Presentation of sixth Garden Centre Quality Awards

Sustainability is still working point in sector

The Belgian Garden Centers Association presented three Quality Awards to the best rated garden centers and plant centers for the sixth time on Feb. 17. The awards were for "The best garden center in Flanders," "The best plant center in Flanders" and "The best garden center in Wallonia. A total of 36 companies participated in the competition. 

In both spring and fall of 2022, participants were scrutinized by a professional jury. The garden or plant center was judged on several components: the quality of the plants, the decoration department, in-store communication, external communication, staff attitude, customer experience and customer comfort. This gave the jury a comprehensive and ready view of the company in question. For the first time, the companies were also judged on their sustainability efforts. The best companies received a score of 4 or 5 stars.

Digital detox

On Friday evening, Feb. 17, BTV invited its garden center members, its commercial partners and the judges to a festive awards session at L'espace del goutte, in Ophain near Waterloo. With 162 attendees, the 'fine fleur' of the sector came together. A tasteful networking event, with an elaborate reception, the 'official award ceremony' and a dinner. This gave the following results:

- Best garden center in Flanders: Tuincenter Claes in Edegem
- Best garden center in Wallonia: Jardinerie Brindille in Libramont
- Best plant center in Flanders: an ex aequo, with Genker Plantencentrum in Genk and De Pauw Tuinplantencentrum in Bornem.

Across all categories, Claes received the very best rating with 92%. Meritorious and also noteworthy because this is a completely independent garden center.

Dirk Ballekens, director of the Belgian Garden Centers Association: "We can look back on a very successful edition, with many participants. Not obvious, after the corona events. But in general we heard that it was a relief that everyone could talk to each other again on a personal basis during a real sector-specific networking event. A 'digital detox,' as it were."

First climate plaza

In the new assessment category "sustainability efforts," participants scored low on average. The industry has work to do there! Yet a number of companies have excellent scores there as well. BTV therefore presented a separate award for the most sustainable company across all categories. That honor belongs to Genker Plantencentrum, the result of a relentless focus on this theme. 

Dirk Ballekens: "BTV sees it as an objective to inspire and guide its members towards extensive sustainability. Because that is still a working point for many centers. But when we see that, for example, Tuincenter Claes recently opened the first climate square in Flanders, we can only conclude that the first serious steps are being taken. We are happy to play our part in that."

Valuable reporting

The main purpose of this competition is for participants to get tips to improve their operations. Each participant was given an expert report afterwards. In it, the individual scores are compared with the average scores, a kind of "class average. And points for improvement are pointed out. 

Dirk Ballekens: "Without a doubt, all the judges did a top job. Because of course it is not an obvious fact, to put all the centers on the grid as objectively as possible and strict but fair. Because, of course, everyone is trying very hard to offer top products and to pamper all customers. But we are 100% convinced that our reports will help members do even better in a valuable way!"