Jana Kurniawan started Green Contor ten years ago. She’d noticed that other trading companies in Northern Germany often included a nursery as well. Her impression of this set-up was that it impeded the companies’ independence. In hindsight, she feels that this observation became Green Contor’s strength: an independent plant supplier with a lot of attention for the customer.
Ask anyone in the tree-nursery sector about traders in North Germany, and they’ll probably mention Heinje Baumschulen and Zu Jeddeloh. Companies with a large in-house production, and prominent exhibitors at the various trade fairs.
According to director Kurniawan, Green Contor has been taking a different approach from the very beginning, ten years ago: no production of their own, little overhead expenses and a strong focus on fast and flexible deliveries. “Our company isn’t linked to a certain nursery. Thanks to our independent position, we can supply all products, and we try and do it at lower prices than everyone else. This includes local products from the Ammerland region, as well as products from the Netherlands.”
Taking the time
Kurniawan feels it was never a given that Green Contor would obtain a position as supplier within the German garden-centre market. “When I visit the large Dutch trade fairs and see what’s on offer there, I do sometimes wonder: what can our company add to that?”
Kurniawan has already answered this question in part, but according to her, there are more reasons why garden centres choose the North German company. “We take the time to meet our customers. We don’t mind spending half a day with a buyer when they come to visit us.”
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