The hibiscus is on the rise. This spring was very good for the HibisQs® sales. The weather was beneficial, our new order producing strategy was effective and we are starting to see an increasing demand from the younger customers. This has all made this season so successful," says Poul Graff, owner of GRAFF, a danish breeder and grower of hibiscus. Late spring
"The good weather came a bit later, this year's spring," says Graff. As a consequence, according to Graff, the customers do not buy everything all at once at the garden center, but they come more often and are therefore spending more. "This was beneficial for our hibiscus sales," says Graff. "As the hibiscus is a luxury plant, it is a bit more expensive. So, if customers buy only a couple of products per visit, the chance that they will buy a more expensive product like the hibiscus increases."
From space optimizing to order producing
Another reason for this better spring is the fact that Graff Kristensen is trying to change from space optimizing to order producing, "Many growers are supplying the open market and are therefore space optimizing." Graff, however, believes that order producing is more efficient. "We should be more focused on the retailers," he says. "Order producing enables us to get to know all the preferences of the customers. So, now we try to produce for the customer and not for the open market," he continued. This spring, they were also lucky that the contracts they have with the garden centers and retailers were matching their production very well, explains Graff. "Even though we were lucky this spring, I think that order production would be efficient for every grower."
Nursery Graff Kristensen.
More young customers
Also the average age of the hibiscus customers decreased. According Graff, 5-10 years ago, hibiscus were only bought by people over 50 years of age. Now, we see that increasingly more younger customers are buying the hibiscus. Graff, however, does not know the exact reason for this increase. "The hibiscus is an easy to care for plant, but not the easiest. So, it might be that they like the fact that they like to care for a 'living' plant. Besides that, the exotic colors might attract the younger generation." However, according to Graff there is, unfortunately, still a large group of young people who do not buy plants. "So, much can be gained in this respect."
Some HibisQs varieties of Graff.
HibisQs®
Nursery Graff Kristen
sen only grows own bred hibiscus, called HibisQs®. "We grow 22 different varieties." All over the world, Graff supplies HibisQs to leading hibiscus growers and in Denmark only by Graff Kristensen. "Over the last years, the hibiscus have gone through a difficult period. For this reason we have chosen to only supply our HibisQs® to leading hibiscus growers, which are our HibisQs® partners. In order to uphold the high quality of the HibisQs with respect for the environment, we started up a network at www.HibisQs.com. It gives the group a unique opportunity, in fully openness to cooperate towards common goals and visions, while each company strengthens its position in the market."For more information
Graff Kristensen A/
SPoul Graff
Email: pg@graff.dk
www.graff.dk