Recently, Hilverda De Boer, co-founder of Blueroots, successfully placed an order with a grower using an API link through Floriday. With this fully digital transaction, the buyer link for Floriday was tested in practice. The success of this test is an important milestone for the 100% Digital programme, which is one of the cornerstones of the strategy of Royal FloraHolland.
With this live transaction, the so-called Blueroots API was used for the first time in practice. The order was received by grower Jac. Oudijk (gerbera grower), who made his offer available on Floriday. Jac. Oudijk delivered the order as instructed to Hilverda De Boer. The successful transaction was fully in accordance with the 100% Digital guidelines. As such, Hilverda De Boer is the first Blueroots buyer to meet the 100% Digital requirements. Azadin Ouriouer, Purchasing Manager at Hilverda De Boer: "A great step for Hilverda De Boer to move towards fully digital trading. We work with our own software via the Blueroots link with Floriday. The change with 100% Digital is that we are reorganising part of our procurement processes. By operating increasingly from systems, fewer orders need to be called in to growers. This saves a lot of time, which can then be spent on relationship management with those same growers".
What is the next step?
In order to trade fully digitally in the future, it is important that in the coming months, all growers who supply directly to Hilverda De Boer actively place their offer online in (or through) Floriday. When their offer can be traded in a completely digital manner, all transactions will meet the 100% Digital requirements. Placing the offer online ultimately applies to all growers who trade directly with customers. In the coming period, more buyers will be testing the API link in the test environment. If the results are successful, these buyers will also start doing business with growers. The number of growers will then be expanded.
What is an API?
An API (Application Programming Interface) is a link that enables two applications to communicate with one another. Floriday makes use of API links, both on the side of the buyer and the side of the grower, so that growers and buyers can connect to Floriday with their own software package. The advantage is that growers and buyers can continue to use their own software, but that all the information is available through Floriday as well. This API link will eventually replace the traditional VMP links.
About Blueroots
In early 2019 Royal FloraHolland took a 50% interest in Blueroots, by which a joint venture was launched. This joint venture is a joint investment in enhancing the international competitive position of the Dutch floriculture industry. Blueroots has since worked closely with Floriday to connect the different trading parties to Floriday, and support them in moving to 100% Digital trade. Blueroots has developed its own API link that enables more data to be shared with growers. This includes, for example, information about where the products will end up in the various sales markets.
About 100% Digital
All transactions at the Royal FloraHolland marketplace will be fully digital by the end of 2020 at the latest. This marks the next step in the digital transformation of the floriculture industry. Digitisation increases efficiency and speed on both the supply and the demand side of business.
Source: Royal FloraHolland