan Slingerland – Director Finance Leon Verschoor – Director Digital & Operations Jeannette Jongeleen – Director HR & Facility Huib Kranendonk – Managing Director If you don’t know the past, you can’t understand the present and you can’t shape the future. Drawing on these wise words of Helmut Kohl, former German chancellor, we look back to the past but also forward to the future in this annual report. 4
Past 2023 marked another challenging year for Royal Lemkes. Instead of the hoped-for growth, our revenue dropped slightly due to the difficult market conditions experienced by several of our customers. But by looking closely at our cost pattern, we managed to achieve operational efficiencies and ended the year with a positive result. I would like to thank all my colleagues for their considerable contribution to this success. Present In 2024, we continue on the course set for supply chain and cost optimisation — not only at Royal Lemkes but also at Plantify Partners Europe (PPE), our parent company. The Dutch division of our sister company, Floréac, with which we share our logistics hub in the UK, relocated from Naaldwijk to Bleiswijk in December. Overall, our strategy remains unchanged: we believe in plants, in our people and in the sustainable growth of our business. We are, however, shifting our strategic focus to a more external, results-oriented approach. To encourage sustainable growth, we are focusing on forwardlooking themes. Future First, we will concentrate on growth with existing customers. We will also focus on acquiring new customers and expanding our network with potential sister companies. Second, we will intensify our focus on technology. In addition to investing in IT, business intelligence (BI) and robotics, we are also exploring what artificial intelligence (AI) can do for our business model. It is still unclear what the long-term impact of AI will be, but it is patently clear that the world is changing rapidly as a result of this technology. And finally, we will take further targeted steps to realise our dream of selling only ‘positive plants’ by 2030. New European sustainability legislation (CSRD) is about to be introduced, and Royal Lemkes is well-placed to assist retailers in this respect. Meanwhile, several of our retail partners have committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and we are happy to assist them in demonstrably reducing the CO2 emissions of the plants category. Making the category even more sustainable requires close collaboration throughout the supply chain. We have been fortunate to work side by side with most of you on this for many years now. On behalf of the management team, I would like to thank you for your continued trust in Royal Lemkes. Huib Kranendonk Managing Director
Our mission and vision Mission #SAMENGROEIEN Sustainable growth Of our people Of our relationships Of our business Of the world Plant range workshop 6
Vision Vision Plants Plants are a beautiful and healthy addition to our lives Technology We strategically Our vision, or our view of the world, is that we believe in: Business as a force for good Businesses can and should contribute towards a greener and happier world Doing better every day For our partners and for us People People make the difference Scale For sourcing, our supply chain and further professional development leverage technology to better serve our customers at the lowest possible cost Togetherness At Royal Lemkes, with our customers and with our suppliers
Sustainable growth of our strategy Development of our mission and vision: sustainable growth Royal Lemkes has a green heart and truly believes in plants. We strive for sustainable growth in everything we do — of our people, our relationships, our business and the world around us. Launch of our tagline Let’s plantify® the future. Together. Plantify® = Creating a better life, stronger businesses and a healthier, green world with plants. 2016 2017 2018 2019 Refining our positioning Our mission and vision are driven by the core values of our family business: craftsmanship, reliability, customer engagement, togetherness and personal leadership. Elaborating ‘business as a force for good’ Society and the world in general face many challenges. We therefore believe that a company’s main goal should not be to maximise profit but to maximise impact. Naturally, a healthy profit is necessary for ongoing investments and business continuity. 8
Development of our international strategy Royal Lemkes and the Belgian company Floréac were the founding partners of Plantify Partners Europe (PPE), a network of family-owned European plant trading businesses. We opened a logistics hub in England as part of our international strategy. Launch of GS Next development Our Green Sales ERP system was replaced by GS Next, which we developed inhouse with the OutSystems low-code platform. This allows us to remain flexible and responsive to our customers’ needs. 2020 2020 2021 2023 Developing our dream: ‘positive plants’ by 2030 By 2030, we aim to sell twice Addition of a core value as many plants, with all plants being ‘positive plants’. These are plants that will contribute to a healthier planet and a better life for all. We recalibrated our business strategy, consolidated our course and added ‘result oriented’ as a core value.
