Royal Lemkes has a green heart

ABOUT ROYAL LEMKES

Plants Service Partner

At Royal Lemkes, we are green at heart and genuinely believe in plants. We started out in 1882 as a nursery and have since grown into one of the leading plant service partners for large retailers in Europe: garden centres, DIY stores, supermarkets and home furnishing outlets in 34 countries.

We source the right plants from our growers and ensure that the range and presentation are seamlessly matched to consumers’ wishes and the latest trends. Our data-driven approach means that we always succeed in delivering our plants on time, as agreed and at the lowest supply chain costs.

View our services here
OUR POSITIONING

What do we stand for ?

  • Our roots: Royal Lemkes has a green heart.
  • Our vision: We believe in plants. Plants are a beautiful and healthy addition to our lives, strengthen our customers’ businesses and make a sustainable contribution to a greener world.
  • Our mission: In everything we do, we strive for the sustainable growth of our people, our relationships, our common business and the world we live in.

We have encapsulated these attributes in a brand new concept: Let’s plantify® the future. Together. Plantify® – what does that mean? It means creating a better life, stronger businesses and a healthier, green world with plants.

Find out more about our mission
OUR VISION

We believe in plants

We probably don’t need to explain to you how important plants are. They absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and provide the oxygen we breathe. They filter the air and increase biodiversity. They are calming. And, not least of all, they are incredibly beautiful.

Plants create a greener world, both literally and figuratively. We should not underestimate the significance of this: we have the Earth on loan from our children and grandchildren and future generations. But there is another reason why we believe in plants.

For the large retailers we are proud to count among our customers, plants are an important way of setting themselves apart from the competition and increasing returns.

OUR MISSION

We strive for sustainable growth

  • Of our people. We believe that people make the difference and are proud of our employee’s passion and expertise. We help them develop their skills and qualities.
  • Of our relationships. We build long-term partnerships with customers and suppliers to achieve sustainable growth for them and for us.
  • Of our business. We believe that as our people grow, our business naturally grows too.
  • Of our world. We want to actively contribute to a greener and more equal world.
Find out more about our mission

Royal Lemkes
in figures

  • Million revenue
    288
  • Countries across Europe
    34
  • Stores
    3900
  • Employees
    261
  • Customers
    14
1882
H.J. Lemkes start kwekerij

START OF OUR NURSERY

In 1882, after finishing training as a horticulturist at Het Loo Palace, H.J. Lemkes founds his family nursery in Alphen aan den Rijn.

1925
START OF WHOLESALE NURSERY

START OF WHOLESALE NURSERY

The company evolves to a wholesale nursery.
The first shipment of our products by train also takes place in this year.

1933
FERNS AND HYDRANGEAS

FERNS AND HYDRANGEAS

Lemkes starts to grow and export ferns and hydrangeas.

1982
100th ANNIVERSARY

100th ANNIVERSARY

In honour of the company’s 100th anniversary, it is awarded the Royal title.

1998
FROM NURSERY TO LOGISTICS SERVICE PARTNER

FROM NURSERY TO LOGISTICS SERVICE PARTNER

The company transforms from a nursery to a logistics service partner, thereby serving as a link between growers and large-scale retailers.
Royal Lemkes moves into the new premises in Bleiswijk.

2007
ACQUISITION BY CEES VAN DER MEIJ

ACQUISITION BY CEES VAN DER MEIJ

Cees van der Meij acquires the company and the Royal Lemkes Group is born.

2012
LARGEST SOLAR PANEL ROOF IN THE NETHERLANDS

LARGEST SOLAR PANEL ROOF IN THE NETHERLANDS

Royal Lemkes starts to make its business more sustainable and installs the then largest solar panel roof in the Netherlands.

2018
HORTICULTURE ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

HORTICULTURE ENTREPRENEUR AWARD

The prestigious Horticulture Entrepreneur Award is awarded to Royal Lemkes for its role as an ambassador in the horticulture sector.

Royal Lemkes Foundation

Sharing is multiplying

As we have the Earth on loan from future generations, we want to take care of it to the best of our ability. With that in mind, we launched the Royal Lemkes Foundation in 2017, a foundation dedicated to creating a more social and greener society.

Our aim is to improve the living environment and working conditions at home and abroad. We do this by making our knowledge of agriculture and horticulture available free of charge and, for instance, by granting microcredits.

Find out more about the Royal Lemkes Foundation

Green Sparkle

Stewardship

Royal Lemkes is part of Green Sparkle, the family stewardship fund of our owner Cees van der Meij. Green Sparkle is an incubator for sustainable entrepreneurs and creative minds who want to do things differently and make a positive difference based on three important core values: Growing Green, Growing Talent and Growing Change. Doing business sustainably, growing together and creating a better world together.

More information