Less than one year into its existence, New Covent Garden Market’s Green & Bloom has won the Wholesale Floral / Plant Supplier of the Year at the FPC Fresh Awards.
The annual awards ceremony for the fruit, vegetable and flower sectors was held at Grosvenor House on Park Lane and run by trade association, Fresh Produce Consortium, to recognise high-achieving companies and individuals across the fresh produce sectors.
In November 2021, Green & Bloom was created by amalgamating the experience and technological assets of three companies to create an all-encompassing wholesale flower, plant and sundries company. Arnott & Mason, Zest Flowers and the Floral Trade Group merged to build a company with a clear goal of competing on a larger scale with Dutch export companies in a post Brexit world.
Managing Director Freddie Heathcote explained: “Green & Bloom is in itself a creation born from adversity, as well as to beat any potential adversity our industry faces in the short- and long-term futures. This tactical move has seen us enable growth in six key customer areas through a combined sales force in New Covent Garden Market, as well as a newly launched online platform with over 15,000 available products, 95% of which are shipped directly from the grower upon order.
“Shipping directly from growers not only enables us to optimise the freshness of the product we sell, but also enables us to eliminate margins in the supply chain, thus allowing us to offer premium quality, long-lasting product at industry competitive prices.”
The platform the merger has built enables Green & Bloom to more easily offer product from suppliers not only on the continent, but from the UK as well. “We have created a ‘one size fits all’ template enabling UK growers of all sizes to use us a distributor,” Heathcote added. “This supports further diversity of product offering, as well as more sustainable buying options for our customers.
“We are currently trialing e-bike delivery for cut flower web-shop orders, In addition, we have coconut husk pot options for a variety of plant products online, and support carbon neutral cut flower growers using non plastic alternatives for packaging. The Floral Trade Group, our Dutch partner, has developed sustainable flower wraps made from recycled cut flower waste as well as a range of flower buckets made from 100% recycled materials, which are gradually taking hold within the supply chain of the floral industry.”
Having created this solid foundation at its London market base, the business is now ready to roll out hubs across the UK, in order to further extend its customer base and help realise its vision.
“Green & Bloom is an innovative and progressive company which aims not only to grow to become an industry leader but do so by offering our customers the best experience in the process,” Heathcote said. “From buying options (online or in store), to optimal assortment of product, to sustainability accountability for both ourselves and our supply chain through FSI 2025 accreditation.
“By 2024 we aim to have 10 hubs across the UK enabling our vision to be useable by thousands of different businesses across the industry.”
