‘Italians want colourful plants’
You sell all your plants in your own garden centre?
Federico Boschiavo (Managing Director): “Yes, our garden centre is the largest in Verona. The number of visitors can reach 5,000 on a busy Sunday – and these numbers continue to go up. We cultivate around 5 million potted and bedding plants, including geraniums, petunias, dipladenia, viola, chrysanthemum and poinsettia. We sell all of the plants in pots with our own logo. We also import potted plants and bedding plants from the Netherlands, such as orchids and kalanchoe. In addition to potted and bedding plants, we cultivate around 2.5 million vegetable plants every year.”
Have you always sold directly to consumers?
Allessandro Quaiato (owner): “No, we haven’t. When my father started growing potted and bedding plants in 1983, he sold mostly to traders. We didn’t really sell to consumers in those days. But for the past fifteen years or so, we have been selling everything directly via our own garden centre, because it allows us to get better prices. Our company has been growing around 15 to 20 percent every year, both in turnover and in visitor numbers. We’ve found that advertising really helps; we have billboards along all the main roads in Verona. We hope that by innovating and broadening our assortment every year, we can continue this growth in the future. A new thing that we started this year is growing our own hydrangeas.”
Do Italian consumers have specific requirements with regards to horticultural products?
Allessandro Quaiato: “Italians want colourful plants. They find it important that a product looks good and that they can get it at a good price. They don’t really mind where the plants are from. Plants and flowers aren’t as important to Italians as they are to the average Dutch person, but we do see that people are starting to appreciate it more and more. Italians do care about sustainability. That is why we focus on biological control; we use hardly any pesticides at all. And ‘grow your own’ is becoming a trend in Italy. People are enjoying growing their own vegetables on their balcony or in their garden. Our potted vegetable plants are selling fast!”
What are the most important sales periods?
Federico Boschiavo: “Christmas and spring are the most important sales periods for us. In spring, we focus on selling potted plants and bedding plants. In November and December, it’s all about our Christmas show. This is a real attraction – people come from everywhere, even as far as Milan, to Verona to see it. We also sell a lot of violas and cyclamen at the moment, as well as poinsettias. The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas gift in Italy.
Are you in the Netherlands on a regular basis?
Allessandro Quaiato: “Four to five times a year on average. Mostly to go to FloraHolland or to visit growers. I often go to the Plantarium in Boskoop, too. And I visit the FlowerTrials once every three years – you can always be sure to see some really innovative products there.”
About Allessandro Quaiato and Federico Boschiavo
Company: Floricoltura Aquaiato
Location: Castel d’Azzano (Verona, Italy)
Acreage: 13,000 m2 nursery, 16,000 m2 garden centre
Sales channels: directly to consumers, via own garden centre
Assortment: wide range of pot and bedding plants and vegetable plants
Number of employees: 50
