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Summary of our market study
French horticultural and nursery market estimated at €1.8 billion
The global market for horticulture, flowers and ornamental plants was valued at $50.28 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% to reach $92.62 billion in 2031.
In Europe, the horticultural market is expected to grow by 7.7% in 2021. The Netherlands leads European production with 31% of the value in 2021, while France ranks fifth with 10%.
The landscape sector, a major customer for horticulturalists, is expected to post sales of 7.7 billion euros in 2022, driven by the boom in demand for green spaces post-Covid-19.
Consumer prices for horticultural products rose by 16.59% between 2019 and 2023.
Horticultural demand in France
The French horticultural market reveals a preference for local and regional sales, with private individuals accounting for 60.2% of customers including direct sales.
In 2022, 73% of French households bought at least one plant, and despite the impact of Covid-19, which led to the loss of 3,600 jobs in the industry and a 17% drop in sales from March to June 2020, we are seeing a recovery in consumer appeal.
The market grew by 14% in 2021. Sales by horticultural and nursery companies total 1.8 billion euros. French imports will amount to €1.142 billion and exports to €95 million in 2022.
The number of horticulturists fell by more than 50% between 2013 and 2022. Employment in the sector has also fallen by around 31%.
More than half of all households buy at least one outdoor plant every year. However, both the average budget and the quantity of plants purchased by households have declined.
People over 65 make a significant contribution to the sector's revenues, with their spending accounting for almost 44% of total horticultural expenditure.
Seasonality plays a key role in horticultural purchases, with consumer activity accelerating in spring, April and May, and then in October, often associated with cultural traditions such as All Saints' Day.
Local authorities and businesses, although aware of the growing demand for greenery in urban spaces, devote a very small proportion of their budgets to creating or maintaining green spaces.
The market also reflects broader ecological trends, with young plants accounting for around 36% of sales in 2021, underlining a gradual shift in consumer preferences.
65% of garden center and grain store supplies are of French origin.
Horticultural market players
The horticultural market includes both individual companies and cooperatives.
- Val'Hor, the French interprofessional organization for horticulture, floristry and landscaping, organizes the activities of the various market players, establishing a framework for collaboration and development for the sector as a whole.
- François Horticulture, based in Saint-Alban-De-Montbel, is a leading name in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in the production of various ornamental plants and flowers.
- Renou Horticulture, based in Le Lude, Pays de la Loire, has distinguished itself with its regional horticultural offering.
- Cooperatives play an important role in giving small producers access to larger distribution networks. Fleuron d'Anjou is one such cooperative
- Teract (Ivivo retail): Jardiland ,Gamm Vert, Jardiland, garden center brands of the giant InVivo .
- Rungis: France's main market brings together a large number of wholesalers under one roof
- OOGarden online sales specialist
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of study
Horticulture is the art of maintaining gardens and green spaces. According to the Interprofession de l'Horticulture, de la Fleuristerie et du Paysage, horticulture refers to the production of ornamental plants: cut flowers and foliage, indoor and outdoor potted plants, bedding plants (annuals and biennials), perennials, aquatic plants, trees (including Christmas trees), shrubs and flower bulbs used for ornamental purposes.
Seeds, vegetable seedlings, forestry seedlings for reforestation, fruit seedlings for arboricultural and fruit production, vine seedlings for wine production, aromatic, medicinal and perfume plants not intended for ornamental production are excluded. However, certain fruit plants and vegetable plants are included in the horticultural sector because they are also produced by horticulturists.
There are two distinct modes of horticultural production: indoor and outdoor.
The world market for flowers and ornamental plants was valued at 50.28 billion in 2021 and should continue to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% between 2021 and 2031, reaching 92.62 billion.It ismainly developed in Western countriesand dominated by the United States. [Business Research Insights]
The European market is also booming, and dominated by the Netherlands (31% of European production value). France ranks 5th with 10% of production value. [FranceAgriMer]
France's horticultural sector comprises over 50,000 companies involved in production, distribution andlandscaping, reflecting a highly fragmented market. Horticulturists are the main players in the value chain, accounting for around 6% of companies in the sector[FranceAgriMer]. There is then a wide variety of distribution channels, from direct sales to wholesalers and retailers (such as garden centers and florists).
