As soon as Florensis' products can be placed in the assortment, they have been carefully bred and extensively tested. In this article, they explain how this works. You have already read about the cutting production in Africa. Now we dive into the commercial process. Curious what terms such as TRI-PRC-STI have to do with it? How does our Junior Sales Representative Kors set out trials in cooperation with our Corporate Product Managers? And what novelties mean for the range of Marcel of Garden Centre Groenrijk in Prinsenbeek (NL) mean? In the next 2 minutes, we will tell you all about the Product Life Cycle.
Testing everything first
It starts early with a selection that is handed over from our Breeding Department to our Corporate Product Managers. Together with the efforts of our Trial Coordinators, this results in a first phase: TRI, also known as the Trial-phase. In this phase, we test the entire production process from cuttings, seed, or Tissue Culture. In addition, this is the moment when the previously selected products and market combinations are further crystallized, in order to serve you and the market as well as possible. As soon as we receive the green light from all involved departments, we will proceed to the next phase.
Do our findings work in the market?
In this next phase; the PRC, also called the Pre-Commercial phase, we place a limited quantity with a number of selected regular specialists. Through intense cooperation with these specialized growers, we gather the most valuable cultivation information, market opportunities, and the logistic processes are safeguarded. As soon as all the lights go green here too, it is the moment the products show themselves to the wider world for the first time. At shows like our Spring Solutions Show, FlowerTrials® in week 24, but also during our entire Summer Solutions Show from week 25 to 34, these beautiful products can be seen for the first time by everyone and ordered later.
Garden Centre Groenrijk is one of our customers that is launching new products with us. How do they experience this collaboration? They asked Marcel.
"A day our employees really look forward to is our visit to the annual FlowerTrials and of course, we never skip the Florensis show garden. We select the products that are innovative in terms of colour, garden performance and growth habits. Then we make a selection for hanging pots, mix pots or 12 cm pots. Florensis supports this process and closely follows the growing process and the reaction of the consumer to the end product. We experience this cooperation as very pleasant and professional. Florensis thinks along with us during the whole cultivation process, from cutting to end product".
How do your customers react to novelties?
"The customer is always happy when they see that our garden centre is filled again with the most beautiful bedding plants. They react enthusiastically when we have set up new varieties with very good garden performance. Of course, we have direct contact with the end customer. If the customer is not satisfied, they come back to us immediately. This is different for a grower who grows for the trade and auction, who is further away from the consumer".
Marcel goes on: "Novelties are very important to us; these are the pearls for which the customer comes to us. We take the customer through the nursery and show the new varieties and give information about all the novelties and improving aspects of the varieties".
What helps to introduce new products to the market?
"In order to introduce new products, Florensis helps with support such as POS material, like matching pots, table presentations with banners and mentions in trade magazines. Well known garden programmes can also play an important role in this".
For more information:
Florensis
Langeweg 77-85
3342 LD Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht
T: +31 78 623 3200
F: +31 78 610 4411
E: florensis@florensis.com
www.florensis.nl