31 export countries 18,000 different products 600 €275 million revenue suppliers 79,500,000 plants delivered 2023 at a glance This year, our top 100 growers accounted for 80% of our purchase value. In 2023, we supplied around 3,100 retail outlets across Europe. 250 home furnishing stores 250 garden centres 800 supermarkets 1,800 DIY stores 10
135 30 135 colleagues attended a course, workshop or training. We welcomed 30 new colleagues. 32 32 colleagues advanced to a new position. 94% 85% 100% 94% of the plants we supplied were certified in accordance with the FSI Basket of Standards (MPS-GAP/GLOBALG.A.P.). 85% of our fleet is electric. 100% of our packaging material is registered.
Highlights 2023 January We kicked off the new year with our traditional New Year reception. Our theme for 2023: Focus on fundamentals, fit for the future. March The Green Trend Report Event, with sustainable growth as its theme, took place at elho. Watch the aftermovie March Collaboration is vital for accelerating sustainable developments. We organised the inaugural Retail Sustainability Roundtable and shared sustainability strategies with our retail partners IKEA, OBI, Kingfisher and Jumbo. The day revolved around inspiring one another, sharing information and connecting. May We received the World-class Workplace quality label from Effectory. September We hosted the first edition of the Royal Lemkes BBQ for our top 150 suppliers. Several retail partners also attended the event. Watch the aftermovie 12
September Launch of the Management Development Programme. This two-year programme encourages employees to develop their leadership skills, make successful strategic decisions and lead teams effectively. November Huib Kranendonk was appointed Royal Lemkes’ new managing director. Watch the video December We wrapped up the first season in which the Lowpads were fully operational. December The Dutch division of our sister company, Floréac, relocated from Naaldwijk to Bleiswijk December Our new webshop — built using the latest technologies on a new platform — went live.
Sustainable growth of our relationships Past Present 14
Green connector Royal Lemkes’ role is to connect partners in the chain. We foster close collaboration and inspire and encourage our partners to continue our shared journey towards sustainable growth. Mutual long-term commitment is key, both downstream with our retailers and upstream with our growers. By monitoring all relevant value components at our growers, we can meet current and future retail requirements. Royal Lemkes Consumer Retail Breeders and growers
Retail Sustainability Roundtable OBI – IKEA – JUMBO – Kingfisher Presentation of DBT Investment Award for Innovation by the British ambassador FSI accelerators 16
Not only do we seek long-term commitment with our retailers and growers, but we also pursue close collaboration with cluster partners, such as suppliers, carriers, industry associations and government bodies. We focus on developing ourselves and inspiring our partners when it comes to innovation, sustainability, quality, product development and smart logistics solutions. We are transparent and share our knowledge and data. Together, we seek to build a sustainable, futureproof plants category for our retail partners. Our product is one to be proud of and one that provides solutions for societal challenges like climate change. Jongenotter Nursery Derrik and Willem Jongenotter Connecting customers and growers We believe it is important to connect our customers and our growers. To encourage this, our strategic suppliers join us on visits to our retail partners, and we regularly organise supplier events. Watch the aftermovie Suppliers’ Day 2023
Retail development In 2023, economic circumstances were challenging and fewer plants were sold. Retailers were under pressure, and many organisations restructured and reconsidered their positioning as consumer confidence fell. We will keep a close eye on market developments and take appropriate action to be futureproof. Past During the COVID-19 pandemic, greenery played an important role in enhancing our living and working environments. This led to a significant increase in the demand for plants, and there were supply challenges. We thought this would become the new normal. But then the costs of raw materials, production, energy, transport and labour rose sharply and consumer prices increased. Inflation went