For many years, Dutch Flower Group is active in Africa. Started in 2003 Dutch Flower Group (DFG) Kenya founded an office in Nairobi and worked towards stronger partnerships with growers in the Naivasha area. In the following years the company grew and for this, we want to update you about the background of Dutch Flower Group, philosophy and strategy.
Dutch Flower Group (DFG) Two family companies in the trade of cut flowers, bouquets and plants joined forces in 1999. The family Van Duijn (Van Duijn Group) from the Westlands area and family Van Zijverden (OZ Group) from Aalsmeer in The Netherlands. Van Duijn Group was founded in 1969, OZ Group started in 1959. The merger in 1999 of the two family companies aimed for:
- Further professionalism in the industry
- Sharing know-how
- Co-operation on buying and sourcing
- Financial advantages.
With the target to get a strategic position in the international horticultural business.
In 1999 the Dutch Flower Group started her own foundation: Dutch Flower Foundation (DFF) to work on local projects to support local communities where the DFG companies source their flowers. For more information: www.dfg.nl/dutch-flowerfoundation.
Today
Dutch Flower Group today is a family of over 25 companies, acting world-wide in the trade of cut flowers, bouquets and plants. All of the companies have their own focus: segments and/or region.
Because of the set-up of the DFG structure, all companies are independently managed by their own management and focused on their customers and their growers. The DFG organization facilitates the companies on strategy, finance, marketing and legal policies and exists of a staff of 10 persons. The responsibility for DFG is with the Board of Directors, Marco van Zijverden (CEO), the son of the founder of OZ Group and Harry Brockhoff (CFO).
The companies are all individually managed and share the same values, which is visualized through the ‘coat of arms’ which the individual companies use in their communications: “making life colourful”.
Some Facts
Dutch Flower Group companies today sell about 60 million stems of cut flowers, 5 million bouquets and 5 million plants a week. With this, the DFG is the largest trading company in horticulture world-wide. The turnover of DFG in 2012 passed the € 1 billion end of the year and the market share in the export value of The Netherlands in horticulture is approx. 16%. The beautiful and fresh flowers, bouquets and plants are sold to over 60 countries world-wide and are sourced from 15 countries.
The DFG companies employ 1,850 people (FTE). As the Dutch Flower Group companies are focused on trading, production of flowers and plants, they are working closely together with growers to get the best product for the customer available and supply, aiming for long-term cooperation, to standards of consumers of our customers.
DFG in Africa
From the start of Dutch Flower Group’s oldest ‘member’: OZ Group in 1959, sourcing special flowers, fillers and exotic flowers from Africa was one of the key elements in the differentiation those days. With offices in South-Africa, Zimbabwe and later Kenya, the Dutch Flower Group companies already played an important role to marketing (cut)flowers from Africa to customers all over the globe.
Today the changing customers, also have effected the organizational structure of the Dutch Flower Group marketing.
On the one hand we have larger supermarkets and multiple retailers (DIY stores, garden centers) and on the other we supply through our companies the importing wholesalers who distribute flowers and plants to florists and chains of flower shops.
To be able to organize this in an effective way, three groups of companies have been formed:
- Division Retail
- Division Wholesale
- Sourcing
Division Retail and partnerships
The group of about 7 DFG companies, in which Intergreen, Green Partners, Bloom, SuperFlora, Van Dijk Flora, Qualiflor, JZ Flowers and Greenex are known names to a lot of growers. These are the marketing companies in Europe catering for the larger retailers in the UK and Ireland, Germany, France, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Poland, The Netherlands, et cet.
The flowers that are sourced from growers are part of the s.c. “category” that the companies set-up with the retailers and are a mix of ‘mono’ bunches of flowers, mixed bouquets and arrangements. Those bouquets and arrangements are made to specification in the production facilities that are located close to the customers: such as in the UK.
Intergreen, SuperFlora , JZ Flowers and Green Partners have their own independent production locations throughout England and Ireland. This is to be able to be close to the distribution centers of the customers.
Today various strategic partnerships with customers and ‘Grower Groups’ are in place to work on long term growth on the retailer’s shelf and to ensure sustainable business.
Sourcing for multiple retailers
It should not be a surprise that the requirements of the multiple retailers are high. On sustainable sourcing, but also on the quality standards and certifications (f.e. Fairtrade) that come with the professionalism in the industry. To take care of the quality process in the best way, to use the know-how of growers and to be able to supply the freshest cut flowers, local teams are present to coordinate sourcing (including the supply of sleeves, labels, flower food et cet), planning, handling and shipping as one supply chain. For multiple retailers, the marketing organisations have been named, but for the sourcing the local company in Kenya; Progress represents the long term contract, high value added companies. The team is based in Nairobi and they take care of the supply chain and local contacts with and selection of the growers. They do this on behalf of the marketing companies and their customers, the international retailers. Erik van Duijn is responsible for the Progress team.
Division Wholesale
As mentioned, these companies supply to importing wholesalers across the globe. Flowers send from The Netherlands to Western, Mid and Eastern Europe by truck but also airfreighted to countries like the USA, Asia (f.e. Japan). Companies in the Dutch Flower Group that are in Wholesale are: OZ Export, Hamifleurs, Holex, Premier & Blenheim and Ed de Groot Bloemenexport.
Sourcing for wholesale companies
The local Kenyan sourcing team for the wholesale companies in Dutch Flower Group is FSA (Flower Sourcing Africa). FSA also sources in Kenya for Green Partners, Van Dijk Flora, Rose Connect, OZ Import and Flora Export South Africa. Jan Smit is taking care of this with his team.
To be able to also sell the African product to customers over the world direct, from 1st of January 2013 the company “Fresh From Source” has been founded.
The team sources from growers (via FSA) and sells direct to customers in the US, Australia, Asia and Eastern Europe. They pack at source to the customer demands and take care of all the requirements needed to get the flowers, together with partner growers, in the best quality directly to the importing wholesalers. Bruce Laver and Anna Nosareva are taking care of this locally in Nairobi.
Logistics and handling: Airflo
One of the most vital links of getting growers flowers to the customer, no organization knows this better than the Dutch Flower Group. It is for this reason that DFG has invested sizable amounts into making Airflo the best dedicated flower handling facility in Nairobi. Imtiaz Dada is the person responsible for Airflo Ltd.
The coordination of all the DFG activities in Kenya is in hands of Conrad Archer.
The end responsibility for Sourcing and Wholesale Divisions at DFG lies with Marco Vermeulen and the Retail Division with Henk Salome.
Dutch Flower Group’s presence at IFTEX
To enable partner growers and other interested parties to touch base with the members of the teams mentioned, DFG is present at IFTEX in June. In the booth, D2.11, they welcome you to visit and to meet the Kenyan team.Together we are “making life colourful”, so be part of our family and visit us at the IFTEX.