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Ockenburgh Garden Centre does the vast majority of its purchasing via Floriday. Owners Maarten and Juriën Kester feel the platform has enormous benefits to offer. “I can't imagine a better, more efficient way to do business with growers.”
Two years ago, Maarten and Juriën took over from their parents, who originally started Ockenburgh Garden Centre. With 7,000 square metres of retail space and 75 employees (45 FTE), this garden centre is a serious player in The Hague and surrounding area. “Strategically, our location is great. Half of our customers come from The Hague and the other half from Westland,” says Maarten, who is responsible for horticultural products.
Business in the service of nature
“We are known for our range of plants,” Maarten continued. “While many garden centres transform in part into home furnishing outlets, we are increasingly going back to basics. We focus on the quality and diversity of our horticultural products. Our aim is to do business in the service of nature. And we want our business operations to be climate-neutral as soon as possible.”
90% of purchasing via Floriday
Floriday has a solution to help Ockenburgh Garden Centre in their pursuit of quality and diversity. “When I joined the company four years ago, I started working with Floriday almost immediately,” says Maarten. “My parents used to do almost all their trading through the clock auctions, with some direct. We now do 90 per cent of our purchasing via Floriday, and only a small percentage through clock auctions or direct from growers. Where previously we used wholesalers and middlemen, we now do almost everything ourselves. I can't imagine a better, more efficient way to do business with growers.”
Easy to search with Explorer
Maarten uses Floriday Explorer mostly. Explorer means buyers can purchase actual stock both direct and via clock auction pre-sales on Floriday. Maarten: “Explorer makes it incredibly easy for me to search for products from those growers we know and like to do business with. If growers have set their Floriday catalogue up properly, I can see who has what available throughout the year and react immediately. Previously, you had to make lots of calls or make sure you were on the right mailing lists. Since we have our own box in Naaldwijk, our orders can be delivered at any time. So I have very little to worry about, it's all automatic.”
Purchasing by the tray
Working with Floriday Explorer also ensures that Ockenburgh Garden Centre can bring the requisite quality and diversity to its product range. “You often buy in bulk with the clock auction, so you can have stuff left over. With Floriday, I can order in small quantities,” says Maarten, who goes on to give a specific example: “Tall magnolias I can then buy from grower A, half-height magnolias from grower B and another variety of half-height magnolias from grower C. My display can then be built up using several varieties of magnolia, using the best I can find for each variety. This is a really great development. We have much less waste, we work more efficiently and can supply the best quality plants. Floriday Explorer has been a real blessing.”
Creating auction paperwork
Ockenburgh Garden Centre does not currently use the option of buying through clock auction pre-sales. “For that, I still use FloraMondo at present. That system allows me to inspect properly what is coming up the next day.” FloraMondo screens will be switched off later this year. Clock auction pre-sales will then also happen via Floriday Explorer. Highlighting and viewing clock auction stock will be moved to the RFH Pre-Auction app. Maarten also uses Floriday's grower portal. “We send crassulas to auction on behalf of a grower friend. I raise the auction paperwork on Floriday, which is quick and easy. Although that is only a fraction of what we do.”
Connecting international growers
Ockenburgh Garden Centre is fully on board with working electronically. “Although we do also keep up personal contact. I drop in on our regular growers every week,” says Maarten, who hopes to see international growers joining the platform in the future. “I go to Spain and Italy once a year, to see what the growers there have to offer. I wouldn't need to do that if they also joined Floriday. Then once I know which growers have good stock, I could also order that electronically. Which saves time and money.”