up across Europe, which — combined with geopolitical turmoil — caused consumer confidence to plummet. Retail sales declined and overall returns were under pressure throughout the supply chain. At the same time, retailers invested heavily in their online presence, AI, data analytics and automation. The aim was to improve operational efficiency while responding more effectively to changing consumer behaviour. These developments led to a transformation in the retail sector: flexibility, adaptability and digital innovation became critical to success. Present To strengthen their competitive position, retailers are reorganising and repositioning. They are promising consumers that prices will not rise further and will even significantly drop thanks to cost-out programmes. This maximises pressure upstream in the supply chain to eliminate waste and further enhance efficiency. 18
Although raw material costs are falling again and stabilising, labour costs and interest rates continue to rise. And with sustainability legislation on the horizon, the tax burden on growers will increase. To proactively address these challenges, we must further strengthen our long-term commitment to our partnerships. Future Like all retailers, Royal Lemkes must also comply with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and provide transparent reporting on sustainability performance and environmental and social impact. Almost all our retail partners are now committed to the SBTi initiative to demonstrably cut carbon emissions by half by 2030. This is a hugely challenging but essential endeavour. However, we are well-placed to offer them a full-service solution in this respect. Royal Lemkes is working tirelessly to comply with more stringent laws, regulations and retail standards as we move towards climate neutrality. Consumers increasingly want sustainable, reliable and locally produced products. Retailers’ preferences in terms of product range and service partners are evolving in tandem with changing consumer demands. With this in mind, we see growth opportunities in monetising sustainability. FloriPEFCR, the new European standard method for calculating the environmental footprint in floriculture, will play an important role and become the benchmark. Watch the video to find out more about our shopper activation for Jumbo
Our customers We aim to optimally serve our customers. To achieve this, we are constantly working to strengthen our strategic pillars: • Customer intimacy • Operational excellence • Product excellence 20
DIY chains Supermarkets Garden centres Home furnishing stores
Our suppliers Past Plant sourcing was organised around product specifications, such as pot size, height, freight load, flowering stage, price and volume. Plants evolved into a complete product, meeting a wide range of national and international certification, regulatory, environmental, traceability and sustainability standards. Present Our supplier and product category management is guided by our strategic sourcing strategy. The aim is to create a sustainable and profitable plant range for our retailers that meets all European legislation and customer requirements. As a way of keeping up to speed with future developments in the retail sector, our supplier management programme focuses on our top 100 growers. Future Sustainable sourcing will move towards impact buying with an emphasis on the retail sector’s climate goals, in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. Digitally sharing and recording data on growers, products and raw materials across the supply chain will become increasingly important. This includes information on product origin, certified production sites, plant protection products, packaging materials, substrates and the reduction of carbon emissions throughout the chain. Purchase value at our top 100 growers 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 0% 2020 2021 2022 2023 77% 71% 79% 80% 22
Van Woudenberg Tuinplanten Gerbert van Woudenberg VDA Plant Patrick van der Wilk Pim van der Wijngaard – Buyer Jeroen Sonneveld – Buyer Bunnik Plants Thijs Jetten Sjoerd Vos OK Plant Erik de Jong Hans Wijsman – Buyer Peter de Waard – Account Manager SV.CO OK Plant Chris Keijzer Jeroen Sonneveld – Buyer Thijs van der Valk Niels van Houten – Buyer
