Building
a new brand

Michel van Marwijk is Head of Sales at Dutch Lily Masters.

‘I’m passionate about lilies, and have been for as long as I can remember. This is where my heart lies. Flowers often just stand in a vase, but with lilies, something actually happens. From a bud, still closed, opening up to an impressive flower. Amazing!’

The lily as a theme

The lily is the theme of my life. When I was four years old, I was already walking amongst the lilies in the nursery of my father. I quit my studies at the Agricultural College, much to the dismay of my parents, and started as lily buyer at the auction. You can’t deny what’s in your blood. I worked here from the age of 19 until I was 46, as buyer and learned the ins and outs of the profession. Two years ago, Paauw Lilies asked me to join their sales department.

The job is just perfect for me. Every day, I get a real kick out of trying to maximize our customer satisfaction. As Head of the Sales Department, I have a great team of enthusiastic colleagues and I am in daily contact with our production locations and our customers. I try to stay on top of the market and share the latest information with our customers. Customers can call me day and night, 7 days a week.

Building the future

The merger and the creation of Dutch Lily Masters is a logical next step for me, and an amazing one. There’s a great fit between the companies and their different products really complement each other. Each of the owners is a true entrepreneur. They all want to build the future by investing in new types of lilies, growing techniques, types of colors, and so on. The team is a group of young, enthusiastic people who work together splendidly. We love what we do! Together, we are making every effort to create something we really believe in.