You already know Coloríginz as a household name for an extraordinary assortment of flowers and foliage, and Odilia, their brand keen on delivering some of the most exotic florals. They are easily the go-to brand when you seek the widest selection of Proteas, Leucospermums, Cape greens, Banksias, and Leucadendrons, alongside several other striking floras, found only in the most exotic places. Essentially, Odilia by Coloríginz has always been known for its characterful flowers.
Odilia’s flowers are the kinds that tell a story of place, its people, and their passion. On the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, part of the Odilia story grows, quite literally. Coloríginz and FruterCoop Açores, an association of producers known for their beautiful Leucospermum, Protea, and other floral products, collaborate on a premium range of Nutans (Leucospermum) and other exotics that florists receive at just the right time of the season. Carsten Dissel from Coloríginz's sourcing team visited the Azores and talks about it in this exclusive interview.
The Partnership Between Coloríginz and FruterCoop
Based in Angra do Heroísmo on the Azores island of Terceira, FruterCoop has been a strategic partner of Coloríginz for many years. The collective started as a collaboration between banana farmers from São Sebastião in Terceira, Azores.
Established as a small group of growers, the association quickly expanded into a cooperative that officially became FruterCoop in 1992. Now, its dedicated members cultivate flowers, but also vegetables, fruit, and honey. Nutans is one of their leading products.
But it is the timing of their Nutans production that makes the Azores and the efforts of FruterCoop a perfect fit for Odilia’s assortment. The cooperative’s Nutans season peaks earlier than other key production regions, allowing Coloríginz to deliver quality florals to its clientele when demand rises.
While South Africa only starts producing Nutans from around July, and mainland Portugal reaches peak volume from about mid-February, FruterCoop offers these flowers well before those windows. Odilia is, therefore, able to extend the season and keep customers fully supplied when other sources are not yet ready or out of season.
This way, Odilia by Coloríginz brings a seasonal advantage to savvy florists, ensuring a year-round access to exceptional quality Nutans.
The Odilia Assortment From the Azores
From the Azores, Coloríginz sources the full Leucospermum package, as well as Protea Cynaroides, Protea Grandicolor, and Telopia, which is marketed under the name Waratah. These products make a unique group within the Odilia brand, presenting unique shapes and forms, outstanding textures, and, of course, long vase life.
Nutans is, perhaps, the heartbeat of the Coloríginz (Odilia) and FruterCoop partnership. It forms the core of the early-season supply. The Protea lines and Telopia complement this assortment. Of course, there are others, as well, but these are the mainstay, for now.
FruterCoop’s growers deliver these flowers into a shared system through a flawless and highly professional process that ensures that only premium-quality products carry the Odilia name, with each variety meeting the exacting standards that define Coloríginz's first-rate positioning.
GlobalGap and a Shared Responsibility
On their recent visit to the Azores, Coloríginz had this in mind. They wanted to guarantee that the products remain quality and premium. Their goal was to see the current production and what is coming up for this season. Additionally, an important point was the GlobalGAP certification, for which FruterCoop has an audit coming up.
For Coloríginz and Odilia, certification is not just a formality, but also confirms that good practices are adhered to throughout the chain. And FruterCoop did not disappoint.
Carsten Dissel from Coloríginz:
“We were particularly surprised by how beautiful some [of FruterCoop’s] fields looked… One grower has invested significantly in digging up fresh soil and creating a new top layer. This was done two years ago, and the first plants were planted. This looks exceptionally good, and they are already getting the first stems, whereas this normally takes a year longer.”
Notably, there were also meetings and discussions (during the visit) on-site, in the fields, and at the cooperative. These helped both partners align their expectations and fine-tune their way of working. In a sense, much like a shared responsibility, FruterCoop ensures the responsible production of the flowers on the islands, while Coloríginz ensures the consistency of the flowers and Odilia-quality products in the market.
Daily Quality Checks for Odilia
Ensuring that the flowers fit the Odilia standard is part of Coloríiginz’s daily routine to ensure quality and consistency. Whenever flowers are identified as not meeting the Odilia criteria, they are handled differently and do not enter the Odilia flow to florists.
But generally, the share of such flower stems is very small and appears only occasionally, which shows how stable FruterCoop's quality is. For florists, this means confidence in the fact that Odilia products from the Azores arrive with reliable grading, perfect stems, and steadfast performance.
The Azores and FruterCoop Are a Key Pillar for the Odilia Brand
For Odilia by Coloríginz, their Azorean connection is a structural pillar that supports the brand in unfailingly delivering premium-quality flowers to its clientele. This cooperation allows Odilia to offer continuity and quality across key months throughout the year. For those who work with their products, this is good news to their ears.
Bringing forward the season for Nutans and adding distinctive Protea and Telopia varieties in the mix, FruterCoop supports Odilia’s position as an overall specialist in exotic flowers for the northern hemisphere. This shows that, even as small islands, the Azores’ input in Odilia's year-round exotic flower offering is strong.
A common knowledge in the floral industry is that timing, quality, and reliability determine one's success. Yet the FruterCoop-Coloríginz (Odilia) collaboration delivers on all three fronts.
Photos by Coloríginz (Odilia). Reels by @coloriginz and @frutercoop.
