‘Sharing data can feel uncomfortable, but it will help your flower supply chain thrive’

In tomorrow’s interconnected, data-driven flower industry, sharing quality and performance data across global supply chains will be standard practice. However, at a time when many players are only just getting familiar with the impact of data, sharing company secrets can feel uncomfortable. In this article, FlowerWatch’s CEO Jeroen van der Hulst?explains how the pathway from today’s reality to tomorrow’s possibilities must be paved with trust – and highlights 4 reasons why transparency is a must.

On the journey of flower shipment from farm to consumer, the performance of each single link in the chain affects the whole. Dirty buckets on the farm, inefficient (re)packaging at the airport, or high time-temperature exposure further down the chain, can substantially reduce quality and vase life. In our practice, applying the FlowerWatch Quality Standards makes a 98% score on quality and vase life consistency easily achievable. Neglect of standards, however, can quickly push that score down by 10%, 20%, or more – with substantial damage to revenues and reputation.

Better every time

‘With today’s monitoring and data collection tools, and the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), we can easily identify and resolve these hiccups in the chain,’ explains FlowerWatch’s Jeroen van der Hulst. ‘The FlowerWatch Data-Driven Insights programme and the R&D Sprints we offer customers are built on this premise. We work with reliable, up-to-date performance data based on our own science-based KPIs, the FlowerWatch Quality Standards. This has enabled us to guide many individual growers, forwarders, buyers and retailers towards a continuous cycle of improvement. With Data-Driven Insights, you perform every time.’

It’s time to share more

As more individual players become data-driven, the next step emerges bright and clear, says Jeroen: ‘As an industry, we’re now ready to collate data from different players up and down the chain. That will bring consistent, guaranteeable flower quality within reach not just of single players, but of end-to-end supply chains and the industry as a whole.’

Sharing pain points takes courage

The first steps towards data transparency in global flower supply chains clearly involve challenges, Jeroen acknowledges. ‘Putting detailed data on the table means we get a close-up look at the gains as well as the pains. For example, if a retailer contracts us to monitor the flowers they’re buying from three different farms, there will invariably be differences in performance. For one thing, in the early stages of working with Data-Driven Insights, there will be more points to improve on, making the performance differences greater. Another thing is that data as such do not tell the whole truth: without expert knowledge and analysis, they can easily be misinterpreted, painting an unfairly bright – or dark – picture.’

Trust and a collaborative vision

The solution to bridging this gap, says Jeroen, is trust and embracing a collaborative vision. ‘If you’re the first flower grower or freight forwarder to share your data, you’re at risk of being punished for the weak points: in a competitive market, the worst performer may be the first out. No entrepreneur wants that kind of risk. This is why in our vision and way of working, we stress the importance of chain-wide collaboration and trust in each others’ intentions and potential. For example, when a player signs up for our Data-Driven Insights programme, they are effectively saying they want to face their issues, resolve them, and up their game. We need to trust each other for that – and have patience with quality problems we know can and will soon be solved.’

“If you want to unlock the full potential of your flower supply chain, you must work together. As your company starts improving, make sure the other players in the chain are upping their game too. If you don’t move forward together, your individual efforts will not just be in vain – they will merely push up your costs.”

Unlocking our industry’s full potential

In the long run, transparency is better for business, Jeroen believes: ‘Sharing data is an expression of trust, but it also multiplies a supply chain’s potential for improvement. Unlocking the full potential of this industry, and delivering higher and more consistent flower quality with greater efficiency, requires a collective commitment to using and sharing data – on the part of retailers, forwarders, growers and everyone in between.’

4 REASONS FOR SHARING YOUR DATA

The call for transparency in today's global flower supply chains is not a hype, it’s a necessity. While concerns about sharing company performance data are valid, the potential benefits for the industry far outweigh the risks. Here are four.

1. Sharing data drives growth The pressure to maintain a competitive edge can make sharing performance metrics seem counterintuitive. However, it's essential to recognise that the modern marketplace thrives on collaboration and synergy.
2. Transparency pushes improvement Cross-chain data sharing will give us all a more comprehensive understanding of the entire process. By acknowledging weaknesses and addressing them collaboratively, the entire supply chain can elevate its collective performance.
3. Adaptability matters more than secrecy Sharing data may feel like exposing sensitive information to competitors. But in today’s age of rapid technological advancements, the best way to stand out as a company lies not in keeping the doors shut, but in the ability to be open, adaptive, and innovative.
4. Consumers know more than we realise Today's consumers want to know all about the origin, footprint, and quality of the products they purchase. Supply chains that openly share data about their social, ecological, and economic sustainability have an edge on tomorrow’s market.

Learn more about FlowerWatch’s Data-Driven Insights programme ?