Purely horticultural sales in France (excluding sales of other agricultural products, garden center articles, etc.) are in constant decline over a 10-year period (-31%), before rising slightly between 2019 and 2021 (+14%) . This decline is the result of increased competition from imports and a reduction in the number of players in the sector. This brings it to 1,617 million excluding VAT in 2021 [FranceAgriMer]
In 2022, 73% of households bought at least one plant [Kantar pour Valhor] . Thishigh consumption of ornamental plants and vegetation by the French is one of the reasons for thecountry's largely negative trade balance, and therefore for increased competition from imports. In fact,its imports will amount to1,142 million in 2022, while its exports will total just 95 million euros. [FranceAgriMer]
The rate of purchasing households is fairly stable compared to previous years, but still below the pre-crisis level (76%)[Kantar pour Valhor]. Covid-19 has had a real impact on this sector, especially sincethe closure of shops during this spring and calendar holiday period represented a loss of 3,600 jobs for the horticultural sector [Ouest-France], and a 17% drop in growers' sales over the March-June 2020 period [Strategy&].
Horticulture should, however, benefit from the new consumer appeal triggered by containment. We should also continue to see the number of production companies shrink and e-commerce develop. As the "pleasure" segment par excellence, horticulture will naturally benefit from the boom in second homes and demographic change.
1.2 The global horticultural market
The global horticultural market can be linked to the market for flowers and ornamental plants. This was valued at $**.** billion in ****, and is expected to grow by *.*% between **** and ****, reaching $**.** billion.
World market for flowers and ornamental plants World, ****-****, in billions of US dollars Source: ****
The horticultural market is mainly ...
1.3 Horticultural market stabilizes after long years of decline
Between **** and ****, total sales for horticultural and nursery companies rose by **%. They will reach *.*** billion euros in **** .
However, by ****, the French horticultural sector will be hard hit by a decline in the number of growers, and its competitiveness will deteriorate. In ** years, due to strong competition, the number of French companies ...
1.4 Foreign trade in horticultural products
And in horticultural products
The high consumption of ornamental plants by the French is at the root of a largely negative trade balance for the country , with imports of *,*** million euros in **** and exports of just ** million euros. Thus, the trade balance has always been negative between **** and ****, rising from -***.* ...
1.5 Covid-19 has had a major impact on the horticultural sector
The industry was heavily impacted by Covid-** due to store closures. Florists were closed for the duration of the containment period, and garden centers were only allowed to sell animal products until April *. After April *, the sale of vegetable seedlings was permitted as a basic necessity. Finally, from April *, garden centers ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 The dynamism of landscapers, intermediate customers of horticulturists
There are three main types of customer for horticulturalists: landscapers (***), companies and local authorities, and private individuals .
In this section, we'll look at how demand from landscapers influences the market for horticulturalists.
The first thing to note is that the landscaping sector has been growing steadily since ****, and is therefore a ...
2.2 Local authorities and businesses find it difficult to direct their budgets towards the creation of green spaces
Local authorities and businesses can work directly with horticulturalists to purchase flowers and plants, particularly for occasional green-space maintenance needs that require less expertise than their creation.
According to the Palmarès des villes vertes ****, the number of m* of green spaces per inhabitant rose from ** m* to ** m* between **** and ...
2.3 The French buy more plants, but on a smaller budget
Trend in French spending on horticultural products
In ****, **% of households purchased at least one outdoor plant (***), down on recent years due to a decline in average quantities purchased and average budget per purchasing household.
Average basket of outdoor plants in volume and value per purchasing household France, ****-****, in units, in ...
2.4 Cyclical demand, largely dependent on the weather
The purchase of plants is highly seasonal, with a notable increase in purchases in April and May (***).
The summer months are less propitious for plant consumption, as households often leave their homes to go on vacation.
Purchasing calendar France, ****, in % of amounts spent Source: ****
2.5 Containment has led to renewed interest in horticulture
Covid-** had different impacts on each segment of demand for horticultural products.
For landscape gardeners, for example, who were unable to carry on their trade continuously during the containment period, the coronavirus led to a drop in sales, and therefore a fall in demand for plants. The gross sales index fell ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Horticultural value chain
Horticulturalists are at the start of the value chain, as they produce the finished plants they grow (***). Horticulturalists can either propagate the plants themselves or source them from specialized companies.
