A Day in the Life of an Auction Worker at a Holland Flower Market
4:00 AM
The alarm buzzes insistently, and I roll out of bed. It’s pitch dark outside, but that’s standard for a flower auction worker. I down a quick breakfast of strong coffee and a slice of buttered bread before heading out. The flower market is already stirring—it operates on speed and precision, and I need to be sharp from the start.
My job is at the Royal FloraHolland flower auction, the largest in the world. Located in Aalsmeer, this place is a hive of activity, connecting growers with buyers from across the globe. Flowers don’t wait—they’re a perishable product, and the market moves fast.
4:45 AM
I arrive at the auction hall, a massive building the size of 100 football fields. Inside, it’s bustling. Workers maneuver trolleys piled high with flowers—roses, tulips, lilies, chrysanthemums, and exotic blooms from as far away as Ecuador and Kenya. The air smells heavenly, a mix of sweet fragrances from every corner of the floral spectrum.
My first task is to help organize the incoming shipments. Each grower’s delivery is meticulously cataloged and inspected for quality. I scan the QR codes on crates to ensure they’re matched with the right data in our system—variety, color, stem length, and condition. Accuracy is everything here; a single mistake can cause chaos down the line.
5:30 AM
The auction begins. I head to the auction room, a high-tech theater where buyers sit at computer terminals while massive digital clocks count down. Flowers are sold via a reverse auction: the price starts high and drops until a buyer clicks to claim the lot. It’s a fast-paced game of strategy. I assist buyers, answering questions about quality or ensuring that their systems are running smoothly.
Behind the scenes, I monitor orders as they’re finalized, ensuring that sold flowers are routed correctly. Every second counts—buyers expect their purchases to be ready for transport within hours.
7:00 AM
During a brief break, I grab another coffee and a croissant from the cafeteria. Conversations buzz around me—growers discussing trends, logistics teams planning shipments, and buyers debating which blooms will be hot this week. The atmosphere is electric.
I check my phone to see which countries are leading today’s purchases. Tulips are going strong in Germany, while roses are heading to the U.S. Valentine’s Day is just a few weeks away, so demand for red roses is skyrocketing.
7:30 AM
Back on the floor, it’s time to oversee the packing and transport process. Flowers move like clockwork here—trolleys are loaded and whisked away to refrigerated trucks bound for airports or local distribution hubs. The logistics are mind-boggling. A single bouquet sold this morning might be in a Paris florist’s shop by tonight or on display in a Tokyo hotel lobby tomorrow.
I double-check temperature settings in the cold storage area and verify shipping labels. Even a minor delay could mean wilted flowers and unhappy clients.
9:00 AM
I return to the auction floor to assist with specialty orders. One buyer is looking for rare orchids to display at a luxury event in Dubai. Another needs massive quantities of peonies for a wedding planner in London. I coordinate with the growers and ensure these high-value orders are handled with extra care.
Part of my job involves resolving disputes. A buyer might claim a batch of lilies isn’t the promised shade of pink or that a crate of gerberas has slightly bent stems. I mediate these issues, inspecting the flowers and finding solutions, whether it’s a discount or a replacement shipment.
11:00 AM
The pace slows as the bulk of the morning’s transactions wind down. I walk through the storage area, marveling at the sheer variety of flowers. The sight never gets old: fields of tulips in every shade imaginable, roses with petals so perfect they look sculpted, and exotic blooms I can’t even pronounce.
Sometimes, I take photos to share with friends and family. They love hearing about the rare and beautiful flowers that pass through my hands daily.
12:00 PM
My shift ends, but the market never truly stops. Afternoon workers will handle the remaining orders, and preparations will begin for tomorrow’s auction. I leave with the satisfaction of knowing that I helped flowers from all over the world find their way to someone’s bouquet, centerpiece, or garden.
As I step outside, the sun is finally high in the sky. I bike home along a path lined with canals and windmills, the iconic Dutch scenery reminding me of why this country is the global heart of the flower trade.
3:00 PM
After a nap and a warm lunch, I spend the afternoon tending my small garden. It’s nothing compared to the scale of the market, but it’s my little patch of beauty—a way to stay connected to the flowers I love.
Working at the Holland flower auction is more than a job—it’s being part of a vast, fragrant, and fleeting world of beauty. Every day, I see the magic of flowers bringing joy to people around the globe, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
