February 26, 2020
Syngenta Flowers announces the appointment of Martijn Kuiper (MBA) as new Head of Product Management EAME. The company has been focusing on growth and innovation in recent years and Kuiper is determined to drive that focus, bringing the right balance between bringing great genetics to the market with a commercial perspective.
Martijn Kuiper brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team. In the past 20 years he has spent time all around the world in the floricultural industry, this has given him a broad experience how the industry functions. The last decade he was Sales Manager North America, South America, Asia and Pacific with Beekenkamp. He started his career in in the Kuiper family owned pot plants business and already worked with Syngenta Flowers as Senior Trial Officer for biennials and perennials before joining Beekenkamp. Martijn recently completed his MBA that gave him a very broad view of the business, market developments, enabling him to play in broader discussions on a high level.
Martijn Kuiper replaces Sandra Verlaat as Head of Product Management, who held this position on an ad interim basis since November 2019. Sandra Verlaat can now fully focus on her role as Head of Marketing. Verlaat: “. We have a good product portfolio and are strong in a number of products. Connecting this to the market with the right balanced commercial perspective is crucial. Kuiper brings that knowledge and experience to the team. The future has never been so colorful, we are facing a blooming and bright future."
We asked three questions to Martijn:
What can we learn from floriculture in North America?
The North American market is more retail driven. 70% of ornamentals is sold through the Big Box retailers. They have a large saying in the selection of the genetics. Home Depot is (Nr1 in sales of ornamentals in the US) is pay by scan, meaning only the product which is sold and scanned by the registrar will be paid to the grower. In this way the grower becomes a full scale service provider to the retailer, maintaining inventory, caring for the plants etc. To improve their sales the demand planning becomes more data driven. Using the sales data, which is becoming more specific to genus and colour, and could go to variety specific (not there yet) would give us
the answer of what product the consumer is buying exactly. This would give us the chance to increase the market size, and produce more tailored to the consumer wishes.
What will you bring to Syngenta Flowers?
I am very excited to be back. The organisation is changing fast and so is the world around us. With the new leadership, Syngenta Flowers is on its way to become a market leader. I will use my knowledge and experience in my daily work together with my colleagues to make our portfolio to one of the most competitive in Europe.
What is your favourite flower?
I would say Thunbergia, in the past I grew quite a few when I had my own nursery. After spending 10 years at Beekenkamp, I became quite found of Begonia’s, the garden vegetative types. Viola’s I still like, as for me they are the first sign of spring, and my dad and uncle’s used to grow quite a few of them.
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