Ernst was a flower man, through and through. He put his soul into his work as a flower trader. He has been an inspiration to many growers, florists, traders and flower lovers in the Netherlands and far beyond.
Ernst was successful in almost everything he undertook; the cash and carry of Star & van der Gugten, purchasing for retail, bringing niche groups such as the peony to a large audience. And of course, My Peony Society.
Ernst was a visionary with a keen eye for business, and a unique individual who went his own way. In addition to all this, he could be somewhat stubborn. Passionate, maybe. He knew how he wanted things to be, and wasn’t a fan of compromise. His way of doing things resulted in great successes, and sometimes in fireworks. It brought My Peony Society to where we are today.
Ernst founded My Peony Society in 2016, together with his son Marty and business partner Lennart. Soon Teus and Ryan joined, and Robin after that. After My Peony Society entered into a partnership with Dutch Flower Group and moved to Aalsmeer, Colin also joined the team. This had always been one of Ernst’s wishes.
Ernst has seen My Peony Society excel in recent years. Year after year we have broken records. The team worked hard to bring together the world’s best peony growers and find new markets all over the world. Ernst was deeply involved in everything that was going on, and was instrumental in launching new brands such as All I Am and Radical Wonders.
Just before his death, Ernst was still thinking about the future of the organization. He understood that the world was rapidly changing, becoming more transparent every day. He made sure My Peony Society will continue growing in this regard. Learn together, optimize together and be successful together.
Above all Ernst wanted My Peony Society to remain a family business, as it has always been – thanks to his passion and dedication. He had a close relationship with all his colleagues, his growers and business partners. For him that was far more important than his success in business.
We are proud and grateful to have worked with Ernst Star.
the My Peony Society team