Floréac magazine #5 2019 : Christmas, one of the cosiest days of the year

Images: © www.floreac.com / © www.thejoyofplants.co.uk / © unsplash

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Dear customer, The sun is setting earlier and earlier, the summer gear has long been put away, and we are already starting to hear ‘Last Christmas’ being played. It’s clear that the end of the year is in sight. What better time to sit around the table with friends and family and look back on 2019? And for the cosiest days of the year, stylish decoration is naturally essential. We aim to surprise and inspire your customers with six varied Christmas themes that you can discover in this edition.

‘Christmas Rituals’ focuses on creating a homely atmosphere.

We combine warm colours with a hint of gold. Amaryllis, dendrobium and paphiopedellium complete the picture. The same cosy atmosphere can be found in ‘Embrace Nature’, which picks the finest shades and materials from nature: pine green, earth brown, wood and jute.

Would you like to offer that bit extra? ‘Traditional Christmas’ is based on the authentic combination of classic Christmas red and fresh white. Kalanchoe and a range of Added value decorations add the perfect finishing touch. ‘Royal Luxury’ creates a Christmas Theme that you might see at Buckingham Palace, complete with royal colours, majestic plants and a healthy sprinkle of glitter Finally, ‘Ice Adventure’ and ‘New Scandinavian’ will take you all the way to the Far North. The former style is reminiscent of a morning stroll through a fresh carpet of snow, with ice-white flowers and stone-grey pots. The latter theme is Scandinavian elegance at its best: natural materials, plant terrariums and conifers create a timeless framework.

In addition to our Christmas themes, we will be taking a closer look at two of our partners. We’ll be heading to Amstelveen in the Netherlands, where OrchiDiva grow luxurious potted cymbidiums. We will also feature Canteira from Lochristi (Belgium), run by Katrien and Kurt who are passionate growers of hellebores and echinaceas.

Enjoy!

P.S. You can discover all the themes and the associated POS material in our webshop: www.floreac.shop

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theme

CHRISTMAS RITUALS You know that feeling you get when you sip a warming cup of coffee while sitting in front of an open fire, well that’s the ‘Christmas Rituals’ theme in a nutshell.

Warm colours such as chocolate brown and creamy beige create a cosy atmosphere, while the hint of pale gold that pops up here and there guarantees a sparkling Christmas. Amaryllis, dendrobium and paphiopedillum, among others, add the perfect finishing touch.

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TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS Never change a winning team and that means the combination of classic Christmas red and crisp white is essential for Christmas. Plants such as kalanchoe bring the authentic Christmas atmosphere to life, as do the wide range of decorations and accessories from traditional Christmas figures to eye-catching mugs. For that out-and-out classic Christmas feeling!

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HALYMI-SP04A Please visit our website for the full range of this theme.

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supplier in the spotlight

With the Christmas season approaching, plant lovers are eagerly awaiting their hellebores.

Ten years ago, this winter bloomer was relatively unknown but today it adorns plenty of living rooms during Christmas and New Year. Katrien Van Nieuwerburg and her husband Kurt De Cleene have also lost their hearts to hellebores: “We invest a great deal of time in our plants.�

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supplier in the spotlight

Everyone thought we were crazy, but we haven’t regretted it for a second.

It was written in the stars that one day Katrien and Kurt would start a business. “We both grew up in entrepreneurial families,” says Katrien. “Although we were always itching to get our own business off the ground, we didn’t have a concrete concept yet. In the meantime, we both enjoyed working for a plant trader. I worked for Floréac as an account manager for Great Britain.”

No regrets whatsoever The couple knew a number of nurseries from their work. “One of them was the breeder Het Wilgenbroek, which came up with an attractive proposal: we could grow and market the new cultivars Helleborus Candy Love and Snow Love for them on an exclusive basis. After intensive talks, we decided to go for it: we accepted the proposal, provided that we were allowed to set our own course.”

In 2008, in the depths of the economic crisis, Katrien and Kurt launched their business Canteira.

“Our family and friends said we were crazy. But we were extremely motivated, knew the sector inside out and could call upon the expertise of Het Wilgenbroek. Today, we are stronger than ever. We haven’t regretted our decision for a second.”

