" We have been in China for 40 year , and we conceive that there are many year to follow , " says Jan de Wit from Jan de Wit en Zonen B.V. This Dutch company specialize in the export , preparedness , and cultivation of bloom bulbs . Mostly tulips and lily bulbs , but also other flower bulb such as hyacinth , iris , and hippeastrum . In this clause , he gives an overview of the way in which the troupe and the Chinese bloom market developed over the course of time .
How it all beganAs indicated by the company name , Jan de Wit en Zonen B.V. is a true family occupation . In 1922 , Jan de Wit , his 7 sons ( zonen ) , and 9 cousins establish the business . Today , it ’s run by the fourth generation . And in the meantime the company has get in the Chinese marketplace .
Jan tell us how this story began in 1984 , saying : " It all started with a request from Hebei University in Shijiazhuang which requested tulips via Sluis en Groot ( now Syngenta ) . The tulips were grow by Mr. Li Zhanren in the Taihang Shan . My father , Arie , always looked out for raw markets .
Communication was through letters direct by airpost , translated by the proprietor of our local Chinese restaurant in Enkhuizen , the Netherlands . It accept at least 6 calendar week to receive a response . Our first visit to China was in 1988 . By 1996 , we were supplying tulip for the China Tulip Festival across 12 parks in China . Now in 2024 , our tulips can be find in many Taiwanese cities . "
ChangeJan manoeuver out that China and the Chinese flower market place considerably change over the years . " Every time that we visited China , the country looked completely different . I still remember the first time : highways were missing , and there were many construction sites . today , main road and high building are everywhere , it ’s utterly amazing . "
He also find that the flower market changed a lot : " An obvious alteration is that demand has shift from carmine and jaundiced tulips to ping and white tulips . The young generation prefer soft color . We present the pink Double Surprise as the first twice oriental in China and the world . Since 2021 , our tulip cut blossom production program runs from December to May , expanding beyond the Chinese New Year . In 2002 , we successfully introduced the oriental lily Siberia and Sorbonne in China . The land area was large , price devolve , and it was an inst success . "
He adds that influencers and social media platforms ( such as WeChat and TikTok ) have an increasingly crucial purpose in the flowered business .
RelationshipsThroughout the years , Jan also take that it ’s important to make up tending to human relationship and when doing business in China . " China is a very huge grocery but also a complicated market . In this country , family relationship are very important . We have been doing business with many partners for decades , always with a longsighted - term focus . "
" We are looking ahead to having more cooperation and employment with our Chinese friends . Currently , my boy is also get word Chinese in Shanghaij , " he conclude .
For more information : Jan de Wit en Zonen B.V.+31 ( 0)228 312571[email protected]www.jandewitenzonen.com
