EP #128 From Dutch Roots To A Million Tulips

Spring doesn’t start on a calendar—it starts when a field explodes into color. We sit down with Bloomia CEO Werner Jansen to explore how a Dutch-rooted company built America’s largest cut tulip operation right here in King George County, supplying roughly 120 million stems a year to retailers like Whole Foods, Kroger, Wegmans, and Publix. Werner pulls back the curtain on hydroponic tulip growing—no soil, no pesticides, just carefully balanced water and nutrients—showing why this sustainable method yields cleaner stems, consistent quality, and longer vase life.From there, we share a first look at Bloomia’s new Tulip Festival, planned for mid to late April, when one million tulips will open for a pick-your-own experience across two consecutive weekends. Picture walking vibrant rows, choosing your stems, and then grabbing a bite from local food trucks while enjoying live music and pours from regional breweries and wineries. It’s more than a farm visit; it’s a community celebration designed to draw guests from DC, Maryland, Richmond, and Fredericksburg into the broader local economy and the charm of historic downtown.Werner’s journey adds a human heartbeat to the story. Trained in banking and finance and once working for a trading firm in London, he returned to Bloomia, moved to Virginia in 2017, and rose from general manager to owner and CEO as the operation scaled rapidly. His blend of analytical rigor and agricultural entrepreneurship offers practical insights on leadership, sustainability, and building a brand that’s both nationally scaled and locally grounded.Want to join the celebration or stay updated on festival dates and ticket releases? Visit bloomia.com and bloomiaflowers.com, and follow Bloomia on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. If this conversation brought a little color to your day, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more neighbors find the show.Werner [email protected]+ (540) 399-15672259 Kings Highway King George, VA 22485 USA