On Tuesday, January 27, the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards (IGOTY) will be handed out at IPM Essen 2026 in Germany. It’s one of those industry moments that quietly sets the tone for the season ahead – because the businesses on that stage are usually the ones pushing product consistency, smarter production, and the sustainability standards that end up affecting what shows up in your cooler (and how reliably it arrives).
What IGOTY Actually Is
IGOTY is an international awards program launched by AIPH and FloraCulture International (FCI) in 2009 to recognize best practices in ornamental horticultural production worldwide. It’s not a popularity contest – it’s built to spotlight growers and nurseries that combine strong business performance with forward-looking work in areas like innovation, sustainability, and people policies.
The Awards run across core production categories – Finished Plants & Trees, Young Plants, and Cut Flowers & Bulbs – plus a Sustainability Award that all entrants can be considered for. From the main production categories, one top-scoring business takes home the ‘Gold Rose’ as the overall IGOTY winner.
The IGOTY Awards 2026 ceremony is part of IPM Essen’s program. Award moments include category winners, the Sustainability Award, and the final ‘Gold Rose’. The event is hosted by Michael Perry (Mr. Plant Geek) and Sirekit Mol (Beekenkamp Plants).
The 2026 Finalists, in a Quick Tour
This year’s finalist list is a good snapshot of where the industry is leaning right now: scale plus specialization, more visible sustainability work, and a mix of heritage businesses and newer, tech-driven players.
China (A Big Presence This Year)
- Chengdu Yimei Horticultural Technology Development Co., Ltd (Chengdu, Sichuan) – tied to regional ‘gardening economy’ growth and responsible production systems.
- Jiuquan Lanxiang Horticultural Seedling Co., Ltd (Jiuquan, Gansu) – built a massive herbaceous germplasm collection with thousands of varieties and export reach.
- Longchi Mudan Industrial Co., Ltd (Heze, Shandong) – a major Peony producer integrating breeding, cultivation, and scale production.
- Yunnan Holyflora Horticulture Co., Ltd (Yunnan) – fresh-cut roses plus preserved flowers, built around quality and product diversification.
Europe (From Retail-Friendly Plants to Heritage Trees)
- Fitoralia (Spain) – certified plants for hobby and urban gardening, focused on consumer formats and environmental certification.
- Hillier Nurseries Ltd (UK) – established 1864, major producer of semi-mature trees, investing in peat-free and water recycling approaches.
- Kwekerij Dirk Mermans (Belgium) – indoor plants under the Plant Lovers brand, known for rare houseplants and hydroculture solutions.
- Herburg Roses Group (listed by AIPH as the Netherlands, with production in Ethiopia and Kenya) – large-scale rose operations with Fairtrade production and sustainability recognition for circular waste systems.
Africa and Latin America (Cut Flower Power, With Sustainability Showing Up Loudly)
- Kisima Farm Ltd (Kenya) – roses plus outdoor crops like Delphinium, Helianthus, Matthiola, and Craspedia, with water recycling and constructed wetland wastewater treatment.
- Flores El Capiro S.A. (Colombia) – major Chrysanthemum exporter with B Corp certification and carbon-neutral positioning.
Read more about all the finalists in the article:These Are the Finalists for the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards 2026.
The Jury for the 2026 Awards
The jury for the 2026 edition brings together seven industry leaders drawn from different regions and areas of expertise. Their backgrounds span scientific research, commercial management, sustainability leadership, and breeder partnerships. This ensures that the selection process remains well-balanced and rooted in an understanding of both production realities and environmental needs.
The jury includes the Vice President of AIPH, university professors with extensive research portfolios in horticultural science, senior executives from award-winning nurseries, and past winners of both the Gold Rose and the Young International Grower of the Year. They evaluate finalists on economic performance, innovation, market insight, sustainability, and human resource policies. Their combined viewpoints reflect the direction global horticulture is taking and the qualities required to succeed within it.
What Florists Should Pay Attention to
If you’re watching IGOTY from the florist side of the chain, it’s worth tracking why these growers make the shortlist. This is where you’ll see the signals first: which sustainability metrics are becoming non-negotiable, how growers are building resilience (water systems, waste loops, energy thinking), and where product diversification is heading (fresh-cut, preserved, consumer-ready plants, and more).
And, honestly, it’s a good reminder that ‘quality’ is rarely just about the stem or the pot. It’s the whole setup behind it – people, systems, consistency, and the ability to keep delivering even when conditions shift.
If you want, I can also reshape this into a tighter ‘What to Know Before Tuesday’ version (shorter, more punchy), or expand it with a bit more context on the judging criteria and how the Gold Rose decision is made.
To get you in the mood, here's a 1-minute impression of last year's IGOTY Award Ceremony:
Header image by AIPH.
