Important Changes
Please take the time to review these details, as this affects every part of the webshop.
Even if you don’t currently buy from Flowers Holland, you’re likely to see positive knock-on effects across the webshop.
What’s changing?
From 1st May 2026, our products from ‘Flowers Holland’ will be sold in their unit (bucket or box quantity), rather than their smaller bunch quantities.
What does this mean in real terms?
For some products you’ll see no change:
e.g. a box of:
- 16 x Vanda orchids
- 12 x Previa Anthuriums
However, most flowers will be in larger bucket quantities.
e.g. Buckets of:
- 40 x 70cm Avalanche Rose Meijer (4 bunches of 10 stems in one bucket)
- 30 x 90cm Oriental Table Dancer Lilies (3 bunches of 10 stems in one bucket)
- 100 x 40cm Anemone Mistral White (2 bunches of 50 stems in one bucket)
The exact amount you’ll need to buy will vary depending on the flower and its size
e.g. Eustoma | Lisianthus would be sold:
- Lugt Eustoma Double Alissa White x 50 (the amount in one bucket)
- Waalzicht Lisianthus Premium Selection Eustoma Double Alissa Pure White Extra x 40 (the amount in one bucket)
- Big Sun Eustoma Double Alissa Pure White Extra x 30 (the amount in one bucket)
Whilst they’re the same flower, different growers have Eustoma with different flower head sizes and/or different stem sizes. Therefore, the quantity that they can put into a bucket will change.
The Pros & Cons
At Westflor we always put you first and have really considered how this change will impact you and your business.
We’re confident the pros far outweigh the cons.
We have also added new features and are making other positive changes to navigate any potential disadvantages these changes may cause.
The Pros
- Far greater range available from ‘Flowers London’
Tell me more
The quantity and selection of daily fresh flowers and foliage available from ‘Flowers London’ will be significantly greater.
We appreciate most of our customers will not want to buy the larger quantities now required when shopping with ‘Flowers Holland’. As such we will be carrying a far larger range in greater quantities in our ‘Flowers London’ webshop.
- Far greater range available from ‘Flowers Holland’
Tell me more
Previously, due to logistics, our customers only got to see a small amount of the flowers available from our Dutch partners in the ‘Flowers Holland’ section.
Now the ‘Flowers Holland’ webshop will showcase the full range of products available. Just as our buyers at Westflor have always been able to do!
Having products sold in their unit quantity (Whether that’s a bucket or a box) means that the orders can be allocated quickly and seamlessly, removing the previous logistical barriers.
- Better Prices
Tell me more
Because there will be considerably less handling of the flowers in Holland the time needed to allocate them to orders is a fraction of what it was. Therefore, the cost of those flowers is less, and we are delighted to pass on those savings to you.
There is also no longer any need for flowers and foliage to be placed in cardboard boxes that we are charged for.
- Less damage
Tell me more
No longer will there be any double handling. Previously the smaller quantities were being picked from the ‘Flowers Holland’ stock from their chiller, placed on a trolley, before being transferred to the packing area and placed into the cardboard boxes by our buying partners in Holland. Whilst great care was taken at every stage, occasionally, this additional handling may have resulted in a bruised head or broken stem.
As they handled and completed your order, we were also removed from the process and didn’t see any potential damaged materials.
However, now we will be seeing your orders. If we spot any issues, we can immediately rectify it, whether that’s replacing it with the exact same item from our own stock, or contacting you immediately.
- Greater order accuracy
Tell me more
As our buying partners in Holland handled and completed your ‘Flowers Holland’ order, we were removed from the process and therefore didn’t necessarily see any inaccuracies in your order.
However, now the likelihood of any manual errors is almost entirely removed. Coupled with the fact that we will be seeing your orders. We can spot any issues and immediately rectify them.
- More sustainable
Tell me more
Your orders from ‘Flowers Holland’ were previously placed into larger cardboard boxes. Whilst we’re confident you recycled them, the new system is far more sustainable removing the need for any cardboard boxes entirely (except for flowers that arrive in boxes, e.g. gerbera, orchids, anthuriums etc.)
We’ll have flowers arrive in the Dutch flower buckets and delivered in our usual crates. Both the crates and buckets are constantly reused, last for decades, and are carefully tracked to ensure none go astray.
- Improved Pre-Order section
Tell me more
For many, our Pre-Order section has always been a hidden treasure and untapped resource, whilst other florists love and use it constantly.
It’s a way for florists to select whatever products they want, we then fulfil the orders from suppliers (whether that’s growers and importers directly, or through the auction system).
Because we take care of the ordering, smaller quantities are available.
Extended hours
However, we’re pleased to share that we are now extending the opening hours of our ‘Pre-order’ to 2am. With just one day’s lead time – please see the illustration below.
Also remember all buying times are HERE for your reference at any time.
