
LOOKING FOR EXTRA EXPOSURE FOR YOUR PRODUCT?
Enter the novelty contest!

Submit your new products for the Green Retail Awards
At PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt everything revolves around garden plants and innovation. That is why we organize several competitions:
- The Best Novelty (in May and in August),
- The Best Market Innovation (in August)
- The Visitor’s Favourite (in February and in August)
Exhibitors of PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt or the GROEN-Direkt sample fair can participate at reduced rates. Non-exhibitors can also enter for Best Novelty or Best Market Innovation.
27 & 28 August
Autumn Fair 2025
and Best Market Innovation.
Extra attention before, during and after the fair
Participation means visibility on all fronts:
- Your entry will be presented in advance on the website and shared with the international trade press. This will generate attention in trade media, online and offline - even before the fair starts.
- On the show floor, entries will be given a prominent place. The novelty presentation is the draw for international buyers and trade press. Display your product in your own stand as well and attract additional visitors. Have you won an award? Then national and international publicity will follow in all relevant media.
- Even after the event, your product remains in the public eye thanks to follow-up publications.
Three categories
Green Retail Awards
Best Novelty
Do you have a new cultivar ripe for the market after years of selecting and breeding? Do you want to show it to an international professional audience and be judged by an expert and independent jury? Then take advantage of the Best Novelty Award. An independent, expert KVBC jury judges the plants visually on ornamental value, such as flower color, flowering time and period, leaf color, shape of the plant, etc.. But also on characteristics such as health, propagation and uses.
JURY: KVBC jury professionals
Assessment criteria:
- Ornamental value/general impression (incl. foliage and health)
- Novelty value and distinctiveness (to what extent an addition in the range)
- Applicability in garden, public greenery, etc. (NB: this is not about winter hardiness, but usability)
- Presentation (this includes labelling) etc. (NB: this is not about winter hardiness, but possibilities of use)
Best Market Innovation
Do you have an innovative or different product or concept that responds to a current market need? That is available in sufficient quantities and is designed with a particular target group in mind? Then apply for the Best Market Innovation judging. When judging the plants, the jury composed of international plant trade experts looks at the plant/concept through the eyes of the trade. Points such as shelf life, availability, responsible product and suitability to current market needs are important.
Jury: international plant trade experts
Assessment criteria:
- Plant or product quality ('cultivation performance')
- Product dressing (jar/label/packaging) as an addition to the range)
- Overall appearance, neatness of the product (visual quality as a whole)
- Innovative, different from existing products
- Availability (numbers/logistics) of the product
- Limited risk to trade channel (shelf life, vulnerability)
- Responsible product (plastic/recycled/turf/etc.)
- Responding to current market needs (biodiversity, drought, climate)
- Targeting (broadly applicable or good focus on niche)
- Company is MPS certified
Visitor's Favourite
Do you have a relatively new product with a clear added value over already existing products and is the product also available in sufficient numbers? Then put this product extensively in the spotlight by applying for the Visitors’ Favourite judging. The entries will be presented right at the entrance and visitors will cast their votes for what they consider to be the best new product.
Jury: visitors of PLANTARIUM|GROEN-Direkt
Assessment criteria:
- The product is relatively new on the market (max 2-3 years, in sufficient numbers)
- The product has clear added value over already existing products
- The product is available in sufficient quantities for trade
- The product has not previously participated in this award