Comprehensive testing of new varieties In the start-up phase, Canteira grew 2 varieties of hellebores on a large scale. In 2019 the nursery has 20 varieties, accounting for some 100,000 plants. “We also grow 50 to 60 limited-edition varieties each year. Het Wilgenbroek is responsible for the breeding, and young plant nursery Microflor is in charge of propagating the new varieties, after which we carry out comprehensive testing. This means we can always supplement our range with the best varieties.”

In addition to hellebores, Canteira has been growing Echinacea since 2001, albeit on a smaller scale. “We took this step after a specific request from a customer. Although Echinacea is a labourintensive plant, it is known to be particularly effective at attracting bees. In times when bees are dying on a massive scale and biodiversity is under threat, Echinacea offers an appealing solution.”

Quality makes all the difference.

With 1 hectare, Canteira is a relatively small player in a competitive market. “We stand out as a result of our high quality: we invest a huge amount of passion and time in our plants and do as much as possible ourselves. This approach pays off. We also keep our finger on the pulse: for f l o r e a c ma ga zi n e

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supplier in the spotlight each new species, we examine the feedback from the end customers. Add in our close cooperation with Microflor and you get a working method that is unique in the market.”

On top of that, Katrien and Kurt are committed to sustainability.

“We use solar panels to meet all our electricity needs. We collect the rainwater that falls on the greenhouses and reuse it to water the plants. We weed manually and miniature horses look after the areas around the greenhouses. This means we don’t have to use weed killers. Thanks to these efforts, combined with an environmentally aware approach

although no longer on a fulltime basis. Thanks to our close collaboration, I am on good terms with both buyers and sellers. The lines of communication are short, which is crucial. Smooth cooperation is essential if we are to supply plants of outstanding quality.”

However, despite the close link between the two companies, there is no preferential treatment. “Like other nurseries, we constantly have to prove ourselves with high-quality products. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Conversely, we also require Floréac to convey both our plants and our philosophy to their end

“We’re on the same page as Floréac, which allows us to grow as a nursery” Katrien Van Nieuwerburg, Canteira

to plant protection products and fertilisers, we were awarded an MPS-A certificate.”

Clear communication is a must Floréac has been one of Canteira’s clients since day one. “I still work for Floréac,

customers. We will only be able to grow as a nursery if we are on the same page. And it’s working wonderfully: next year we will be adding a new greenhouse, allowing us to grow half as many plants again. With just as much passion, of course.”

Company Canteira Location Lochristi, Belgium Sur face ar ea 1 hectare n umber of pl ants 1,6 million of plants sold on an

annual basis staff Katrien and Kurt. Also some temporary staff during peak periods.

Export mar kets Western Europe and Scandinavia

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highlighted product: canteira

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theme

EMBRACE NATURE This style will transport you to vast Canadian forest where you can picture yourself around a campfire.

Natural, rustic materials such as wood and jute prevail.

And with pine green, eucalyptus and earth brown, the colour palette is also entirely picked from nature.

Cymbidium orchids, various kinds of amaryllis and conifers complete this Christmas theme, for a rustic yet stylish vibe.

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Please visit our website for the full range of this theme.

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NEW SCANDINAVIAN This theme was inspired by a Scandinavian winter fairy tale. Shades of mint green, icy white, petroleum and taupe alternate for an elegant result. Natural materials and plant terrariums seem made for this theme.

Conifers – snowy or otherwise – and spathiphyllum enhance New Scandinavian to create a pure and timeless mood.

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supplier in the spotlight

It takes the time to develop a beautiful flower that looks stylish and is very luxurious. Meet the OrchiDiva Cymbidium, a contemporary range of potted orchids. Jurgen Besuijen and his father Fred are at the helm of OrchiDiva nursery in Amstelveen, the Netherlands: “We make sure that consumers can discover new varieties throughout the season�.

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supplier in the spotlight

OrchiDiva, a superstar in the Cymbidium world Although the name OrchiDiva is only 7 years old, the Besuijen family have been passionate about potted cymbidiums for much longer. “In the early 1990s, my father started working in a nursery which he later took over,” Jurgen says. “I was already helping him from a young age, from weeding to packing plants. My love for the profession didn’t fade as I got older. On the contrary, in fact: I went to the horticultural college in Delft and started working fulltime in the nursery 5 years ago.

