Bloomon

Bloomon operates as an online florist, reshaping the traditional flower industry by shortening the supply chain. Founded in Amsterdam in 2014 by Patrick Hurenkamp, Bart Troost, and Koen Thijssen, the company sources flowers directly from growers, bypassing auctions and wholesalers. This direct-to-consumer model ensures that floral arrangements are delivered fresh to the customer's door, often within 24 hours.

The founding team combined diverse expertise to launch the venture. Patrick Hurenkamp, who has family in the flower-growing business, brought commercial and brand-building skills. Bart Troost contributed a background in finance and supply chain management from his time at The Boston Consulting Group. Koen Thijssen added experience from investment banking and working with Rocket Internet, which provided insights into the e-commerce subscription model, similar to HelloFresh. The idea originated from conversations about the complexity of the flower industry and the realization that its perishable nature was well-suited for a subscription service. Initially, the business model focused heavily on flower subscriptions, where customers would receive unique, seasonal bouquets on a recurring basis. In 2020, Bloomon expanded its strategy to become a broader online florist, introducing a 'floral shop' for one-time purchases of fresh and dried flower arrangements alongside its subscription service.

The company experienced rapid growth, securing its first funding round of approximately €3.5 million in 2015, followed by a Series B round of €21 million in 2017. By April 2021, Bloomon was acquired by its UK-based competitor, Bloom & Wild, for an undisclosed sum, creating the largest online flower delivery company in Europe. Following the acquisition, the founders took on new roles within the expanded group, with Bart Troost becoming Chief International Officer and Patrick Hurenkamp becoming Chief Innovation Officer. The combined entity is active in eight countries and was projected to exceed 8 million deliveries in 2021 with revenues north of £200 million. Bloomon continues to operate under its own brand name and is now part of the Bloom and Wild Group, which is B Corp certified and has operated as a climate-neutral business.

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