menu

Webshop login



Register Demo

The WBE timeline

1977

It all started in 1977, the beginning of Westland Bloemen Export. Together with some of our oldest employees and family members, we were able to put the beginning of WBE on paper. This way, we would like to tell you more about the history, the current situation, and the growth of WBE. 

Back in time to 1977, when Jaap & Ien Beets started Westland Bloemen Export to buy flowers for a German customer. Hence the name Westland Bloemen Export. In the beginning, WBE was not as big as it is now. Jaap, Ien, a few salesmen from A. de Boer and a few part-timers were employed. Later on, more colleagues joined the company, including current colleague Gerard Heemskerk.

Jaap's first foliage purchase was Asparagus from the Netherlands. Not much later, leather leaf fern from Florida was added. Other products such as Chico, Sword Fern and Palmetto quickly followed. These types of foliage were sold in small numbers, but this grew over the years. A few years later, there was an article in a magazine with Beargrass. A container of it was ordered, which was sold out in no time, and that is how it all started. At almost the same time, leather leaf fern from Costa Rica came on the market, which took a large share of the market in a very short time. The time when WBE no longer sold flowers but only foliage had come!

WBE grew over the years. This meant that new branches, colleagues and products were added. To grow into the company it is today.

Today, Peter Baak and Jacqueline Beets are at the head of WBE. Together, they make sure that the norms and values of Jaap & Ien are still prevalent within WBE.

Take a look inside WBE