How AAA Growers grows direct sales with Floriday

AAA Growers, widely known for a variety of A-quality roses, has been using Floriday since 2020. What started as a tool for managing auction deliveries has gradually become part of the company’s daily commercial process. Today, the team uses Floriday to manage orders, monitor market performance, connect with buyers and support the growth of its direct sales business. 

For Moses Ndegwa, who works in the supply chain and commercial team at AAA Growers, Floriday is one of the first tools he opens every morning. “The first thing I check is who has visited our shop,” he says. “Then I look at the orders and what is happening at the auction clock.” This daily routine helps the company stay close to the market and identify opportunities to strengthen customer relationships.

A strong position in premium roses

AAA Growers is a Kenyan horticultural group with several divisions. Its flower business includes Bellisima, known for premium roses grown at high altitude near Mount Kenya, and Forest Gate, which specialises in standard roses, spray roses and summer flowers. Together, the flower division operates around 100 hectares across two production locations and supplies customers across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and other international markets. The company is particularly known for its premium roses, including the red variety Ever Red, which is grown at a high-altitude farm near Mount Kenya. According to Moses, the climate allows the company to produce consistent quality throughout the year. 

“We are very well known for Ever Red,” he explains. “What makes our products stand out is consistent quality. From January to December, we always have products available.” In addition to quality, sustainability plays an important role. The company works with certifications including MPS, GlobalG.A.P. and Fairtrade. 

Creating a balance between auction and direct sales

AAA Growers serves both auction and direct customers. Over the years, the company has deliberately worked on increasing the share of direct sales. When Moses joined the company six years ago, approximately 80% of sales went through the auction and 20% through direct channels. Today, that ratio has shifted to around 60% auction and 40% direct sales. The company’s goal is to move towards a 50/50 balance. 

The reasoning behind that strategy is straightforward. “Sometimes the auction collapses and you have nowhere to take the flowers,” Moses says. “If you have a strong direct customer base, you can shift your flowers to that side.” But the objective is not only to spread risk. For AAA Growers, direct trade also creates opportunities to reach new buyers and develop new markets. Floriday helps the team identify interested customers, stay visible to buyers worldwide and build relationships that can lead to long-term business.

Expanding the use of Floriday

In the early days, the company mainly used Floriday for operational processes such as uploading packing lists, creating auction deliveries and generating QR codes for shipments. Over time, the team discovered additional functionalities. “We started to realise there was much more we could do with Floriday,” Moses explains. “We created our product catalogue, started managing articles and learned how to use the data to understand who was buying our products.” 

Today, all six members of the supply chain team work with Floriday and use it as part of their daily activities. According to Moses, training played an important role in that adoption process. “At first it was not easy,” he says. “But we organised training sessions and worked closely with the Floriday team in Kenya. That helped everyone become familiar with the platform.” 

Building relationships with buyers

One of the ways AAA Growers uses Floriday is to identify potential customers and strengthen existing relationships. Every day, Moses checks who has visited the company’s Floriday shop. When he notices interest from a buyer, he often takes the next step himself. “If I see someone has visited our shop, I try to connect with them directly through Floriday Messenger to start a conversation about their needs and purchasing requirements,” he says. 

Over the years, this approach has helped AAA Growers build a network of more than 1,000 connections within the platform. Whenever a new buyer visits their shop, the team can reach out and start a conversation.  The company also uses statistics to identify buyers who regularly purchase their products through the auction. When buyers consistently return, the commercial team explores whether direct trade could be a good fit for both parties. 

Supporting the growth of international trade

AAA Growers started using Floriday for FOB (Free on Board) sales in 2023. FOB shipping means that the grower retains ownership and responsibility for the goods until they are loaded 'on board' a shipping vessel. Since then, the platform has become an important channel for serving international direct customers. Today, the company works with more than 15 FOB buyers through Floriday and continues to add new connections. 

The volumes have grown steadily as well. “In 2025, we shipped almost one million stems through Floriday for FOB customers,” Moses says. “And that number has grown every year.” The company also actively discusses Floriday with potential customers during international trade events and encourages buyers to join the platform when it fits their way of working. 

Accessibility, clarity and efficiency

Asked about the main benefits of Floriday, Moses highlights three aspects: accessibility, speed and clarity. “Floriday is accessible to buyers and growers everywhere,” he says. “If you place your offer online, customers can immediately see it.” Having availability, order information and customer activity in one place also makes day-to-day work easier. Instead of sharing information with customers individually, availability can be published once and seen by multiple buyers. Orders can then be processed directly from the platform. 

Clarity is equally important. “Everything is clear,” Moses explains. “What is posted, what buyers order and what growers offer is all in one place.” According to him, this helps reduce misunderstandings and creates a more straightforward process for both growers and buyers. 

Looking ahead

For AAA Growers, digitalisation is becoming an increasingly important part of the horticultural supply chain. “Digitalisation is no longer optional,” says Moses. “From the grower to the customer, more and more information is exchanged digitally. You need to be part of that development.” 

Floriday has become an integral part of how AAA Growers manages both auction and direct sales. From managing availability and processing orders to analysing data and identifying new customer opportunities, Floriday supports many of the company’s day-to-day commercial activities. 

As Moses concludes: “Floriday is accessible, fast and transparent. It helps us stay connected with customers and gives us the information we need to make decisions every day.”