Van Belle Nursery wins two International Grower of the Year awards

ABBOTSFORD, B.C.  – Van Belle Nursery, Inc. takes home Gold in Young Plants and Silver in Finished Plants categories at the 2018 International Grower of the Year (IGOTY) Awards, hosted by The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in Essen, Germany. The annual ceremony takes place during IPM Essen, touted as the world’s leading trade fair for horticulture.

The stage has recognized exceptional achievement in the horticultural industry since 2009 and Van Belle Nursery is the first company to win for multiple categories in a single year.

“We are truly honored to win these awards despite fierce competition from very deserving nominees,” said company president Dave Van Belle. “It’s a humbling experience, and I have to say that we couldn’t have done it without the dedication of our incredible team.”

The British Columbia based wholesale grower and propagator of ornamental plants was among eight other finalists from The Netherlands, Columbia, Israel, and China. Van Belle earning the title of Canadian Grower of the Year in 2016 created the opportunity to enter IGOTY 2018, and the company's focus in both young plants and finished plants led to each nomination for which they were recognized.

Ter Laak Orchids, a grower based in The Netherlands, was crowned the AIPH International Grower of the Year for 2018.

The Ter Laak Orchids family business has been growing Phalaenopsis plants since 1980. In that time, the business has developed into a respected partner for many customers around the world. Their clients appreciate the results-oriented approach and typical Dutch trading mentality. In everything they do, they are guided by their core values: demonstrating ambition, respecting people and the environment and doing business in a straightforward way.

The jury praised the company for being “A fast growing international business with a strong clear focus on their people and sustainable production.  A truly outstanding company.”

The winners of each category are listed below:

Cut Flowers
GOLD – JUB Holland (Jac. Uittenbogaard & Zonen BV). – The Netherlands
SILVER – AYURÁ SAS Pride / Eclipse Flowers – Colombia
BRONZE – Saidi-Ronen – Israel
4th Place – Holla Roses – The Netherlands / Ethiopia

Young Plants
GOLD – Van Belle Nursery Inc. – Canada
SILVER – Yunnan YinMore Flower Industry Co., Ltd. – China

Finished Plants and Trees
GOLD – Ter Laak Orchids – The Netherlands
SILVER – Van Belle Nursery Inc. – Canada
BRONZE – Yunnan Weijunkai Garden Engineering Co., Ltd. – China

Sustainability
WINNER – Ter Laak Orchids – The Netherlands

Inspiring Business
WINNER – Kwekerij van Wijgerden – The Netherlands

Click here to learn more about the awards and finalists.