By Victor Okeyo
Modern floriculture as a business is a dynamic and competitive market where there are not many players like Ball SB that can offer a range of fresh cut flowers across the world.
Ball SB has varieties under Kenya, Colombia, Ecuador and other highland tropical countries making it a fast-growing company that avails outstanding breeding and plant materials globally to growers. Carmen Marquez, the marketing manager for Ball SB, talks about the Ball SB story and its performance across different markets.
An Aggressive Force in the Global Floriculture Industry
Ball SB is just a small component of a bigger organization known as Ball Horticulture with a great history in horticulture.
Focused on breeding and supplying quality plants and plant products such as seed, cuttings or bulbs, Ball SB has maintained a policy of only using high quality varieties. They live to their marketing slogan ‘The Best and Nothing but the Best’ to support this core value.
“We produce some great varieties including limoniums, gypsophila, dianthus, and the alstroemeria, but we work with external breeders to avail the best to growers,” Carmen says. “If there is a third-party variety best for growers then that is what is offered.”
Focus on Emerging Markets
Though Ball SB functions in international market, its major platforms are in Colombia, Ecuador, and the latest in Kenya. Nonetheless, it should be noted that while still being the largest market for the company, this role is gradually being taken over by Kenya that is also showing rather fast growth in the world of floriculture.
“There is a lot of differentiation in flowers and Kenya is growing very fast in this bracket,” says Carmen. “Kenyan growers are seeking avenues to export a broader mix of summer flowers in addition to roses and carnations.”
This change has made Kenya to be among the leading exporters of flowers to Europe and the Middle East, two regions whose demand for floral varieties is rising. This kind of growth was supported by operational expansion of Ball SB in Kenya.
“We have invested in Kenya for over 12 years and two years ago we set up Ball Kenya with offices of our own. We also opened up a trial station in the fast growing flower business complex called Panda Flower Business Park in Naivasha,” she adds. “We also have open days for growers who come to see flowers in the farms as well as engage in intensive discussions about their requirements and our flowers.
Creating Relations Rather Than Establishing a Relationship
In the case of Ball SB it is more than a form of a supplier-client relationship, but a business partnership. “We want people to look at us as partners and not mere vendors”, Carmen states this.
It’s not just plant material with Ball SB; they are always there to support the growers and train them to get the best out of varieties they grow.
“It goes on to say we do quite a lot of accompaniment with the grower,” she added. “If something is wrong, we extend a call to our R&D department to help in perfecting the growing process. It is all about ensuring that their flowers get to these heights, last this long in a vase or respond positively to a shipment.
Ball Floriculture Kenya is always ready to meet any sudden surge in demand. This degree of reliability is desirable to growers who need to have a fast and reliable access to the materials they use.
The Key to Kenya’s Growth
The flower market in Kenya has been diversifying so fast. Producers are shifting from monoculture, given the emerging market, particularly in the arrangement of pots with flowers. This diversification is in Ball SB mission of providing the market with varieties of varieties as a company.
Some of the current varieties most produced by growers in Kenya consist of gypsophila, sunflowers, delphiniums and limoniums. In the same respect, Ball SB is always offering new choices with ways that help growers set themselves apart from the competition.
Here we have special types such as Trachelium and Achilleas which are not commonly cultivated at the moment. The most recent addition to our growing list of products, the Geratum JJ is something that no other player is cultivating in Kenya’, said Carmen. “In acknowledgment of this, growers can gain an edge in the market through presenting something fresh to the market.”
The Future of Floriculture in Kenya.
As Kenya continues to penetrate international markets, particularly in Europe and the Middle East, Ball SB is poised to support the industry’s growth. While Carmen hesitates to make specific predictions about the market’s future, she remains optimistic.
“I see the trend continuing, with more flowers going out to these regions. Perhaps in the future, Kenya’s growers won’t need to depend so heavily on auctions, allowing them to secure better prices,” she says.
For Ball SB, the goal remains clear: to empower growers with the best plant materials and support them every step of the way. As the Kenyan market continues to flourish, Ball SB is committed to being a key player in this blossoming industry, fostering innovation, diversification, and sustainable growth for the years to come.