Joost Claessens at the Barendsen office ahead of his start as Managing Director on 1 June 2026.
28 May 2026

Joost Claessens appointed Managing Director at Barendsen

As of 1 June 2026, Joost Claessens will take up the position of Managing Director at Barendsen, part of Dutch Flower Group (DFG). Joost succeeds Richard Koenen, who recently started a new role outside DFG at CNB in Lisse. 

Joost Claessens brings extensive experience from both the retail and supplier side, as well as recent years in start-ups and scale-ups. He has held commercial and general management positions at SanLucar (fruit & vegetables), Gorillas Benelux, No Fairytales, and most recently served as Managing Director at The Good Roll. 

Joost began his career in fresh category management within retail, where he spent the last seven years in charge of strategic fruit procurement at Ahold. 

In recent years, Joost has built strong expertise in organizational transformation within start-ups and scale-ups, playing a leading role in structuring commercial processes focused on growth and performance management. He is known for his accessible and goal-oriented approach, as well as his ability to create impact through a strong customer focus. 

Joost comments: “I am really looking forward to this new challenge and am proud to join a company with such a rich history of 110 years. I look forward to working together with the team to contribute to the further development of Barendsen. The strong focus on our international customers and the ambition to consistently remain at the forefront of the sector appeals to me.” 

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turnover (2025)

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flowers to consumers every week

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mono bunches to consumers every week

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bouquets to consumers every week

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plants to consumers every week

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reaching responsible sourcing (in 2027)

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countries with offices

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countries sourcing

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employees (FTE)