For Hoek group, returning to IFTEX Kenya for the second time marks more than just another trade fair appearance. It reflects a year of expansion, new partnerships, and a growing role in connecting Kenyan flowers directly to global markets.
"We will be exhibiting at IFTEX for the second time in Kenya, and it really highlights how far we've come as a company since last year," says Ashlea Gulle. "We've expanded into new markets and continued to push our main purpose, which is supplying the global market with Kenyan flowers."
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The Hoek group team at IFTEX last year
Expanding reach from Kenya to the world
Over the past year, Hoek group has strengthened its position not only in florist direct supply but into wholesale and retail as well. Kenya remains central to the groups sourcing strategy and the company has widened its distribution footprint significantly.
"We've really established ourselves in the wholesale sector this year," Ashlea explains. "A lot of the interactions came from IFTEX, where we spoke to growers and explored opportunities to supply visitors from regions like the Middle East, the US, Eastern Europe, and further into Asia, directly out of Kenya."
Building direct and sustainable supply chains
A key part of Hoek group's strategy is working more closely with growers and bypassing traditional auction systems in the Netherlands. This approach is designed to create more stability and transparency across the supply chain.
"We've developed further relationships with our partners," Ashlea says. "offering their flowers direct to florists and markets, making it more beneficial for growers as we can offer more sustainable long-term prices."
By sourcing directly, Hoek group is able to deliver fresher flowers faster, while also reducing environmental impact. "Florists and wholesalers can see the certifications of the flowers we stock on our web shop as well as on the clients' invoices. Direct supply from Kenya means fresher product, better prices, and less impact on the environment."
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A strong network on the ground
With a dedicated team in Kenya, Hoek group focuses on relationship-building and flexibility in sourcing. "The advantage of having a team on the ground is that we can source from different growers depending on the clients' need," Ashlea explains. "We develop relationships and connect supply to demand. If a client needs a specific variety, like a certain spray rose, we reach out directly to the grower. In addition, we have a trusted team of experts ensuring export quality control, smooth operations and fast service."
For wholesalers, the company also acts as a consolidator. "Instead of dealing with multiple farms and all the paperwork, we handle it as a trusted partner for the client. That's a big advantage."
Focus on roses, fillers, and emerging varieties
Roses, both standard and spray, remain among the company's strongest products, supported by a growing assortment of fillers and other varieties. "There's a lot of demand for spray roses from Kenya. The quality is really sought after, and they're probably one of our biggest sellers," Ashlea notes.
At the same time, she sees clear advancements across other categories. "The quality and increase in availability of new varieties in Kenya's offering is nice to see. For example, the demand for Delphiniums and Hydrangeas"
Hoek group is always exploring opportunities to procure products - like Eustoma for example. "We close the seasonal and commercial gaps in the Northern Hemisphere when there is opportunity to supply direct from Kenya at a more affordable price."
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Navigating a changing market
Like many in the industry, Hoek group is feeling the impact of rising costs and logistical challenges. "Everybody's feeling it," Ashlea says. "Prices have gone up, especially with air freight. Like the rest of the market, you look at solutions such as better freight consolidation."
Despite these pressures, customer understanding has remained strong. "A lot of our clients have been very receptive to price increases. The flower industry is incredibly dynamic, and we're all in the same boat in navigating challenges."
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Connecting stories from grower to florist
Beyond sourcing and logistics, Hoek group places strong emphasis on storytelling and market intelligence. "We try to bring storytelling into what we do, connecting information from supply to the florist," Ashlea explains. "We supply to around 40 different markets, therefore, we have eyes and ears in client behavior. We can see what's selling and what's not, and we feed that back to growers. In turn, we share information on the growers we work with and the narrative surrounding their supply and product from Kenya to the florists!"
This approach also includes bringing customers closer to the source. "Last year, we took key clients to Kenya - to visit growers, freight forwarders, and even host a sustainability day. It had a huge impact. They became so enthusiastic once they understood the full story behind the supply chain."
Looking ahead to IFTEX
At this year's IFTEX Kenya, Hoek group will be highlighting its global scope. "As Hoek group, with divisions like Hoek flowers Kenya and Flower Trade Zwirs," Ashlea explains. "It's important for us to show that we are a global entity - with operations in Colombia, China, and beyond."
Visitors can find the Hoek group team at stand D2.02. "We look forward to welcoming growers and industry players," she concludes. "It's all about building business out of Kenya and learning from each other. We go further together, with the shared goal of getting flowers into the hands of the end client."
For more information:
Hoek group
[email protected]
https://hoekgroup.com/en/