Paving the way for positive plants The Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) platform set up by the floriculture sector promotes sustainability and aims to reduce the sector’s impact on people and the environment. An impressive number of trading companies and retailers have joined the FSI and are committed to at least 90% responsibly produced and traded products by 2025. Member trading companies and retailers measure their progress in the Floridata Sustainable* Sourcing Scan by comparing purchase volumes with supplier certification data. In 2023, the figure for FSI-compliant product stood at 94% at Royal Lemkes, the same as in 2022. FSI Ambition for 2026 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 0 20 40 60 93% 94% 94% 91% 87% 81% 73% 67% 80 100 100% 24
FSI % 91% 96% 80% 88% 74% 35% 58% 100%
Our carriers Transport costs have increased substantially in the past few years due to new legislation, rising commodity and fuel prices and a tight labour market. Furthermore, partners and consumers alike are increasingly aware of our transport-related carbon footprint. At Royal Lemkes, we are therefore constantly looking at how we can optimise the supply chain. One initiative that has resulted in increased efficiency involves transporting some of our freight from Italy to Venlo by rail. In 2023, this involved 1,231 trips covering a distance of 800 kilometres, which resulted in savings of no less than 894 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The remaining 276 tonnes of CO2 equivalent from transport was offset, meaning that this rail transport was officially classified as carbon neutral by TÜV NORD CERT. 26
Bulk shipment from Italy to Hub UK HZ Logistics Jelle Bekker Jacob Bongaards – Transport Coordinator Hub UK Rail transport from Italy
Sustainable growth of the world around us Past Present Future Generated by AI 28
Our dream On our way to By 2030, we will only sell plants that contribute to a healthier planet and a better life for all. By 2030, we will sell twice as many plants as today To deliver on our positive plants sustainability ambition for 2030, we must continue to inspire and energise our colleagues, suppliers and customers, as well as NGOs, the government, competitors and other industry peers. We currently accomplish this, for instance, by working with customers to develop sustainability roadmaps, and we also organised the first Retail Sustainability Roundtable to share sustainability strategies with our retail partners IKEA, OBI, Kingfisher and Jumbo. We are committed to providing high-quality, sustainable products and services that are in line with customer requirements, legislation and our dream for 2030. This is laid down in our management system in accordance with Florimark certification and NEN-EN-ISO 9001. And to stay futureproof, we will remain focused on improvements and innovations.
Growth of our sustainability strategy Sustainability themes defined We want to make the entire supply chain more sustainable, from grower to consumer, by focusing on four sustainability themes: climate, natural resources, biodiversity and working conditions. Signing of IRBC Agreement The International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC) Agreement addresses sector mapping, land rights, use of plant protection products and their impact on people and the environment, climate change, water, a living wage and women’s rights. 2016 2018 2019 2021 Linking Sustainable Development Goals to sustainability themes SDG 13 is linked to climate SDGs 12, 13 and 14 are linked to biodiversity SDG 12 is linked to natural resources SDGs 1 and 8 are linked to working conditions Development of first sustainability roadmap Royal Lemkes and IKEA developed a joint sustainability roadmap for 2030. 30
Introduction of our packaging policy Our aim is to reduce consumer and transport packaging, cut down on the use of plastic and use recycled materials and reusable alternatives for single-use plastic plant trays Paving the way for ‘positive plants’ We laid the groundwork for positive plants with our CSRD reporting. 2021 2022 2023 2023 Introduction of our substrate policy Retail Sustainability Roundtable We organised the first Retail We started phasing out peat in our substrate due to its environmental impact and to ensure compliance with upcoming laws and regulations. Sustainability Roundtable and invited retail partners IKEA, OBI, Kingfisher and Jumbo. All retailers shared their sustainability strategies during this informative and inspiring event.