I’ve been the official co-owner of OrchiDiva since 1 January 2019.”

160 varieties The nursery is extremely innovative. “Our range is very varied: we offer 160 different varieties. In addition, we are constantly expanding this range through breeding. Not only do we experiment with colours and speckles, we are also working to develop more compact plants with smaller leaves and more flowers. “We make sure that consumers can discover new varieties throughout the season.”

Responding to regional preferences Today, OrchiDiva grows 430,000 plants on an annual basis, accounting for 45% of the European volume. “The entire

process from propagation to plant takes 4 years. Our flowers are sold all over Europe.

However, preferences vary from country to country. For example, Italians have a weakness for pastel colours such as pink or yellow, while in Portugal dark colours do particularly well. In addition, demand for specific numbers of stems per plant varies. The message is that we should respond optimally to these regional preferences.”

Whether the orchids are intended for Sweden, Greece or Russia, they have one thing in common: they simply exude luxury. “We are deliberately targeting the higher end of the market. Not just with our wide range, but also by offering plants of a higher quality than our fellow growers. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call our flowers superstars.”

As green as possible Jurgen and his team are also taking active measures to improve their sustainability.

“Because we are quite a small nursery, major interventions such as meeting all our energy requirements through solar panels just aren’t feasible right now. So we’re looking for other ways to run the company sustainably.”

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supplier in the spotlight

“For example, we only use biological pesticides these days and we no longer seal our trolleys with plastic foil. Our plant pots also consist of 50% recycled materials and the inspiration leaflet that we provide with the plants is made of stone dust and is therefore biodegradable.”

“Floréac gives us valuable feedback from garden centres, which enables us to tailor our range accordingly” Jurgen Besuijen, OrchiDiva

Around the table with Floréac OrchiDiva has been working with Floréac for many years. “It’s a solid partnership. For example, Floréac share their customer feedback with us: which colours do they prefer? Would they like more or fewer stems? We then tailor our range accordingly.”

themselves. Possible economic challenges, such as Brexit, are also addressed. As a result of our close contact, we know what is going on at Floréac and vice versa. The result: a collaboration in which we are both reaping the benefits – or flowers.”

entr epr ise OrchiDiva localité Amstelveen, Pays-Bas

To further strengthen the partnership, OrchiDiva and Floréac meet up every year. “We discuss not only the successes of the past season, but also the areas that require improvement. For example, could we change course even more quickly in our supply management? The partnership with Floréac also goes much further than the plants

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person n el 12 collaborateurs permanents

et 20 intérimaires pendant les périodes de pic Super fici e 6,5 hectares march és d’ exportation l’Europe entière

h igh l ighte d prod u c t : orch i d iva

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ROYAL LUXURY Would you like to offer your customers that little extra touch? If so, the Royal Luxury theme will be right up their street. Royal colours such as chic gold, yellow copper and royal burgundy immediately catch the eye. Cyclamen, phalaenopsis and other majestic plant species tie in seamlessly with this royal theme, as do luxurious ‘copper’ pots. And glitter decorations are naturally essential for a Christmas worthy of Buckingham Palace!

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ICE ADVENTURE A morning stroll through a fresh carpet of snow, that’s what Ice Adventure feels like. The spotless winter white is perfectly complemented by the cool shades of polar blue and silver. This theme is further translated into white flowers and blue-sprayed phalaenopsis.

Snow-white and stone-grey pots and icy accessories – such as shiny Christmas balls and silver stars – provide the finishing touch.

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PHALWI-SP62TA2A Please visit our website for the full range of this theme.

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FlorĂŠac nv Beerveldse Baan 4 9080 Lochristi Belgium T +32 9 353 53 53 F +32 9 355 52 34 info@floreac.com www.floreac.com

Place an order for at least ÂŁ500 per theme and receive a festive banner. order by webshop : fax : telephone :

www.floreac.shop +32 9 355 52 34 +32 9 353 53 53

or contact your account manager