Octoflor, the premier flower-sourcing solutions provider, has continued to affirm its position as an important player in the global flower trade, a feat exemplified by its recent presence at the 2024 International Floriculture Trade Expo (IFTEX). The success of Octoflor's participation in the event held from June 4-6 in Nairobi, and organized by HPP Exhibitions — which presented a platform to showcase Kenya as a crucial player in the global flower trade — was evidence enough of the company's fast-growing status.
At the fair, Octoflor — which won silver in the best stand design awards at the event — made the most of the opportunity to network, connect, and showcase its services. And this was a key statement of its growing prominence. At its conclusion, the floral fair proved to be a success for the company as it leveraged the platform presented to strengthen its existing relationships across the flower world and create many more invaluable connections with several other suppliers and customers from around the world.
IFTEX Was a Success in All Aspects for Octoflor
During the floral fair, the Octoflor team was able to network extensively, exploring working collaborations and pooling resources on innovative solutions to cater to the ever-evolving demands of the global flower market.
It was obvious to every visitor that product diversity other than roses becoming available in Kenya makes not only this country's role more valuable, but also Octoflor's as a link to the world markets. Octoflor sent out a clear invitation for more farms and customers to come on board their train.
Notably, the 2024 floral fair witnessed a surge in participation, with a reported 25% increase in both exhibitors and visitors compared to the previous year, highlighting the growing interest in the event, and its significance as a premier platform for the international cut flower industry.
This sentiment was echoed by Octoflor. The company, also made significant gains, reaching this additional prospective customer base, according to Danielle Spinks, who is in charge of the company’s media and communications segment.
Danielle Spinks, Media and Communications at Octoflor:
“IFTEX was a good moment to network and connect with suppliers and customers alike. It was a busy week and potentially a larger reach as 25% more exhibitors and visitors attended. Octoflor is now well known and our focus is to now spread our reach even more.”
For the floral sourcing company, according to Spinks, the busy and lively atmosphere of the event provided a fertile ground for creating and nurturing new partnerships, strengthening existing ones, and gaining valuable insights into the latest trends shaping the flower industry. And Octoflor seeks to make the most of these insights in the coming days.
The silver award received for Best Stand Design in the category 'Perishables' was exemplary of Octoflor's passion and creativity to do things differently.
Focusing on Europe
Europe is a potential market that Octoflor now targets, after its continued success in delivering Kenyan flowers to the world. With a renewed focus on strengthening its presence in the European market, the company is now actively exploring new avenues to enhance its sustainability efforts and streamline its operations.
As part of its expansion strategy, the company is now focusing its attention on the region which is a key market for its services by strengthening its relationships with European suppliers and customers, and in doing this, increasing its market share in the region.
It intends to achieve this in different ways. For starters, Octoflor is looking at more sustainable packaging solutions by exploring the implementation of eco-friendlier packaging solutions, such as kraft sleeve packaging and Octoflor-branded boxes. These are intended to reduce its environmental footprint and cater to the growing demand for sustainable floral products.
All these efforts are in response to the currently developing trends, and the fact that consumers are now more inclined towards investing in and using more sustainable products and solutions in the flower industry. Yet, Octoflor has long been committed to sustainability, recognizing its crucial role in the long-term health of the flower industry.
Digitalization for Efficiency, and New Farms for Diversity and Wider Supply
Additionally, Octoflor is enhancing its digital infrastructure to improve customer ordering processes and overall operational efficiency. "Enhanced digitalization," Daniele says, "is a key priority for the company as it allows for better service delivery to customers, enabling the company to serve its clients better and respond to their needs in real-time." As such, leveraging technology to deliver seamless, customer-centric solutions that set the company apart from the others in the industry, is a key strategy.
Octoflor's growth ambition still extends further. The company is actively working to onboard more, new farms to its wide network. This will further expand its supply and offer even greater diversity to the customers. The idea epitomizes the importance of differentiation in the supply chain, and achieving this means Octoflor further expands the range of high-quality flowers it delivers to its global clientele. This tactical move aligns with the company's vision of becoming a one-stop shop for all floral sourcing needs, catering to the diverse preferences and requirements of its ever-growing customer base.
Thus, when everything is taken into account, and going by its impressive performance at IFTEX and its growing focus on driving sustainable growth, Octoflor promises to be an even more dominant force in its line within the larger international flower industry, redefining the way flowers are sourced and how their beauty is experienced.
Photos courtesy of Octoflor.