CSRD reporting Past We can only make the chain sustainable if all partners work together transparently and take joint responsibility. Royal Lemkes has made significant progress on both sustainability and social impact during the last seven years. We worked with our stakeholders to gather information and identify key sustainability themes. An external party conducted a baseline ESG survey. We acquired a lot of data and had extensive discussions on the environmental and social aspects and made a start on elaborating the governance aspect in further detail. Present In 2024, we are taking the first steps towards reporting in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The directive comes into effect in 2025 and requires us to collect and disclose information from our dialogues on sustainability matters with stakeholders. The outcomes of these discussions are assessed from two perspectives, referred to as ‘double materiality’. As before, we examine stakeholders’ impact on Royal Lemkes, but we now also consider their impact on the wider world. CSRD assists us in bringing focus to our sustainability strategy. We evaluate whether our current sustainability and social impact themes remain relevant. Where appropriate, we recalibrate themes to further improve our impact on people and the environment. Future We will stay on track to meet the CSRD directive. As a result, our sustainability information will be more transparent and of higher quality in terms of the impact on humanity and the climate. Ultimately, this directive will help us achieve our goal of selling twice as many plants by 2030, with all plants being ‘positive plants’. That is to say, their impact on the environment and our lives will be entirely positive. 32
Positive Plants 4 key themes Our sustainability policy focuses on four overarching themes: climate, biodiversity, natural resources and working conditions in the supply chain. These key themes are linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this annual report, we address the themes of climate and natural resources. For climate, we focus on our carbon footprint, while for natural resources, we concentrate on our packaging and substrate strategies. In a circular economy, the raw materials cycle is closed — components and products lose minimal value and are recycled to the greatest extent possible. Take our plant trays as an example. We want them to be reusable by 2030. As an intermediate step towards reusable packaging, 100% of our packaging material is now registered. 34 B o i i d t v a e m r i i s l t C y N n a o t i u i t r d a n l o r c e s g o n u k i r c r e o s W s e
Climate CARBON FOOTPRINT ROYAL LEMKES 2,000 100,000,000 1,500 75,000,000 1,000 500 0 2015 2016 Number of plants 2017 2018 2019 Tonnes of CO2 2020 equivalent 2021 2022 50,000,000 25,000,000 0 Climate strategy roadmap Reduction in use of resources and reduction in CO2 during production processes Royal Lemkes 100% climate neutral (scopes 1 and 2) with compensation 2022 Internal and external communication of climate strategy and FloriPEFCR to colleagues, customers, suppliers and carriers Request to suppliers to calculate footprint and formulate reduction plan Resources Develop standard together with the sector for a total supply chain footprint (FloriPEFCR proof) 2023 Expand Royal Lemkes footprint calculation (scope 3 and new location) 2030 Positive plants Royal Lemkes is 2024 100% climate-neutral business operations Royal Lemkes (scopes 1, 2 and 3) Scope 1: Gas and business travel Scope 2: Electricity Scope 3: (Air)travel, waste, packaging (procurement RL), catering, office and commuter travel Top 100 suppliers have calculated PEF, OFF and reduction plans All carriers have calculated footprints and reduction plans Impact measurement of company investments and decisions operating in a 100% climate-neutral supply chain (with compensation) Biodiversity 2025 Royal Lemkes is 100% climate neutral (scopes 1, 2 and 3) with minimal compensation All suppliers have calculated OEFs (FloriPEFCR proof) and reduction plans CO2-emission reduction Abbreviations: PEF: Product Environmental Footprint OEF: Organisational Environmental Footprint RL: Royal Lemkes Flori PEFCR: Flori Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules throughout the entire supply chain, from cultivation to transport and resource usage Climate Absorption and capture of CO2 , development of resilient plants and protection of genetic diversity Working and living environments Working conditions emissions Number of plants supplied per year
