To speed up the process and to strengthen each other, Royal FloraHolland and FloraXchange will be joining forces when it comes to IT. This is why Royal FloraHolland took out a controlling interest in the floriculture platform FloraXchange. It marks the kick-off for the development of one single digital platform for growers. The best modules of the platforms of the two companies will be used, which will result in a single digital marketplace for flowers and plants. This will simplify and improve the accessibility of global trade in the floriculture sector and will speed up the innovation process.
One digital platform for growers
Both Royal FloraHolland and FloraXchange have invested, these past few years, in developing platform functionalities for growers. As a team, we’ll be slowly working towards a complete integration of all grower modules from both FloraXchange and FloraMondo. We’ll take the best modules from both platforms to create a single global digital platform that growers can use to manage their product data, orders and logistics. That goes for growers of plants and growers of flowers, and for members and non-members of Royal FloraHolland. The platform will be called Floriday.io. Growers can access different trade channels via Floriday.io, such as FloraXchange and FloraMondo.
Collaboration for further development
The new joint venture feels the best way to success is to secure the involvement of growers and traders with the platform. That is why the joint venture won’t only continue to work on Floriday.io, but will also seek collaboration with exporting companies in order to further develop the modules of FloraXchange. This will turn it into the ultimate channel for trading companies that conduct direct trade with growers.
Independence
While FloraXchange is evolving and improving, it’s very important this trade channel doesn’t lose its independence and the business models of the exporting companies remain intact. The joint venture is convinced that a further digitalization of the floriculture sector can only be successful when the trading companies have a real stake in the trade channel. One of the first things to do is to agree upon – and to put in black and white – who owns the data and in what way the data can be used.
World-wide trusted digital business
Gerhard van der Bijl, Chief Digital Officer (CDO) at Royal FloraHolland: “Our digital aspirations are ambitious. Our top-priority is to set up a global digital platform for the floriculture sector. This transformation will happen responsibly, that is to say: we want our current marketplace to stay in business while we’re in the process of digitalization. And we feel the need for speed too. We’ll take bigger steps and will be admitting new talents to our organisation, so we can focus on new techniques. Also, we’ll be cooperating: With growers, customers and other parties to ensure the success of this new platform.”
Digital offer of both flowers and plants
“Two years ago I wouldn’t have thought a collaboration with Royal FloraHolland was a viable option. There’s a big discrepancy in the way we do things and Royal FloraHolland does things. The new view Royal FloraHolland has on IT now, however, was a good reason to start talking and go over different scenarios. We liked what we heard, and we’ve come to realise that Royal FloraHolland’s resources are a great help to us if we want to reach our efficiency goals. We saw totally eye to eye on this,” According to Martijn van Andel, Head of Business Development at FloraXchange.
Organisation
The FloraXchange team will also take care of the day-to-day business of the new platform (such as development, support, implementation and communication). Royal FloraHolland experts will assist them in order to speed up the process. Gerhard van der Bijl (CDO) will represent Royal FloraHolland in the management of the joint venture.
For more information you can check: http://www.floriday.io/en/announcement
-540-350.png)