German customers crazy about cacti

They are suitable outdoors as well as indoors, creating a modern, pared-down ambience in glass containers, or an exotically Mexican holiday mood in colourful planters. They look fantastic on the balcony, the terrace or the window sill. And they are completely on-trend as an alternative to traditional floral table decorations. We are talking about cacti and succulents, which, in the opinion of trend experts, must be the coolest and lowest maintenance plant trend that there has ever been. Edelcactus, specialists in the field of desert plants, are based in Amstelveen in the Netherlands, very close to the Floraholland flower auction in Aalsmeer. Founded 60 years ago and in premises covering 25,000 square metres, the wholesalers are concerned exclusively with cultivating cacti, succulents and lucky bamboo, and distributing a broad range of plant pots and containers.

Until a few years ago, Edelcactus’ products found their way to end consumers via retailers, exporters, auctions, garden centres and supermarkets. In the light of the burgeoning trend towards using cacti and succulents as a style theme for new sectors, such as catering outlets, furniture stores, gift shops and concept stores, the outgoing market-oriented family business looked for new contact platforms, and they found these in Frankfurt with Floradecora.

The Edelcactus stand at Floradecora 2017. Photo: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH / Rui Camilo

Edelcactus put its faith in the new trade fair right from the start. "At Floradecora, we expected to find new target groups and make direct contact with other buyers coming to Christmasworld, which is on at the same time", explains Harold Burger, Sales and Product Manager at Edelcactus. "This strategy has been successful and the quality of the visitors was really good." Following the fair’s premiere in January, the Dutch wholesalers are able to draw positive conclusions. New international companies – primarily florists and garden centres – were added to their list of visitors. But representatives of new sectors were also there. So, at Floradecora, Edelcactus came across the home and decoration specialist Depot.

"Cacti don’t have to be green", says Harold Burger, "They can be pink or red as well. We can paint them in all different shades with special plant dyes." Edelcactus gather information from across the world, Europe and the Far East, about the latest trends in plants and ceramics, and they can fulfil large orders, thanks to their storage capacity. They can also develop show displays to meet customers’ individual specifications, ranging from small table arrangements to large shelf displays. There are pots with customised designs and individual product arrangements, with packaging, covers, plant labels and stickers, if required.

Trendy - not prickly! Cacti drive sales, Harold Burger, Sales and Product Manager at Edelcactus, and his colleague, Anke van Hemert, at Floradecora 2017. Photo: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH / Pietro Sutera

The most popular themes at Floradecora were heart-shaped succulents and ceramics for Valentine’s Day, satchel shapes for starting school, cacti with funny chicken faces for Easter, and Santa faces and beards for the run-up to Christmas.

Particularly popular: cacti with Santa faces and beards, for the run-up to Christmas. Photo: Edelcactus

The hype around this plant species started with US interior designers about two years ago and since then it has triggered a strong movement. The fashion and accessories world has also jumped on the band wagon. These strange and beautiful plants can be found in all shapes and colours in a wide range of pots and objects, and they exude summery flair. What is it about them that now every hipster household has one? It must be their fascinating, almost abstract form, reflecting minimalism, and also their simplicity. These prickly plants are true survival artists and reasonably tolerant if they are sometimes neglected.

The 360° virtual tour through Floradecora 2017, to be found at floradecora.messefrankfurt.com/virtualtour, provides further information about the portfolio of products and services on offer, including details of the relevant contact person.

If you have any questions about taking part in the fair, get in touch with Martina Bullack. Tel: +49 69 75 75-64 66, e-mail: floradecora@messefrankfurt.com.