Natural resources WASTE STREAMS ROYAL LEMKES PER KILOGRAM 100 20 40 60 80 0 2020 2021 Cardboard and paper Foil 2022 2023 Residual waste PACKAGING STRATEGY ROADMAP Cultivation pot 100% circular and compostable 2022 20% plastic reduction 2023 30% plastic reduction 2025 50% plastic reduction Tray 90% PS or cardboard Cultivation pot 0% carbon black Complete registration of all packaging material Launch FSC-certified decoration materials Tray 100% circular and reusable 0% plastic and 100% mono materials Tray 100% PS or cardboard Cultivation pot 80% PCR and 100% recyclable 2030 Positive plants Tray 100% returnable Cultivation pot 100% circular Plant label 0% plastic Sleeve mono material and no print 100% FSC or PEFC Sleeve and seal 100% circular material and 0% virgin 100% 100% of our packaging material is registered Abbrevations: PS: Polystyrene FSC: Forest Stewardship Council PEFC: Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification PCR: Post-consumer recycled material 100% circular, reusable, recyclable Plant label Alternative 36
SUBSTRATE STRATEGY ROADMAP 95-100% alternatives used for growing media 2022 Communicate substrate strategy Baseline measurement Share knowledge Analysis and define action plan with suppliers 2023 2025 100% substrates with responsible production certifications 50% peat with RPP (Responsibly Produced Peat) certification 50% alternatives used for growing media 2030 Positive plants 100% peat with RPP certification 75% alternatives used for growing media Substrate Substrate can include peat, coir, rock wool, gravel and sand. Peat is a finite resource and emits high levels of CO2 during extraction and processing. Peat extraction also has a detrimental impact on biodiversity. In collaboration with Kingfisher, we have embarked on a programme to offer a peat-free range of indoor and garden plants by 1 January 2026. Other customers also have targets for a peat-free range. Many growers are conducting trials with peat-free cultivation, and some have already introduced this in practice.
Sustainable growth of our people Past Present 38
Our conduct Our culture is shaped by our norms and core values Togetherness Connections are the most important ingredients of a good partnership Leadership We are proactive, take the initiative and dare to try new things Result oriented What we do must be efficient and effective Reliability Craftsmanship We know our business and believe in constantly developing our expertise We are honest and transparent, and we keep our promises Customer engagement We want to understand our customers and seek solutions and opportunities together Together with industry peers, Royal Lemkes has drawn up a code of conduct for the floriculture sector. This contains 12 guiding principles for sustainable and responsible conduct and cooperation. Our code of conduct
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES 267 134 men 50.19% 133 women 49.81% This year we welcomed 30 new colleagues 30 10 MOVED TO A DIFFERENT POSITION 2023 22 ADVANCED TO A HIGHER POSITION 13 women 48.15% 14 men 51.85% 27 EMPLOYEES IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS women 42.81 men 45.11 AVERAGE AGE OF ALL EMPLOYEES 43.96 Diversity 13 nationalities 40
Vitality SICKNESS ABSENTEEISM 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 4.85% 3.65% 3.68% 3.66% 3.02% NUMBER OF YEARS IN EMPLOYMENT 143 52 51 21 1-5 years 5-10 years 10-15 years 15+ years Personal growth NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS PER COURSE/ WORKSHOP AT THE PLANTIFY ACADEMY 12 employees Management Development Programme 37 employees Indoor plant course 27 employees Negotiation skills 5 employees Pizza with Covey 27 employees Knowledge session legal HR tips for managers 27 employees Sickness absence knowledge session for managers Our employees can take unlimited online courses through GoodHabitz
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Sustainable growth of our business Past Present Future 44
Financial results Past 2023 marked another challenging year for Royal Lemkes. Instead of the hoped-for growth, our revenue dropped slightly due to the difficult market conditions experienced by several of our customers. We ended the year with a revenue of more than €275 million. By looking closely at our cost pattern, we managed to achieve operational efficiencies. Thanks to the efforts of our employees, new IT applications and the use of robotics, our operational processes have become much more efficient. Present Overall, we ended 2023 with a positive result and maintained solvency. The final figures will be published through the usual channels later this year. Future Our expectation is that revenue will pick up again in 2024. We will also continue full steam ahead with process optimisation throughout the organisation and supply chain. Royal Lemkes has a solid financial foundation. Through continuous improvement, innovation and investment, we will remain fit for the future. Revenue development 100 150 200 250 300 350 50 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 We closed the year with a positive result, continuing a trend that has remained stable for many years. €288 €288 €249 €249 €222 €265 €309 €307 €275 Net revenue in € million
