"More and more of our customers want to buy directly from South Africa," say Noud Visschers and Kristel Emmerik of FreshCap. It is a trend they have been observing for the past year, but it intensified after the Trade Fair last November.
Freddie Kirsten, Kristel Emmerik, and Noud Visschers during the Trade Fair, last November.
Direct sales
FreshCap's flowers can now be shipped directly from the farm to the end consumer. "We do exports worldwide, and most of it already goes directly to importers. Increasingly, Dutch exporters are also buying directly from us," Noud says. "For these exporters, it is advantageous as a wider range is available, which is even fresher and provides certainty of delivery. In addition, buying directly from the farm is cheaper due to savings on processing costs and more efficient logistics."
FreshCap's new packaging
The exporters' preference to buy directly from the farm is not surprising. It offers logistical advantages and responds to the demand for more sustainability and cost savings, Kristel explains. This was a significant topic during the Trade Fair, where FreshCap was the only South African grower present. "A few years ago, we spent a lot of time unpacking and repackaging flowers. Now, we have developed packaging suitable for direct delivery to customers from the farm. We even offer smaller packaging to optimally facilitate importers."
Peak times
This does not mean that the Honselersdijk location (the Netherlands) is empty. FreshCap's 'small' team processes large volumes from the nursery in South Africa. They utilize the space at Floramotion on the auction grounds. When it's busy at Floramotion, it's a quieter at FreshCap and vice versa. For instance, the cold store is full of Waxflowers in summer, and there is a peak of Proteas in autumn. In between, all kinds of Cape greenery and an extensive range of Proteas arrive.
Ayoba Yellow and Protea Cynaroides
"During the busy months, we can switch effortlessly thanks to our location at the airport in Cape Town and the efficient logistics there. Our team in South Africa keeps a close eye on everything, while the sales offices in South Africa and the Netherlands have a good overview of global demand," Kristel says.
A Malachite Sunbird
Social media
Digitalization is also playing an increasingly important role. "An efficient webshop is indispensable these days. The digital aspect is growing and helps us serve customers even better," Kristel continues.
"We are also unique in that we are growers with direct supply from the farm. We clearly show this on our social media channels. One of our colleagues in South Africa is responsible for photos and videos on our Instagram page. This way, we show our customers and interested parties what we offer, but also how the flowers grow."
After the fair in November, Noud and Kristel went to South Africa to evaluate the season. "It was another great season to look back on. After a short break during Christmas and New Year, we are again completely ready for the season to come, starting with the Chinese New Year at the end of January."
For more information:
FreshCap
www.freshcap.co.za