Octoflor , an outside export & marketing caller based in the Netherlands and with a Kenyan - free-base flower sourcing hub , is celebrating its first anniversary , and as ice on the cake , they are now also a Fairtrade - endorse bargainer . They announced it earlier this month during the IFTEX exhibition in Nairobi , Kenya . But how did Octoflor get started ? How did the company produce over the last age , and what give this party different ? We had a chat with Matti Arielle , founder , and theater director of the company .
The squad of Octoflor at IFTEX 2023 .
Like an octopusPeople in the diligence believably cognize Matti as one of the founder and proprietor of a leading import fellowship in the Netherlands and after establish a arm in Kenya . After 17 years , in 2020 , he decided to go more spheric and deepen the company into R.E.L Agri and then , last year , into Octoflor . " I think this name accommodate the society much substantially , as we share many characteristics with an Octopus , we stretch our reach and multitask by sourcing an miscellany of peak from multiple farm to worldwide destinations , we adjust ourselves to the ever - interchange environment when needed , and above all , the squad is made up of a variety of cultures , lyric , and skills .
work worldwideThe company wanted to go beyond the Netherlands and the surrounding European country ' market . The first two years , already with R.E.L Agri , the team focalize on rural area outside Europe , like Japan , the Middle East , and Australia , and other countries further from the Netherlands . Octoflor is proud of with how the customers have embraced the steel , the services , and flowers in these countries , and now , they also see a demand from the European marketplace arising . " We are seeing that due to the ever - increase labor costs and the shortage of people , party want to put more resources in sales and marketing , and a caller like Octoflor can affirm their source challenge , thus volunteer them solutions , relieving them from the concern of source and allowing them to focus on the merchandising and sale challenges . We complete their supply chain .
One - check - shopMost of Octoflor ’s customer are wholesaler and cash and carry ’s , mainly from the more premium segments . " This segment is more emotion - drive , mean more scant - term ordering rather of foresightful - full term planning like supermarkets . " They can supply small and large amounts , just how the client prefers . They are specialized in bringing together a wide kind of flowers from various growers and provider from Kenya . " So , we have become a sort of one - closure shop . "
Fun - factorAt Octoflor , it is very significant that the team savor their problem . " Why do n’t we make thing more fun ? Also , flowers can be fun , and that ’s the story we endeavor to separate , also on our social media " , says Matti . Octoflor exhibited for the first time at the IFTF in the Netherlands last November and lately at the IFTEX in Nairobi in June , and for them , the fully grown compliment they receive was about the positive push of their team . " Of naturally , at the closing of the day , you still require to be very unspoiled in what you do , but combining that with a team that is gumptious and have got that playfulness factor . That positivity is infectious , and we feel it plays a large part in our business growth . stay authentic is primal as well .
Future … more aid to Europe , more digitalisation , and sustainabilityGoing forward , Octoflor will divert more attention into Europe , searching for opportunity to add time value to the supply chemical chain , and would wish to digitalize their processes in the industry at the same time , they want to focus progressively more on sustainability , which was one of the hot topics at IFTEX .
For more information : Danielle SpinksOctoflorEmail:[email protected]www.octoflor.com
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