• Date: Friday, April 22, 2011 Categories: Market research, News, ProVerde projects, Training

    In April, about 30 Vietnames exporters participated in a joint CBI and ITPC workshop about Market Research. The course, which was carried out with collaboration by ProVerde, aims to provide exporters with knowledge, skills and tools to collect and analyse data about EU markets, EU buyers, and EU restrictions to export/trade and trade channels.

    The market research workshops are designed to be practical and focus around individual and group exercises to complement the short blocks of theory.

    Read more »

  • Date: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 Categories: China, Fruit & vegetables, ProVerde projects, Training

    This workshop, which was organised for a group of vegetable growers from the Shandong Province in China, focused on strengthening the entrepreneurs’ market orriented approach. Read more »

  • Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010 Categories: CSR, Cut Flowers, Ethiopia, Marketing, ProVerde projects, Training

    Following the success of the previous training activities and upon request of the Ethiopian flower sector, CBI organised four Master Classes as a key activity of CBI’s 2009 floricultural training programme in Ethiopia. The programme was developed in close cooperation with EHPEA and focused on different aspects of flower export marketing.

    In the course of the Master Class training series, participants wrote a concise export marketing plan. The structure of the export marketing plan was used as the framework for the special topics covered in the training programme: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), post-harvest and logistical requirements, market research in the flower business, getting the best price on the auction, and internal and external communication and client orientation. Read more »

  • Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010 Categories: Guatemala, ProVerde projects, Training

    Below you find a selection of photos of the Workshop External and Internal Customer Orientation for Guatemalan growers of flowers, foliage, plants and young plants. The two-day workshop was held on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 February 2010.

    The CBI training activity was organised together with Agexport, the Guatemalan Exporters Association.

    Read more »

  • Date: Friday, January 1, 2010 Categories: Cut Flowers, Egypt, Kenya, ProVerde projects, South Africa, Training, Uganda

    CBI’s Export Development Programmes (EDP) for cut flowers are designed to help entrepreneurs in selected African countries to adapt to EU market requirements in order to create conditions for market entry or market consolidation. ProVerde has been involved in many parts of the programme.

    Each country programme combined different elements: technical assistance, training in export marketing and management and market entry assistance. In Egypt for example, the programme mainly focused on logistic cooperation and certification. In Kenya, CBI was of the opinion that there is enough knowledge available in the country itself to help to companies to develop their product quality, so instead the programme focused on developing export marketing (including a market tour to the Netherlands), HRM skills of the middle managers, and cooperation between the farms. In Uganda, improvement of product quality and farm management were the main issues, next to marketing training. Read more »

  • Date: Friday, January 1, 2010 Categories: Cut Flowers, Egypt, Kenya, Marketing, ProVerde projects, Training, Uganda

    During a series of market tours organised by ProVerde for CBI, companies were invited for a one-week market tour in The Netherlands.

    When having the desire to export to the EU, it is essential for exporters to understand how the market operates. Who is buying flowers and what does that buyer expect from it? What happens with price and market position if this expectation is not fulfilled?

    The market tours generally consisted of a combination of company visits and supporting workshop trainings. Read more »

  • Date: Monday, December 7, 2009 Categories: Cut Flowers, Ethiopia, ProVerde projects, Training

    Below you find a selection of photos of the fourth Master Class Flower Export that was held last Thursday 3 and Friday 4 December in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The training activity was organised as part of the CBI/EHPEA training programme for flower exporters in Ethiopia.

    Read more »

  • Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009 Categories: Cut Flowers, Ethiopia, ProVerde projects, Training

    On Thursday 3 and Friday 4 December, the fourth and final Master Class Flower Export 2009 will be held in the Global Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    During the training, participants will finalise their work on their individual Export Marketing Plan (the last segments being the action plan and management responsibilities). We will also look into a number of internal communication related subjects like vertical and horizontals communication lines in the farm and change management.

    A full block will be used to look into the subject “How to choose the right varieties”. An average rose plant economically produces flowers for about 3 to 5 years. Then the mother plant will be uprooted and replaced. Choosing varieties is one of the critical strategic choices a (rose) grower has to make. The choice depends both on production and market criteria and should be in line with the overall identified marketing strategy. During the training session, important criteria for variety selection are discussed (production vs. market issues). Participants are shown how Product Life Cycle (PLC) analysis can be used as a tool to assist them in choosing the right variety. A number of case studies have been prepared to bring the theory of PLC analysis into practice.

  • Date: Saturday, September 26, 2009 Categories: Cut Flowers, Ethiopia, ProVerde projects, Training

    Below you find a selection of photos of the third Master Class Flower Export and the Workshop External and Internal Customer Orientation. Both training activities were organised as part of the CBI/EHPEA training programme for flower exporters in Ethiopia.

  • Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 Categories: Cut Flowers, Ethiopia, ProVerde projects, Training

    Besides the four workshops of the Master Class Flower Export, we also organise a general introductory seminar for flower growers in Ethiopia. This seminar on “Internal and external customer orrientation will be held on 21 and 22 September in Addis Ababa. Ethiopian exporters that are interested can request more information via EHPEA.

    Seminar “Internal and external customer orientation” (2 days)
    • European market channels and requirements.
    • Understanding customer requirements.
    • How to implement and strengthen a market oriented approach inside the participating farms.
    • Auction game.

    After the training, participants are informed about present market conditions and developments. They are able to translate and implement market information, client expectations and feedback to the different levels in the organisation: Analysis – Interpret – Action planning

    Target group: export managers / farm managers and production managers
    CBI consultants: Maarten van Schie, Milco Rikken