Team Operations ASH - IKEA Past Present Many deliveries arrived at the same time, with peak loads on Tuesdays. More than 250 flexible employees manually processed incoming deliveries and distribution.. Phased deliveries with windows for suppliers and carriers. The Argos scanning system now automatically processes 60% of incoming trolleys. Royal Lemkes’ stateof-the-art distribution process with Lowpads greatly improves the quality and efficiency of day trade. Future We will continue to embrace automation and AI to enhance efficiency and serve our customers even better. 46
Operations To stay ahead of the curve and continuously improve our services, we consistently invest in technology. Our strategy is underpinned by three spearheads. 1. Optimally efficient operations so that we can deliver our plants at the lowest possible cost. 2. Straightforward ordering and delivery processes. 3. Data-driven advice on the product range and the supply chain. Robotics Robotics are now an integral part of our operational processes. The Argos system that processes incoming trolleys and the Lowpads that automatically transport the Danish trolleys became fully operational in 2023. Watch the video on robotics
Past Present Our ERP system was created in 2002, and we rolled out our BI system in 2005. Automatic order processing and vendor managed replenishment (VMR) were at the core of our business. Our ERP system has been largely converted to the new GS Next, which was developed in-house with the OutSystems low-code platform. BI has shifted from performance indicators to predictive analyses to identify future trends and patterns. Future By employing modern technologies, such as AI, mathematical optimisation software and lowcode software development, we can improve our efficiency and flexibility and optimise our operations. 48
Digital Business intelligence Reliable forecasting makes our processes more efficient. But seasonal peaks and external factors such as the weather make it difficult for the floriculture sector to make truly accurate forecasts. BI provides the solution. Royal Lemkes has a lot of historical information at its disposal, but translating this huge amount of valuable data to create useful business insights is a genuine skill. Diver, our BI platform, does this by generating reports for buyers and account managers as well as suppliers and customers. With all information available in a single system, we can assess performance data across the entire chain. This allows both ourselves and our partners to identify areas where greater efficiency may be achieved. Thanks to BI, we can keep pursuing sustainable growth together. ERP system We always strive to optimise performance, scalability and flexibility to benefit our retail partners. Every efficiency step we take with technology translates into a competitive edge for our customers. One way we have added value is by developing our own ERP system, GS Next. The system automates and connects business processes both inside and outside our organisation. By developing GS Next in-house with the OutSystems lowcode platform, we can continue to respond flexibly to customer requirements. Artificial intelligence In 2024, we are intensifying our focus on technology. In addition to investing in IT, BI and robotics, we are also exploring what AI can do for our business model. It is still unclear what the long-term impact of AI will be, but it is patently clear that the world will change rapidly as a result of this technology. Watch the video on BI for Jumbo
Supervisory board Past Royal Lemkes has a rich history deeply rooted in the beautiful horticulture industry and is a leading player in the European floriculture sector. The supervisory board (SB) plays a crucial role in shaping the company’s policies and strategies. Its primary focus is on driving growth and navigating industry challenges such as fluctuating market trends and changing consumer preferences. Present In addition to its supervisory role, the SB fosters innovation and supports Royal Lemkes and the other PPE companies in forging strategic partnerships. Key themes include digitalisation, sustainability and the transition to a greener economy, all of which aim to strengthen PPE’s position within the European market. Future The SB’s role will continue to evolve in the direction of sustainability and social responsibility. This will go hand in hand with driving technological advances and exploring new markets and business models. Additionally, the SB will carry on playing an important part in safeguarding business ethics and supporting initiatives for a more sustainable and inclusive green sector. With this forward-looking approach, Royal Lemkes aims to consolidate and expand its leadership position within the industry. www.plantifypartnerseurope.eu An Vander Aa - CEO Floréac Peter Van Hoye Heleen van Gulik Cees van der Meij - Director and shareholder Royal Lemkes Thomas Heerkens Huib Kranendonk - CEO Royal Lemkes 50
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