News » 16.10.2026 - "The next stage of market maturity in Romania needs to come from the business side"
Romania's floral industry has grown rapidly in recent years, but according to Mihaela Ghinea, General Manager of Flowers Market Holland and the driving force behind FlowerX, the market is now entering a new phase. Florists are becoming stronger entrepreneurs, customers are demanding higher-quality floral design, and the country has the potential to become an important meeting point for the floral industry in Central and Eastern Europe.
That ambition is at the heart of FlowerX, the event launched by Flowers Market Holland that will return in 2027 in an expanded international format in Bucharest. "We felt that Romania needed more than a traditional trade fair," Mihaela says. "The industry needed a real m eeting point where flowers, design, business, education and international networking could come together."
From wholesaler to industry platform
Flowers Market Holland has been serving the Romanian floral market for more than 13 years, working with florists, floral designers, event decorators and other floral professionals. FlowerX grew directly from those relationships and conversations with customers. "We believe there is a strong need for professional education, knowledge exchange, inspiration and greater unity within the industry," Mihaela explains. "Florists, growers, suppliers and designers all benefit when they communicate more and build together rather than separately."
Rather than creating another trade exhibition focused only on products, the goal was to develop a platform where business development, education and networking receive equal attention. "We want FlowerX to raise the level of the industry by providing access to masterclasses, workshops, business discussions and meetings that can generate long-term collaborations."
A stronger international edition in 2027
The first FlowerX edition, held in January 2026 at Snagov Palace, attracted much more attention than expected. More than 750 professionals registered, with around 450 attending, alongside ten exhibitors representing growers and suppliers. According to Mihaela, the response confirmed there is strong demand for an international industry event in Romania.
For 2027, FlowerX is evolving into Romania's first International Floral Design & Private Events Summit, with a larger venue at ROMEXPO in Bucharest and a significantly expanded international program. "We now want to build a genuine platform connecting florists, designers, growers, suppliers, event planners and brands from multiple countries."
One of the headline speakers will be internationally renowned event designer Preston Bailey, whose participation reflects the direction FlowerX wants to take. "His participation represents exactly the kind of experience we want to facilitate: direct access to international expertise and inspiration at the highest level."
"Great floral and event design is not only about beauty. It is about vision, discipline, technique and the courage to create something people will never forget. At FlowerX, I want to share that process directly with the next generation of designers and professionals not just in Romania, but all over Europe," Preston Bailey shares.
Education takes center stage
Education is one of the biggest additions to the upcoming edition. Alongside demonstrations and workshops, FlowerX will host an exclusive two-day hands-on masterclass led by Preston Bailey. "This will not be a traditional demonstration where participants simply watch," Mihaela says. "It will be a real working experience built around Preston Bailey's creative process, techniques and way of thinking."
Participation will be highly selective. Experienced florists and event planners will apply with portfolios, and Bailey will personally choose the participants. "We don't want a mass-format masterclass," she explains. "We want every participant to have the opportunity to work directly with him, ask questions and receive feedback."
Besides floral design, FlowerX 2027 will also include workshops on pricing, marketing, personal branding, eCommerce, technology and business development.
Designing an event experience
The organizers are also rethinking the traditional exhibition format. Instead of rows of stands, the exhibition floor will be designed as a visitor journey with demonstration stages, workshop spaces, networking areas and hospitality zones. "We want visitors to move naturally throughout the event, constantly discovering something new," Mihaela says. "FlowerX should be experienced as a complete event, not simply visited as a trade fair."
The exhibition will accommodate up to 80 exhibitors, but Mihaela says diversity matters more than filling every space. "The quality and diversity of exhibitors are far more important than simply filling 80 stands. A florist should be able to spend an entire day discovering products, suppliers, ideas and solutions from very different areas of the industry."
A market becoming more sophisticated
Mihaela believes Romania's floral market has changed dramatically over the past five years. Social media has exposed customers to international floral design, raising expectations for quality, varieties and creativity. "Customers are becoming more sophisticated, better informed and much more exposed to international floral design."
That shift is also changing the florist's role. More businesses are expanding beyond traditional retail into weddings, corporate events, subscriptions and eCommerce. "Florists are becoming increasingly focused on branding, customer experience, online sales, operational efficiency and profitability."
At the same time, Mihaela sees Romania developing into more than just a consumer market. "We want Romania to be seen as a place where ideas are created, concepts are developed, businesses are built and professionals are trained."
She believes the country's location, competitive costs and growing professional standards create an opportunity to become both a creative and logistics hub for Central and Eastern Europe.
Creativity needs business skills
Despite the market's development, profitability remains one of the industry's biggest challenges. "Many Romanian florists are extremely creative and highly skilled from an artistic point of view," says Mihaela. "But the next stage of market maturity also needs to come from the business side."
"Creativity is the starting point, not the whole business. You can create a spectacular design, but if you don't know what to buy, why you are choosing a particular product, how much it costs you, what losses it generates, and how to turn it into a profitable product, design alone cannot sustain the business." Pricing, inventory management, purchasing, marketing and financial planning are, in her view, areas that deserve just as much attention as floral design.
Mihaela also sees purchasing itself as a professional skill. A mature florist does not simply buy what looks visually appealing, but understands seasonality, quality, variety, vase life, cost, product performance and the context in which that product will be used. "Knowing how to choose is part of the profession. The market becomes more educated when professionals understand not only how to create, but also what to buy and why."
"A beautiful arrangement is important. But it is equally important to know what it costs, how to price it, who to sell it to, and whether it is truly profitable."
She also points to waste as an ongoing challenge in an industry where flowers are highly perishable products. "Inspiration and creativity are essential, but florists also need to be able to turn creativity into profitable businesses."
Technology and AI for florists
Flowers Market Holland is also investing heavily in digitalization and artificial intelligence. The company has already digitized many internal processes to reduce administrative work and improve efficiency. "The next natural step is the adoption of artificial intelligence."
The company is currently developing Oxalis, an AI-based tool that is in beta and already used daily by dozens of Romanian florists. "We are exploring practical ways technology can support professionals in their everyday work. Not as an experimental tool, but as a solution that saves time and supports better decision-making."
Mihaela expects AI to play an increasing role in inventory management, marketing, customer relations and business organization. "It is important to us that Romanian florists are not late to this transformation, but gain early access to tools designed around the realities of their businesses."
Source: www.floraldaily.com
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