Esperit Elements is a rapidly growing supplier of creative plant arrangements in pots, bowls, baskets, and other packaging. As the company began hitting the limits of its information systems, it searched for a modern, scalable all-in-one solution. "FreshPortal is a complete system that fulfils all our wishes," says co-owner Wouter Persoon of Esperit Elements. "We can now move on to the next phase of our development."

"FreshPortal is a complete system that fulfils all our wishes."

Thanks to FreshPortal Software, the company now has real-time insight into stock, sales, and outstanding orders. In addition, accurate cost price calculations automatically generate the right recommended selling prices. "Until we implemented FreshPortal, we were running on an outdated IT system combined with custom Excel solutions," Persoon recalls. "After nearly twenty years, we had simply outgrown it. Particularly due to the enormous growth of recent years, a far-reaching professionalisation of our core system had become essential."

"At Esperit Elements, we like to have a clear picture of where we are headed as an organisation," the co-owner continues. "That means first creating a solid foundation. Once that trunk is well rooted, you can start adding branches. That is exactly how we approached the implementation of FreshPortal: a well-founded choice with an eye on manageability, accountability, and future-proofing."

When Persoon and his team began exploring the ERP market, they quickly came across this niche player with a strong national and international profile. "They understand the specific needs of the market and shared a similar vision for the development of their software." During the implementation period, FreshPortal Software — a fully cloud-based, modular, scalable, and user-friendly all-in-one package for the ornamental horticulture sector — was further refined. Almost all business processes are now supported within the software.

"They understand the specific needs of the market and shared a similar vision for the development of their software."

A complex challenge
Romek Piechowiak, involved from the FreshPortal Software side in larger implementations, confirms this: "I usually focus on projects that go beyond simply configuring our standard solution — so I am used to more complex client challenges. The dynamic with Esperit Elements was of a different order entirely. We were genuinely enthusiastic about their vision for an all-encompassing system and saw great opportunities for the further development of our own software."

Esperit Elements operates independently alongside its equally autonomous sister companies Esperit Young Plants and Esperit Plants — three businesses that complement each other perfectly, all connected through entrepreneur Jan van Geest, with whom Wouter Persoon founded Esperit Elements nearly twenty years ago. The connection was made during a course. "My father was a grower, so I knew the industry. In conversation with Jan, the idea around arrangements came about."

Their business sets itself apart by supplying exporters with large volumes of a complete product: composite mix products and arrangements with a variety of components — plants, pots, packaging, and other materials. End customers include garden centres, florists, and DIY stores. Esperit Elements operates three product lines: Seasonalss, Specialss, and Solutionss — seasonal arrangements, a line of exclusive products, and a complete collection of plant-pot combinations.

Transition complete
To market all of this effectively and efficiently, the company now has full visibility into stock, orders, and product arrangements that can be assembled without additional purchasing. Business processes around purchase orders, product development, and actual production are also fully supported. "Our entire business now runs on FreshPortal," says an enthusiastic Wouter Persoon. "Through faster and better insights — partly via BI dashboards connected to FreshPortal — we have been able to make our operation more effective and efficient." Several FreshPortal modules are in use, including tools for an optimised production process: pick orders, handheld devices, and a mixing processing screen for visual support on the production floor have streamlined various processes and improved both efficiency and quality.

"We have been able to make our operation more effective and efficient."

The transition to the new software is now complete. "Everything went smoothly. Sometimes things took longer than planned, but that was partly because we ourselves were not fully ready for certain things, and partly due to the continued development of FreshPortal. Key success factors were our clear vision of what we wanted to achieve and the commitment and flexibility shown — not least by our own employees, who quickly got to grips with the system thanks to configurations tailored to specific users."

Both Esperit Elements and FreshPortal Software have taken a step forward through this joint journey. "At FreshPortal, I can see that they too have genuinely grown and professionalised — for example in the area of customer service and the helpdesk, which are characterised by a personal and knowledgeable approach. As a customer, you do not have to constantly explain who you are and what you do. I hope that stays that way. For us, FreshPortal has proven itself as a reliable partner with deep and broad sector expertise — knowledge that is indispensable for the success of automation projects of this scale."

"For us, FreshPortal has proven itself as a reliable partner with deep and broad sector expertise."

Staying on top of things
Meanwhile, further development is far from over. On the near-term roadmap, for example, is a large screen in Esperit Elements' central hall, displaying a complete overview of operations: orders, production progress, transport readiness, and more. "Alongside continuous acceleration, improvement, and expansion, maintaining oversight, having actionable information, and keeping structure in place remain very important."