As their name suggests, Unique Blooms Limited seeks to focus on the unique. Their way of doing so is producing a range of summer flowers that are not commonly grown including Craspedia, Strelitzia, Limonium, Ruscus, and Veronica. "Focusing on these exclusive products allows us to cater to niche markets. We supply to floral professionals who look for distinct, versatile and high-quality flowers to differentiate their offerings in a competitive marketplace," states Catherine Wanjiru (Director of sales) of Unique Blooms Limited, a Kenyan flower farm.
Catherine Wanjiru, Director of sales at Unique Blooms, during IFTF 2024
The company aims to further expand their range to include Gypsophila and Kangaroo. They believe that a more diverse assortment will help them to better deal with risks, changing market demand and trends, as well as business opportunities." Expanding our product range will help us spread risk. By growing a larger variety of flowers, we will be less vulnerable to market fluctuations or environmental challenges that may affect one specific crop," Wanjiru elaborates.
Risk reduction
Recent developments have motivated Unique Blooms to embrace diversification. She points to the floods in Kenya that were a major challenge this year. "The floodings were unexpected and left us unprepared, affecting our production and logistics. They caused direct physical damage to the crops, particularly delicate species grown for export. The excessive water drowned the plants, caused root rot, and stunted plant growth. We also experienced a lot of bent stems, which is disadvantageous in the export market.
Recent developments have motivated Unique Blooms to embrace diversification. She points to the floods in Kenya that were a major challenge this year. "The floodings were unexpected and left us unprepared, affecting our production and logistics. They caused direct physical damage to the crops, particularly delicate species grown for export. The excessive water drowned the plants, caused root rot, and stunted plant growth. We also experienced a lot of bent stems, which is disadvantageous in the export market.
Likewise, it led to transport and supply chain disruptions. We are located in Nyahururu, a rural area which relies on a well-functioning transport infrastructure to get flowers to export markets, particularly in Europe."
Wanjiru also expects that a more diverse portfolio will help to stabilize their cash flow throughout the year. "Different types of flowers have different growing cycles, hence we thought while one variety may be in off-season, another could be in high demand," she explains.
Veronica
Seizing new opportunities
Yet, it's not all about spreading risk. At Unique Blooms they believe that a wider range of products also attracts different customer segments and opens up new markets. The company sees several opportunities at home and abroad. Wanjiru: "Thanks to a combination of global demand, local growth, government support, and improvements in farming practices, Kenyan flower farms are able to produce high-quality flowers that cater to both domestic and international markets. The improvement in the Kenyan flower market presents a significant opportunity for us, our company is capitalizing on this positive momentum."
Yet, it's not all about spreading risk. At Unique Blooms they believe that a wider range of products also attracts different customer segments and opens up new markets. The company sees several opportunities at home and abroad. Wanjiru: "Thanks to a combination of global demand, local growth, government support, and improvements in farming practices, Kenyan flower farms are able to produce high-quality flowers that cater to both domestic and international markets. The improvement in the Kenyan flower market presents a significant opportunity for us, our company is capitalizing on this positive momentum."
According to Wanjirum, the Kenyan market for summer flowers is growing as a rising middle class and cultural shifts toward greater flower consumption for personal and event purposes have boosted local demand. At the same time, Wanjiru emphasizes that they want to expand their international market presence. "Currently we are already supplying to Europe and the Middle East, and increasingly also to Asia. Although the preferences and trends differ in these markets, high-end, exotic flowers are in growing demand in all of them. Thanks to our company's proximity to international shipping hubs we are looking forward to expanding our market presence in the U.S.A, Japan, Russia, South Korea, India and Sub-Saharan Africa," she comments.
Ruscus
She adds: "In response to this growing demand, Unique Blooms sort to increase its production capacity by expanding existing flower beds and now strategizing on how we will diversify into high-demand varieties like Gypsophila, Kangaroo Paw, and other Exotic Foliage to meet international needs."
A positive outlook
Wanjiru believes that a bright future lies ahead for Unique Blooms, highlighting the quality of their products and services. "Kenya's proximity to the equator allows for year-round flower production, which gives us a competitive edge in terms of supply consistency. Moreover, we are capable of offering tailored solutions, whether it be specific flower varieties, packaging, or quantities. We are also offering value-added services like bouquet arrangements, dried flowers (we do this for Craspedia), and tinted flowers (Ruscus, Eucalyptus and Craspedia)."
Wanjiru believes that a bright future lies ahead for Unique Blooms, highlighting the quality of their products and services. "Kenya's proximity to the equator allows for year-round flower production, which gives us a competitive edge in terms of supply consistency. Moreover, we are capable of offering tailored solutions, whether it be specific flower varieties, packaging, or quantities. We are also offering value-added services like bouquet arrangements, dried flowers (we do this for Craspedia), and tinted flowers (Ruscus, Eucalyptus and Craspedia)."
Craspedia
She also points out that partnerships and sustainability have an important place in this future. "Building strong, long-term relationships with customers is a core value of Unique Blooms. Partnering with International event planners, supermarkets and retailers in Europe, Canada, and the UAE to supply flowers for wedding and corporate events, has opened up distinct revenue streams. We are also committed to sustainable agricultural practices that include crop rotation, the use of green energy for irrigation and the use of organic manure to feed our crops."
"With the right attitude, optimal altitude, and strategic market research, we are poised to become one of the leading flower farms in Kenya," she concludes.
For more information:
Unique Blooms Limited
+254711433236 / +254721554954
Unique Blooms Limited
+254711433236 / +254721554954