Stefan & Marco - Product Manager and Commercial Director, Anthura
The enormous variety of breeds offers unprecedented possibilities. For product management and marketing, it's a playground to do great things with. This way, the team determines the course and pace of new breed introductions at Anthura.
Stefan & Marco - Product Manager and Commercial Director
The show greenhouse with all variations of anthuriums, bromeliads, and orchids is the pride of Anthura in Bleiswijk. Recently admired by many international guests from the floriculture sector. For Anthurium Product Manager Stefan de Hoog and Commercial Director Marco van Herk, it's the moment to discuss with customers about the new and future assortment.
Stefan, you have been working in product management and marketing of floriculture for about 25 years. What makes this field so fascinating?
Stefan: "The floriculture world is fascinating because it's so dynamic. A plant is still a living product. Today it's on top, and tomorrow the market can be completely different. Everyone is very direct and says it like it is. I find that beautiful. There is still much to develop in floriculture marketing and product management, much more than in marketing shoes or jars of peanut butter. The dynamics in this sector ensure that no day is the same, and that's what makes it so appealing to me."
At Anthura, as a product manager, you specifically focus on anthuriums. Do you really have a connection with this potted plant?
Stefan: "My focus is 100% on anthuriums. When I started talking to Anthura seven years ago, I first thought: those shiny red things? But after a conversation and a visit to the show greenhouse, I saw the enormous variety of anthuriums and realized that I could do great things with them. I truly fell in love with the product."
So the plant has become a bit sexier now?
Stefan: "Absolutely. We are currently working on a series of ribbon-shaped potted anthuriums that do not have a heart-shaped flower form, but flowers in the shape of a ribbon. A real novelty in the market. How cool is it that you can introduce five colors of ribbon-shaped anthuriums together with your colleagues? This project started on my first day of work and is now coming to fruition. I have been closely involved in everything that is now ready for sale in recent years. This makes the work more enjoyable because there are still so many beautiful and fun strategies to implement."
How do you ensure that new products, such as the ribbon-shaped anthuriums, are successfully launched in the market?
Marco: "Together with the customers who introduce the new breed or series, we plan an introduction campaign. This is done in consultation with the marketing department, which takes more control in this phase, resulting in a campaign that often lasts a year or even longer. Social media is an important tool, but traditional marketing methods and trade fair promotions also play a significant role."
"With the enormous variety, I can do great things here"
Which markets do you see as the most promising?
Marco: "We export to 70 countries worldwide, and that is a dynamic composition. However, markets like America and large areas like Asia stand out positively. Due to the suitability of our product in these areas, I expect good growth here."
Where else do you see opportunities in the current floriculture market?
Stefan: "We want to work more data-driven to better determine our strategy. We also hope to reduce the chance of disappointing introductions. By making the right choices based on data and research together with breeding, sales, and marketing, Anthura can quickly determine if a variety will be successful in certain markets. That is a big part of our ambition."
How far along are you with this?
Stefan: "We are working on it, but it deserves more attention. Sometimes, the daily activities put pressure on the long-term strategy. A good product management and marketing manager, who shapes the substantiation of our choices, brings structure, and safeguards the long term, can focus on this. The main task is to realize a roadmap that indicates where Anthura will be in five to ten years and how we will get there."
And what challenges are you facing?
Marco: "We breed a product that can grow under difficult conditions in the subtropics with low light. Because of this background, our product is so suitable and durable in work and living environments. Also, the consumer needs to perform minimal maintenance, these are conditions for a successful product. And through advanced breeding and research in cultivation, the energy requirement has now been reduced to a minimum level. Combined with durability, our products are top performers in terms of low footprint per day of enjoyment for the consumer."
Breeding is costly. How do you maintain the balance between innovation and risk when selecting new varieties?
Stefan: "That's right. By collectively choosing which varieties we will ultimately continue with, we determine the direction of the company. An important responsibility that also brings risks, but we bear it together as a group. As a product manager, I have a central role and I am in contact with all relevant departments such as the lab, breeding, research, crop optimization, and the market. We set the pace and are the key to the organization's success. Incredibly enjoyable!"
Marco, as the commercial director, how do you see the role of marketing and product management in Anthura's commercial strategy?
Marco: "This role is like a 'spin doctor' between breeding and commerce. The goal is to research the market, identify needs, and meet them with varieties that fit. Even better is that the marketing department is also part of the function, so that together the promotion of these varieties towards the market can be well designed."
Stefan, what is the most important thing you have learned in the past seven years at Anthura?
Stefan: "That the plant world is very different from the flower world where I used to work, both in the speed of the market and the growers. It is also striking that my technical knowledge has grown enormously in recent years, and I analyze things more, whereas in the past I relied more on gut feeling. This mode of substantiation is also in Anthura's DNA."
Are you ready to take the next step?
[Published: June 2024]