They then have multiple distribution channels at their disposal, with sales to wholesalers and direct sales to retailers, landscapers, local authorities ...
3.2 Fewer and fewer horticulturists
The number of horticultural companies has been falling steadily since ****(***).
Growth in the number of companies and employees in horticultural production France, ****-****, in units Source: ****
South of France
(***
(***
(***
**
(-**%
(+**% between **** and ****
Surface area cultivated by horticulturists France, ****-****, in thousands of hectares Source: ****
In ...
3.3 Distribution of horticultural products
There is a diversity of distribution channels in the sector. In ****, a large proportion of sales by horticultural producers will be made directly to private individuals(***).
If we take into account all the channels aimed directly at private individuals (***), we find that private individuals account for **.*% of horticultural product customers.
Breakdown ...
3.4 Mostly local distribution
French growers mainly sell locally and regionally. In fact, according to FranceAgriMer, horticultural sales are made in the following order:
Regional (***) ; locally (***) ; nationally (***); eU-wide; worldwide.
Furthermore, in ****, plants of French origin will account for **% of plant supplies in garden centers and grain stores. In addition, **% of these establishments offer products with ...
3.5 E-business opportunities for horticulture
Although the horticultural market is lagging behind in terms of digitalization, it is likely to turn increasingly to this mode of marketing, particularly in light of the lessons learned from the Covid-** crisis.
Today, the vast majority of garden center and horticultural chains are not involved in online sales, with the ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Different horticultural products
Sales of horticultural products are varied, with the following main categories:
Nursery plants : woody plants such as trees and shrubs. Potted plants. Bedding plants : plants used to make up flower beds (***). Cut flowers : flowers sold in bouquets or used to make garlands or other decorations. Perennials and aromatics: a perennial is ...
4.2 Consumer prices for horticultural products
Since ****, prices for garden, plant and flower products have been rising steadily(***).
This may in part explain why the average budget per purchasing household has seen full growth between **** and ****, as seen in part *.*.
consumer price trends for garden, plant and flower products France, ****-****, index base *** **** Source: ****
5 Regulations
5.1 Regulatory framework
Interprofessional agreement
VAL'HOR has been recognized by the French government since August **, **** as the French Interprofession for horticulture, floristry and landscaping. Recognition of Interprofessions is provided for by the French Rural Code - Article L***-*.
An interprofessional financing agreement had been concluded by Val'Hor members on March **, **** for a period ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Segmentation
- François Horticulture
- Samuel Penochet
- Le Fleuron d'Anjou
- Gamm Vert (Teract Groupe)
- Jardiland (Groupe Teract)
- Truffaut
- Pépinières Naudet
- Pépinières Ripaud
- Pépinières Lepage
- Pépinières Minier
- Pépinières Jean Huchet
- Pépinières Rouxel
- Pépinières Guillaume
- Pépinières Larnaud
- Pépinières de Kerzarc'h
- Pépinières de la Saulaie
- Pépinières et Roseraies Georges Delbard
- Pépinières du Val d'Erdre
- Pépinières du Val de Loire
- Pépinières Delabroye
- Pépinières Charentaises
- Cholat Pépinière
- Micropep Technologies
List of charts presented in this market study
- World market for flowers and ornamental plants
- European production of plants and flowers
- Breakdown of production value in 2021
- Total sales of horticultural and nursery companies
- Horticultural sales
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Latest news
Cholat Nurseries invests in an R&D center for its fruit treesCholat Nurseries invests in R&D - 19/09/2023
- The Cholat group is to invest 3 million euros in a research and development center due to open in September 2025.
- The company was founded in 1963. They plant 35,000 to 40,000 trees a year.
- Business is increasing by more than 10% a year.
- Half of their orders come from the public sector.
- The nursery business accounts for around half of the group's 15 million euros in sales.
- Today, Cholat employs around one hundred people, rising to 120 with seasonal workers.
Jardiland: turnkey garden maintenance services - 13/10/2022
- 176 stores in France, including around 100 in 2021
- sales of almost 800 million euros (including VAT)
- 36 stores offer services: garden furniture assembly, tree and shrub planting, plant repotting, lawn mowing, hedge trimming, vegetable garden design, barbecue set-up, greenhouse installation, turfing, etc
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