The Dutch online flower delivery service bloomon has successfully raised €21.4 million in Series B financing, bringing the total investment to €25.5 million in two years. The financing was led by Benelux venture capital firm Fortino Capital; INKEF Capital, Partech Ventures, and bloomon’s angel investors also participated in the round.
Strategically positioned in the Netherlands, the heart of the world’s largest flower export industry, online flower delivery service bloomon launched in Amsterdam in November 2014. Disrupting the traditional grower-auction-wholesaler-store supply chain, they deliver fresh flowers directly from the grower to the customer. Their innovative approach – 80% shorter supply chain than that of the traditional florist – ensures exceptionally fresh, long-lasting flowers of outstanding quality.
Duco Sickinghe, the founder of Fortino Capital stated: “The digitally native bloomon brand, with deep vertical integration and a strong focus on the tech platform, is taking flower delivery to the next level. With a founder team that has serious ambitions to go global and a company culture where diversity is highly valued, it’s a perfect match for Fortino Capital.”
A leading player in its segment, bloomon currently operates in 5 countries in Europe: the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and the UK. The global flower retail market is estimated at more than €50 billion, of which Europe accounts for more than €20 billlion.
Patrick Hurenkamp, the founder of bloomon said: “With our latest round of financing, we plan to invest in growth in countries we’re currently active in as well as our high-tech IT platform. Then we are keen to expand into new markets. We’re growing fast and thinking global.”