"Direct trade is growing and digitisation is helping us to facilitate these flows more effectively"

Marginpar is known for its high-quality summer flowers. An international grower with 16 production sites in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, the company has been building a strong brand reputation for many years in the high-end market. In a fast-moving market where buyers are purchasing more cautiously, Marginpar is fully committed to Floriday. Not as an additional channel, but as the basis for future-proof trading. With all nurseries in one shop and the use of Daytrade, Marginpar makes purchasing clearer, more flexible and more efficient.

Floriday spoke with Michiel van Paassen, responsible for commerce at Marginpar, and Dennis de Gooijer, account manager sales & marketing. Together, they explain how Marginpar uses digitisation to serve buyers effectively.

Not just any flowers
For more than 35 years, Marginpar has been growing exclusive summer flowers under the African sun. With over 4,000 employees, they work on an assortment of around 100 varieties. Thanks to intensive collaboration with breeders, many base items are exclusively available. These are flowers of consistent, high quality with a long vase life. "Marginpar's quality is recognisable, distinctive and subtly innovative", says Michiel van Paassen. Dennis de Gooijer also sees this in practice: "Our assortment is broad, but always recognisable. We like to do things a little differently and consciously seek out flowers that are not widely available. That is what makes Marginpar distinctive. For buyers, that means certainty. You are buying a recognisable assortment, with consistent quality and a clear provenance. And soon we will be 100% certified and FSI compliant."

Hybrid sales strategy: clock and direct
Marginpar has traditionally been a strong clock player. Most of the assortment is still sold through the clock, supplemented by supply for direct trade and supply agreements. This combination continues to be important, but the market is increasingly demanding greater flexibility. Michiel explains: "Direct trade is growing and digitisation is helping us to facilitate these flows more effectively. According to Dennis, this also requires different approaches: "Buyers have become more cautious and are less willing to take risks. So, it is important to offer different forms of sale without making things too complex. Floriday plays a central role in this by bringing together clock auctions, direct trading and additional sales formats such as Auction Pre-sales and Daytrade."

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One composite shop for the full assortment
To simplify purchasing on Floriday, Marginpar has created a single shop in Floriday for all current supply, regardless of the nursery. "We have multiple production locations and consequently multiple connection numbers", Michiel explains. "It was not always easy for buyers to find everything. With a single shop, you can immediately see the entire supply. This simplifies the process by eliminating the need to manage multiple connection numbers.

"You want to make it as easy as possible for buyers,' adds Dennis. "The shop shows the assortment available on Daytrade once the buyer has selected the correct delivery location in Rijnsburg. For direct customers, the shop will be further set up so that all direct trade can be purchased through Floriday. From standing orders to trolleys and customer-specific offers."

Daytrade: flexible purchasing without stock risk
In addition to the clock and supply agreements, Marginpar has recently started using Daytrade as an additional form of sales. Currently, this is only available in Rijnsburg, but as order picking expands, Aalsmeer is a logical next step for them. Naaldwijk is also being looked at for expansion. With Daytrade, you buy directly from the available supply, 24/7 and in smaller volumes. "Daytrade is right in between the clock and supply agreements," Michiel explains. "It offers buyers flexibility without them having to take stock or commit for a longer period of time." Initial experiences have been positive, although the method sometimes takes some getting used to. "You can tell that it's still new to some buyers,' says Dennis. "But once they start using it, they see the value. It's an easy way to still have certainty and be able to buy in small quantities."

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Moving forward together with Floriday
For Marginpar, Floriday is more than a sales channel. The platform forms the basis for data-driven work and further professionalisation. "When you sell digitally, you also gain better insights,' says Michiel. This data helps us make better choices: what do we put on the clock, what do we put on Daytrade, and where is the greatest demand?" Marginpar sees Floriday as the foundation for further collaboration in the supply chain. By actively using the platform, buyers gain more control over supply, availability and purchasing moments. "In short: certainty.

"Our advice to the market is to really start using Floriday," says Dennis de Gooijer. "Start small. You don't have to do everything differently at once, but by working with it, you will quickly notice how much overview and efficiency it provides." Michiel van Paassen also emphasises the common interest in digital trading: "It takes some getting used to, that's true. But as a buyer, you will really see the value once you start using it. If you want to make future-proof purchases as a buyer, Floriday is no longer an additional channel, but the basis. And by working together digitally, we maintain control over quality, availability and reliability in a market that is moving ever faster."