A business alliance between European specimen stock specialists Classiflora and Italian grower Zelari has been formalised, with Zelari taking an active shareholding in the Essex-based company. The deal, which was completed earlier this month, is seen both as an endorsement of Classiflora’s business model and a sign of Zelari’s confidence in the long-term prospects for the UK market.
Classiflora has been bucking recent economic trends by producing steady year-on-year growth. Managing director Riccardo Castiglioni puts the success of this family business down to its ability to respond to the demand to supply larger projects – including the Olympic Park and Westfield Shopping Centre – while continuing to provide a competitive and reliable service for the retail sector, landscapers and garden designers.
Zelari’s commitment will allow Classiflora to enhance customer services from its seven-acre site (near the M25), where there is ample space to expand the offering of specimen plants, hardy outdoor shrubs, trees and ornamental plants. Zelari’s European supply chain enables Classiflora to offer competitive and flexible deals on mixed shelves and trolleys and provide a varied and reliable offering for cash and carry customers.
Riccardo Castiglioni said: “Classiflora has been Zelari’s sole UK agent for some 27 years and their support over that time has helped build Classiflora’s reputation for sourcing quality stock 12 months of the year. We are naturally delighted to be moving our association onto this more permanent footing by welcoming Andrea and Stefano Zelari to our board. It’s great news for the company, our staff and customers; already the investment has enabled us to strengthen our nursery and logistics teams and improve our IT systems, with a specially developed application designed to streamline the order process. Customers – old and new – will enjoy our usual friendly and efficient service, speedier delivery and an improved level of quality and choice.”
The company is forecasting an annual turnover of more than a third of a million plants – two 40ft articulated trucks delivering stock to the Waltham Abbey site every day during the high season. They say visiting landscapers and garden designers will be assured of ready availability when ordering in quantity. Retail customers will benefit from new ‘pick and mix’ shelf and trolley deals that will allow them to build their own bespoke selections from a greater variety of lines to suit their particular customer requirements, reducing the risk of unsold stock.
Classiflora will be launching the new bespoke shelf deals at their annual open days on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7March, when visitors can view more than 1700 lines and take advantage of extra discounts on any orders placed over those two days.
Monty Don of BBC Gardener’s World will attend on Wednesday 6 March, when he will present a seminar and Q & A session. For further details and to book tickets for either day, visit www.classiflora.com/
