CBI - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Buyer Requirements for Hortensia

Market Analysis by ProFound

Table of contents

Product specifications Legal requirements Additional requirements Requirements for niche markets Requirements for marketing materials Delivery terms Payment terms

Product specifications

Quality requirements Standard stem length: 60 cm Straight stems 2-3 leaves Vase life >7 days Strong and hard flowers Colours depend on buyer preference Hortensia grade Flower head size Blooming stage of flowers opened) Mini < 15 cm 20 – 40 % Select 15 – 17 cm 80 % Premium 18 – 23 cm 80 % Jumbo > 23 cm 100 % Most in demand!

Labels and packaging

Labelling on packaging unit:

Name

Supplier number at auction

Variety name

Amount of stems

Grading codes of auction

Labelling on the product :

Codes for tracking/tracing

Certification details

Pre-treat hortensia before transport

Package hortensia with plastic sleeves in cardboard boxes

Legal requirements

Phytosanitary certificate for demonstration of plant health Compliance with requirements regarding Intellectual Property Rights of breeders of new hortensia varieties There are no import tariffs for Colombian hortensia exported to the EU since Free Trade Agreement of 2013

Additional requirements

Retailers increasingly demand certification of CSR ETI (common in United Kingdom) GLOBALG.A.P. (common in UK, France) MPS-A (common in France, Netherlands, Switzerland) Growing buyer demand for proper cold chain management to ensure quality and vase life

Requirements for niche markets

Demand for Fairtrade certified flowers is growing, especially in supermarkets Demand is strongest in the UK Extremely high quality requirements for

weddings and special events:

Flower head size Strength of flowers

Requirements for marketing materials

Include in your promotional materials: Detailed description of hortensia with photos Delivery capacity per year and possible delivery date(s), especially in EU off-season (November-March) How you ensure quality and delivery reliability incl. information on storage and processing to bring hortensia into cold chain quickly Quality certificates to build trust and credibility Company branding Export references from business partners CSR policy, especially for supermarket channel

Promotion opportunities

Improve your credibility with a high-quality website Participate in shows and trade fairs to showcase your company and hortensia For example: IPM Essen, Flora Holland Trade Fair Aalsmeer, IFTF The use of social media in international trade remains limited Link your marketing to existing flower/hortensia campaigns

Delivery terms

Trade-off between responsibility of exporter and control over cold chain: Carriage Paid To (CPT): make demands of forwarder on cold chain management Free Carrier (FCA): lower responsibility of exporter Ensure freshness and optimal vase life of your hortensia with fast air freight delivery

Payment terms

E-mail communication about order serves as formal agreement Buyers prefer open accounts instead of CAD or L/C Payment terms: Consignment: buyers determine price after selling products to clients, sometimes with minimum price Commission: buyers act as agents who receive a commission for sales Particularly common for auction sales