The last three weeks of June are always a busy time of year at Microflor. For the fifth year in a row, Microflor is hosting its annual client days – the perfect opportunity for growers to view our wide range of plants up close and for us to get more feedback from customers. Account and Assortment Manager Bavo Matthys explains what makes these client days so unique. We also talked with Elias Torres, a client who travelled all the way from California (U.S.) to Lochristi for the event.

It is no coincidence that Microflor opens its doors during the month of June. For many years, the FlowerTrials event has also been held around the same time, in week 24 to be exact. During this three-day event, pot and bedding plant breeders from the Netherlands and Germany proudly present their latest innovations to visitors from across the globe.   

“That’s why many of our global clients take a trip to these parts of the world around this time of year”, says Bavo Matthys. “By hosting our client days near the end of June, customers from all over the world take the opportunity to attend our event. They travel from Turkey, Poland, and even as far as Brazil, the United States and Taiwan. And in the two weeks following our client days event, many of our Dutch clients make the trip to Lochristi.”

All about innovation 

Bavo and his colleagues are busier than ever. They will be welcoming more than 40 clients over the next three weeks. “This event keeps us extremely busy, but it’s so worth it”, Bavo continues. “This year, our guests will get to take a close-up look at more than 75 Phalaenopsis varieties in bloom. About half of these are new, cloned varieties, so there is a lot to discover and explore for our guests.

“By providing these guided tours and advising them along the way, we also learn a lot about current market trends ourselves.” – Bavo Matthys, Microflor

We have noticed that more and more growers seem to be focusing on one particular segment: some like to work specifically with fast-growing varieties that easily sprout new growth, while others seem to be more taken by exclusive varieties with exceptional colours or large flower heads. During their visit, our clients seek out the plant varieties that match their corporate strategy. By providing these guided tours and advising them along the way, we also learn a lot about current market trends ourselves.”

Close interaction

Exploring our assortment of plants is one important aspect of the client days event, but there is much more to it than that. Elias Torres, grower at Westerlay Orchids, an orchid growing business located in Carpinteria (California), confirms this as he is visiting Microflor. 

“They really dedicate their time to us and give us the opportunity to learn about their latest innovations. We also provide feedback to one another.” – Elias Torres, Westerlay Orchids

“We grow two and a half million orchids each year”, Elias tells us. “Visiting our supplier in person is a great opportunity for us as we continually seek out new plant varieties that are strong performers. It also allows us to exchange information first-hand with experts in the field of plugs, fertilisation and weed and pest control. Today, Bavo and I will be visiting a Dutch plant grower to see these things put into practice. That’s what’s so great about Microflor’s client days: they really dedicate their time to us and give us the opportunity to learn about their latest innovations. We also provide feedback to one another. The whole event really strengthens our partnership.”

A recipe for success, geared towards the future

The growing number of visitors is a great indicator of the success of Microflor’s client days event. “More and more people attend our event each year”, Bavo confirms. “We even get growers from Taiwan coming to take a look at how things work on the European market. It’s great, as we are all working towards the same goal: developing the most beautiful, robust plants.”

Want to view Microflor’s wide range of plants up close? Get in touch with us and we will organise a guided tour for you.