Dutch start-up bloomon has raised USD23 million (EUR21.4 million) in Series B financing, bringing the total investment to USD27.4 million (EUR25.5 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.
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, it delivers fresh flowers directly from the grower to the customer. This approach – 80 per cent shorter supply chain than that of the traditional florist – ensures fresh, long-lasting flowers.
“bloomon is the first company to build an international consumer brand in the flower market, with a clear signature style. The quality of the flowers, thanks to their unique direct sourcing from more than 400 growers, responds to international customer needs. The digitally native 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,” says Duco Sickinghe, founder of Fortino Capital.
bloomon currently operates in five countries in Europe: the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and the UK. The global flower retail market is estimated at more than EUR50 billion, of which Europe is more than EUR20 billion.
“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,” says Patrick Hurenkamp, founder of bloomon.
