Rosa Plaza Has Marked 50 Years of Global Flower Production
The international grower has expanded its operations with a new processing facility in the Netherlands.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Organic Food
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Rosa Plaza has celebrated its 50th anniversary, including two decades of large-scale flower cultivation in Ethiopia. The company has also expanded its infrastructure with a new, temperature-controlled processing facility at the Royal FloraHolland site in Aalsmeer.
Why it matters
The company’s integration of high-altitude Ethiopian farming with centralized Dutch processing improves distribution efficiency. These advancements ensure the company can continue managing its substantial production volume while maintaining specialized infrastructure.
Rosa Plaza now manages 50 hectares of farmland across two Ethiopian sites, supporting a workforce of 1,500 people. This operational footprint represents a significant scale-up from the company's start as a family-run nursery in 1976.
The players
Rosa Plaza
An international producer of roses and alstroemeria that maintains farms in Ethiopia.
Wim Ammerlaan Sr.
A leader who helped guide the company's growth over the past five decades.
Emiel Ammerlaan
A company leader who has overseen production since taking over the family nursery in 1976.
Royal FloraHolland
A major floral auction site in the Netherlands that hosts processing and trading facilities.
The details
Rosa Plaza leverages the high altitude of its farms in Ziway and Bishoftu to grow roses and alstroemeria without the need for energy-intensive heating. The newly opened facility at the Royal FloraHolland auction site in Aalsmeer utilizes precise temperature controls to optimize the processing and trading of these flowers. To support its local workforce, the company maintains on-site medical clinics at both farms and provides all employees with comprehensive medical coverage and daily healthy meals.
Timeline
Wim and Emiel Ammerlaan took over the family nursery in 1976.
Rosa Plaza began its Ethiopian rose production operations in 2006.
The new processing facility in Aalsmeer opened in the summer of 2026.
Health Landscape
The global floral industry has increasingly shifted toward centralized trade hubs like Royal FloraHolland to manage logistics and quality control. This consolidation reflects a broader trend of integrating high-altitude regional farming with advanced temperature-controlled processing.
For consumers interested in the supply chain of their floral purchases, the expansion of standardized processing facilities may improve overall product quality and freshness. If you have concerns about the use of chemicals or environmental practices in flower production, it is worth discussing these standards with your local floral retailer.
The takeaway
Rosa Plaza's expansion highlights how large-scale agricultural operations can balance global production efficiency with dedicated employee wellness programs. When purchasing flowers, consumers can ask retailers about the origins of their bouquets and the labor practices supported by the supplier.
Further reading
For more on the industry standards for sustainable and health-conscious agricultural practices, see our Organic Food section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Floraldaily.
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