Green needs, green opportunities

The need for green, flowers, and plants was never as great as today.
It is as if we are slowly awaking from our winter slumber. We go back to the essence and need to be in touch with nature, with green.

Pure!

Have you noticed? People are decluttering left and right. Abundance is slowly making way for focus, we are going back to the essence!

Vegetable gardens, flowers, and plants became popular again in 2015! This ‘back to basics’ trend brings nature back into and around our homes. The ‘botanical’ interior design trend and the ‘PURE cooking’ trend are a result of this.

Consumers have a greater need for plants, and are slowly moving away from the notion of plants as luxury products only. More and more, plants are starting to play a key role in the living and working spaces for reducing stress and purifying the air. The ‘outdoors life’ is also gaining in popularity. And in the kitchen? We want to know WHAT is on our plates and are searching for healthy alternatives.

Over the wall

I like to look beyond the sector limits to get a feel for what is going on. Green, simplicity, community, and tactility were key at the Biennale Interior 2016 as well. We want to feel again, to touch.

Interior biennale 2016 belgium

In short: the need for green is great, which should ensure that growers of flowers, plants, vegetables, and fruit are heading for prosperous times in a world full of green opportunities.

Really?

In reality growers are often not appreciated for their product, many are still selling their product at the same prices from 20 years ago, or lower. Meanwhile, the requirements regarding their products and services are much higher.

There are also opportunities! Thinner margins force traders to differentiate by excelling in efficiency, uniqueness of offer, or added value through brand creation.

Trends

The green sector is subject to scale-up, mergers, acquisitions, and business terminations. Consumer behaviour is changing. Time is precious to consumers, and therefore they often prefer one-stop-shopping. Slowly, sales are moving to supermarkets.

More and more we see producers selling their product directly to retailers, leaving out the wholesale middleman and gaining better margins.

Business Vigour!

So things can be done differently. By joining forces. By looking around, by addressing the changes within our society, by talking to consumers, to retailers, to breeders, by searching for combinations with other sectors, by pursuing collaboration and partnerships throughout the chain, in turn enhancing the focus on the activities that generate value. BK BedrijfsKracht is more than happy to face the challenge; to stand shoulder to shoulder with green entrepreneurs in the frontline.

Bart Kersschot

Consulted source: Rabobank Cijfers & Trends, een visie op branches in het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven. 40th year edition 2016/2017