Royal Lemkes

Royal Lemkes, a family business with over 140 years of history, began as a grower and has evolved into Europe’s leading plant service partner for major retailers. Serving garden centers, DIY stores, supermarkets, and home furnishing stores, Royal Lemkes delivers more than 125 million plants annually to 4,000 stores across 36 countries. Recognizing the need for a data-driven approach to manage its global reach and diverse clientele, the company started developing its current system two decades ago.

This system ensured timely, reliable, and cost-effective plant deliveries. However, over the years, it became increasingly complex, harder to maintain, and less user-friendly for both existing and new users. Moreover, only a few developers had in-depth knowledge of the platform, leading to dependency and heightened continuity risks.

At Royal Lemkes, sustainable growth is paramount—whether it involves people, relationships, business, or the planet. A legacy system hindering operational efficiency was no longer compatible with their vision. A future-proof, flexible, and user-friendly system was essential.

The Solution: A Path to Flexibility, Resilience, and Autonomy
It became clear to Royal Lemkes that the existing system, which had supported its critical business processes for years, needed to be replaced. The company explored multiple options, including standard software, custom solutions, and low-code platforms. While rapid development was a bonus, their priorities lay in flexibility, adaptability, integration capabilities, maintainability, and autonomy.

To make an informed decision, Royal Lemkes invited suppliers to present a proof of concept. HSO OutSystems impressed them with its approach. The company was convinced that the OutSystems platform met their needs, with its structured architecture playing a pivotal role in the decision.

Leon Verschoor, Director of Operations & Digital at Royal Lemkes, explains:
"The OutSystems architecture, with its built-in control mechanisms and cross-reference checks, provided the confidence we were seeking. We also saw this as one of the critical success factors. Additionally, we were highly impressed by HSO’s knowledge and expertise. This gave us peace of mind that phasing out our current systems could be entrusted to them—without downtime for core processes or significant impact on existing users."

By choosing OutSystems and HSO, Royal Lemkes is positioned to continue its legacy of innovation and sustainable growth while ensuring operational efficiency and resilience for the future.

Results: Faster Response to the Needs of Growers, Customers, and Transporters

Today, around 80 employees use the newly developed applications daily. Since the focus was on renewal and improvement rather than major changes, no adjustment period was needed, and users immediately benefit from the enhancements.

"With OutSystems, we are no longer reliant on one or a few developers to adapt the applications to the needs and preferences of our end users or to monitor best practices. We’ve also implemented dedicated portals where our customers and transporters can access up-to-date overviews. OutSystems provides us with flexibility and agility we had not experienced before."

"The new system has already proven its worth many times over, such as by reducing technical debt. We’re also experiencing the ease of low-code development and the vast possibilities the OutSystems platform offers. It has truly empowered us with the technology to regain control. I’m excited about what the future holds for us."

By choosing the OutSystems platform and partnering with HSO, Royal Lemkes ensures continuity and stability. The organization can now respond more quickly to the evolving needs of its growers, customers, and transporters, leveraging the platform’s flexibility. This solidifies Royal Lemkes’ position as a leading plant service partner.