In the flower base of Xihe Village, Chengjiao Street, Conghua, Guangzhou, in the greenhouse of Guangzhou Zhengxin Horticulture Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Zhengxin Horticulture), succulent plants are neatly arranged on the scaffolding, like soldiers on a military parade.
Every month, one or two batches of tens of thousands of succulents are packed into cartons with foreign language labels, ready to travel across mountains and seas to supermarkets, offices or citizens’ homes in Singapore, South Korea, Russia and other countries.
Since receiving the key “pass” in the second half of last year, this well-established leading horticultural company has shipped more than 500,000 potted plants to foreign countries, with sales of 1.5 million yuan.
From deeply cultivating the local “succulent kingdom” to now going abroad to “make waves” in the international market, this step taken by Zhengxin Horticulture is not only a precise positioning in the foreign small potted plant consumer market, but also a microscopic sample of Conghua agricultural enterprises to break through cross-border barriers and help the “Millions Project” to bear fruit.
Zhengxin Horticulture was founded in November 1999. It is currently one of the largest professional manufacturers of cacti and succulent plants in China. It specializes in the production of various high-quality potted cacti and succulent plants and has long been well-known in the country.
The existing production area is more than 280 acres, and more than 800 varieties of cacti and succulents are planted. The annual production and sales of various potted plants reach more than 4 million pots. It has been rated as “Guangzhou Agricultural Park and the Top Ten Most Beautiful Gardens in Guangdong”.
To the outside world, it seems natural that Zhengxin Horticulture’s overseas markets should be expanded long ago, but in fact things are far from as simple as imagined.
When going abroad, in addition to considering many factors such as product quality, transportation costs, market space, etc., the more important thing is to get an “admission ticket” first.
“Many people think that if we have a base and products, we can sell them directly to all over the world. In fact, this is not the case.” Zhou Xing, general manager of Zhengxin Horticulture, said, “Strictly speaking, the real start of the large-scale export business only started in the second half of last year. Previously, due to the biosecurity, quarantine qualifications, and endangered species involved in the cross-border transfer of live plants
The long processing period and high threshold for a series of certificates and certificates have become an invisible wall in front of the company.
Only when the products meet the relevant standards and obtain a license can export be possible.
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Under the guidance of Conghua Customs, Zhengxin Gardening obtained all the licenses in the second half of last year and officially sounded the clarion call to go overseas.
Although it started late, the growth rate is extremely fast.
In just a few months, the export report card of 500,000 pots confirms the maturity of its supply chain.
“As soon as the license is issued, production capacity is immediately converted into sales.” Zhou Xing said that this explosive growth is due to the company’s years of accumulation in standardized planting. Once the channels are opened, production capacity can be quickly released.
In the planting base of Zhengxin Horticulture, there is a succulent plant that looks like a small deciduous tree, with only branches and no leaves. This humble plant has become a hot item in exports.
Because its shape is like coral and its branches are fiery red, people gave it the name “red coral”.
At present, the base has more than 20 acres planted with more than 100,000 pots of red corals of various sizes.
“Cacti and succulents are our strengths, and red coral is resistant to transportation, has a long viewing period, and has multiple meanings. It is also highly adaptable. A few centimeters high can be placed on the table, and one or two meters high can be planted outdoors.” A technician from Zhengxin Horticulture said that unlike fresh-cut flowers that are extremely dependent on the cold chain, potted plants, especially cacti, are more tolerant of long-distance transportation and are very suitable for cross-border e-commerce and shipping.
At present, Zhengxin Horticulture’s export territory has covered Southeast Asia, South Korea, Japan and Russia.
In the humid and hot climate of Southeast Asia, succulents are popular office desk decorations; while in Russia, where the weather is relatively cold, drought-tolerant and easy-to-live cacti are the first choice for indoor greening at home.
Zhengxin Horticulture has accurately captured these differentiated needs and leveraged the diversified international market with red coral as its core product.
Being able to accept batches of overseas orders in a short period of time not only tests the sales ability, but also the back-end production strength and after-sales service capabilities.
Entering the “Succulent Factory” of Zhengxin Horticulture, the grafting area, seedling area, finished product area and other areas are clearly divided, and various plants are controlled and cared for by professional and technical personnel.
In order to ensure the healthy production of succulent plants, the “Succulent Factory” is equipped with high-end facilities such as electric shading nets, fan and water curtain cooling systems, automated sprinkler irrigation, and mechanized soil mixing equipment to fully control the potted plant planting environment in terms of temperature, water, heat, and air.
It is understood that after years of exploration and summary, the company has established a series of standardized production processes for succulent plants, including precise seedling cultivation, greenhouse environment temperature control, 24-hour quality monitoring and a series of professional methods to ensure that every pot of succulent plants is of high quality.
At the same time, the company focuses on standardized transportation to ensure that the succulent plants at the sales end have the same quality as the production end.
It is this standardized production that ensures that each batch of exported potted plants has the same plant shape, is free of diseases and insect pests, and meets the strict quarantine standards of the importing country.
“Our products are not finished when they are sold out. It is very important to provide good after-sales service so that customers can buy with confidence and grow happily.” Zhou Xing, general manager of Zhengxin Horticulture, said that in terms of after-sales service, they have established a customer communication contact group to provide remote professional guidance and services to customers. Customers can consult technical staff at any time if they have questions about later planting and maintenance.
At the same time, a website and a small program have been developed so that customers can view daily planting and maintenance content on their own.
From the planting base in Xihe Village to supermarket shelves, exquisite showcases, and office desks abroad, Zhengxin Horticulture’s “trending” journey of succulent plants has just begun.
500,000 pots is not a big number for a company with an annual output of millions of pots, but it marks a solid step for Zhengxin Horticulture to take its products overseas, and move from simply exporting products overseas to “exporting brands and services overseas.”
For Zhengxin Horticulture, the fiery red “red coral” in the hand is just a flag for it to enter the foreign market.
As international trade continues to deepen, agricultural products with both ecological value and cultural attributes, such as flowers, are facing an unprecedented window to go overseas.
This leading agricultural company in Conghua is working hard to leave a more distinct mark on the global flower map as being “intelligently” made in China and produced in Conghua.