- You place your order
- We collate it and arrange buying directly from trusted growers or at one of the three flower auctions
- Your orders along with all the flowers arrive at the central hub in Holland where it’s allocated as part of our Westflor order
- Delivery to Westflor in specialist temperature controlled transport (via the quickest route through the channel tunnel)
- Your flowers arrive with us (late night or early morning)
- Once unloaded we process your order (collating it with other orders you’ve placed including plants and sundries)
- We deliver to you (if this is your preferred option). After our transport manager has everything organised our trusted drivers leave from 5am on their delivery routes.
- Your flowers arrive with you usually by 8am almost always by 9am.
The Cons
- Having to buy larger quantities.
We understand for florists that love to buy from ‘Flowers Holland’ this may be no small issue. However, we feel we’ve found ways to stop this being a problem…
Ways to ease having to buy larger quantities:
Greater range available from Flower London
As mentioned, ‘Flowers London’ will be carrying considerably larger stock levels (whilst stocks last). As always, you can view what’s available 24/7 with all the products being added before the webshop opens at 2pm.
We only ever stock the freshest flower and foliage, our stock levels rotate very quickly, and our efficient processes ensure no flower is sold that doesn’t meet our high standards. This is why our ‘must go’ items are only ever available to buy for 12 hours.
Improved Pre-order Section with NEW FEATURES
For many our Pre-Order section has always been a hidden treasure and untapped resource, whilst other florists love and use it constantly.
It’s a way for florists to select whatever products they want, we then fulfil the orders from suppliers (whether that’s growers and importers directly, or through the auction system).
Because we take care of the ordering, smaller quantities are available.
We’re still proud to categorically guarantee that any pre-ordered flowers will never be a higher price than the exact same product on the same day from Flowers London, that’s a promise.
NEW – Extended Pre-Order Hours
We’re pleased to share that we are now extending the opening hours of our ‘Pre-order’ to 2am.
NEW – ‘ *I’d also like… ’ feature
This is a way for you to easily ask us for a specific product that you need but may not see in the ‘Pre-order’ section. It could be a specific garden rose, a white protea, or a vanda orchid. Clicking on *I’d also like… enables you to add a remark specifying what you need so we can buy it for you.
Why?
At Westflor we constantly review our processes to see where improvements can be made. After much consideration we think the time is now right to make this switch.
Westflor has grown considerably year-on-year.
Westflor now has more customers, in a wider area, placing larger orders, more frequently.
This means the quantity of flowers that we buy in fresh from Holland every day has grown considerably and we’re confident that making this switch will benefit all customers as we carry a wider range and more stock.
Fresher Flowers
The new process will offer far greater efficiency and ensure that flowers are 24 hours fresher as ‘Flowers Holland’ orders are placed directly with growers, importers, or buying from the auction. Another advantage is that you will see a far greater selection too.
Tell me more
The logistical process of our buying partners in Holland having to collect the small quantities of flowers for each customer’s order meant they could only offer stock they had in their chiller ready to be picked. There was not the time available to process the flowers that were coming in to them from the grower, importers, or auctions before they needed to leave Holland and head to us.
Westflor has always been able to order the stock coming in that morning before it’s placed onto transport to leave within a matter of hours, because we bought in the larger quantities.
Better Pre-Ordering
We truly believe that our pre-ordering system, which enable florists to order 3 weeks in advance and up to 2am the day the order leaves Holland is excellent.
If you’ve skimmed past the information above click here to read it. We also have a myth busting section you can view here.
The bottom line is, we see you as a partner, and we’ll never take advantage of your ordering early, that’s a promise.
Greater efficiency
We constantly make improvements to provide the best service for you, our customers.
This has led to exceptional coordination and efficiency in our near 24-hour operations.
We’ve created a system of near flawless synchronisation. Our team with their meticulous attention to detail have benefited from our investment in technology.
In short, our order processing is a well-oiled machine. It’s a hive of perfectly harmonious activity which sees customer orders picked, carefully packed and ready for drivers to load the fleet of vans way before 5am.
Whilst we’ve been recognised with industry awards year after year, we feel our most impressive achievement is our consistent excellence in day-to-day operations, ensuring unparalleled, friendly, customer service.
In conclusion
As we said at the beginning of this article, we always put you first and have really considered how this change will impact you and your business. However, we are confident that the pros hugely outweigh any cons.
Whilst we continue to grow year-on-year we remain, at our core, a family business committed to providing top-quality products at the best value.
We hope you agree that our team ensures that every customer receives a warm welcome, a genuine smile, and as much support as they need, whether that’s in person, or via email, phone, WhatsApp, or social media messages.
We’re proud to be one of a few truly independent flower, plant and sundries wholesalers in the UK and will always support professional florists and the wider industry.
As is always the case, if you have any questions, or would like to chat with us about anything we have shared please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
