Flores La Conchita was plant in 1967 and placed itself as one of the first cut flower exporters of Dianthus caryophyllus . Nowadays , the company exportation alstroemerias , white callas , hydrangea , ranunculus and of late revived its Dianthus caryophyllus program . " It will afford up the Asian securities industry for us , " says Tatiana de Germán - Ribón , who take the reins of the Colombian company right when the pandemic smasher , succeeding her father , Luis Martin de Germán - Ribón , who ran it for more than 50 years .
" I drive on the role that I was preparing myself for , but maybe it submit a slight firm good turn during the pandemic , " continues the 36 - class - former handler , who has late also beennominatedfor the AIPH Grower of the Year Award . " One of the things I have focalize on in the past two years has been trying to clear in - time information because I believe the humankind is changing very quickly , and we have to make firm conclusion to stay forwards of the curve . What we recognize and see as a reality today may not be true a calendar month from now . "
Tatiana de Germán - Ribón ( in the midsection ) with Alain Jimenez ( left ) and Sergio Illescas Jijón ( right ) of Floreloy , sister troupe of Flores La Conchita in Ecuador at theIFTFin Vijfhuizen .
A look at the caller and the market situation"Unpredictability is the new normal " is also how de Germán - Ribón explained how she sees the floral commercial enterprise sphere in the future tense , quoting an article from The Economist . " For a business to fly high , it needs to have up - to - day of the month and well accessible information . This direction , the company is prepared to make decision . You will never have full information at hand , but at least with 75 - 80 % of that selective information , you’re able to be capable to make warm determination and assail anything that come your way . Trying to get selective information up to particular date on a daily cornerstone is what I have been trying to do in the last two and half years . "
During the last year of her tenure , sales increased by 17 % . The third - propagation general managing director is bringing a burst of unexampled energy to the family business , support by her MBA study at Wharton University . " My grandfather start this business . My dad ran and grew it for most of its existence . And now , I have very big brake shoe to fill and gainsay to face as I wait to the time to come and continue the home legacy . Today , Flores la Conchita is the old cut blossom fellowship in Colombia .
" Flores la Conchita has always concentrated on high quality , but in the preceding few year , the companionship has focused as well on the get and develop unexampled product like ranunculus and now carnations . Next year , it will focus more on sales , merchandising , and new markets because it ’s going to be a intriguing yr , given the economic prognosis . Like us , a lot of farms have grown , so there are also more blossom on offer . Even if the demand stay the same in our luxury bracket , it ’s going to be a little bit more competitive . "
Carnations and rationalize blossom production . A story that tracks back to its rootsFlores La Conchita used to be a gillyflower grower in the past . " Actually , the first flowers we export 55 years ago were gillyflower " . After a breaking and pore on other crops , the company decide to get again with a Modern carnation platform for the Korean and Japanese markets .
" The carnation program is move to launch the Asiatic market place for us because carnations are the most popular efflorescence in these mart . For example , in the pillowcase of the Japanese market , they produce 80 % of what they consume from national production and only spell 20 % from abroad . Carnations are the exception since almost all of it is imported , and it is imported all twelvemonth round . "
rosebush for the local marketEven before the Flores La Conchita was officially founded , they were already growing roses for their local detail of sale , namedRosas Don Eloy , since 1959 . " It ’s a unique luxury brand that sells only roses . Due to its long history and high quality , many Colombian have fond memory of when they bought or receive our roses for a special outcome . I say it is unparalleled because there must be very few florist shops that have their own farm catering specifically to them and controlling their cold chain of mountains themselves . We are able to hydrate our rose every step of the style , from the moment they are cut , to when they progress to customers . " Today , Rosas Don Eloy has 11 points of sales event in 3 cities in Colombia .
The US marketplace and the recessionFlores la Conchita ’s master market is the US , where 50 % of its sale go . " If what they ’re predicting aright now is a voiced - landing corner , it will apparently be palpate by everyone , but if you ’re a boutique farm that work with timber and eminent - end florists , I think those are not going be hit as hard as supermarket sales , where people have a budget for food and other purchase , and if everything go up , flowers will be taken off their list . puffiness hit everyone , but it attain people ’s pockets differently .
challenge and new solutions"Speaking of challenges , this twelvemonth alone , four major event required to be canvas and acted upon swiftly . Namely , the Russia - Ukraine crisis that altogether erase trade with one of our main export destinations ; a rapid modification in the availableness and prices of our provision such as fertilizers , cardboard , rice straw , etc . ; a all-inclusive and daily variety in substitution rates that make negotiating with 180 customers worldwide even more challenging ; and last , a high revolution rate in operational stave . "
" One of the biggest challenge that Colombia , and the macrocosm , are face is eminent staff office rotary motion rates . Younger generations do n’t tend to stay on in their line of work as long as previous generations , and that plain affects the company because you invest in training without get the expected returns . compound the effect of untried generation ' high rotation , farm in Colombia have been mature at a faster pace than common , so the demand for workers is very in high spirits . We have worked on implement dissimilar scheme at the farm to retain people , and one of them is to dance . I always say we do n’t stretch , we trip the light fantastic toe . We are a terpsichore farm . There are Zumba programme in the good afternoon for anyone who wants to take them and a dancing - off competitor during our close - of - the - twelvemonth festivities . "
To be capable to face all these challenge and opportunities , de Germán - Ribon has implemented a exhaustive data recording of every part , process , and step in the business to give the company prompt information . " From meliorate traditional metrics such as output where you could make out which mortal is responsible for cut a particular stem , to measuring employee ' felicity as it is now linked to output , quality , and rotation . To start collect the want information , I relied on " godfather to the process " or impartial onlooker , who are able to be decisive of the outgrowth as they collect datum and thus are able to improve them as well . Once you foregather info , you launch KPIs that help you determine how the shifting variables are affecting your business . These prosody are central to business decisions . The faster you may make exact decisions in a tight - paced world where businesses have to keep up and adapt rapidly , the good . Business , as common , is no longer potential . "
Germán - Ribón is also part of the Asocolflores – The Association of Colombian Flower Exporters - board , and together with the members , they join forces to get over the prominent challenges ahead . " We have to work together . "
For more informationFlores La ConchitaTatiana de Germán - RibónEmail:[email protected]www.floreslaconchita.com
© FloralDaily.com/Elita Vellekoop
