-- Netherlands-based potting soil producer celebrates 100,000 customers with a focus on quality and plant-specific recipes
Sybotanica has surpassed the 100,000 customer mark in less than five years since its inception in Sybren's student room. The Arnhem-based producer and e-commerce player specializes in plant-specific potting soils, with its own recipes and production. The company now has 20 FTEs.
The business case
Whereas the traditional potting soil market revolves around large volumes and generic bags, there is a growing group of consumers with demanding, often exotic houseplants. They don't want a generic bag, but want to know exactly what they are giving their plants. Sybren Bies stepped into that gap with Sybotanica, which has now developed 16 plant-specific potting soils.
Problem and solution
Owners of plants such as monsteras, cacti, and orchids seek certainty in composition, quality, and delivery time. “Our customers often see their plants as pets rather than purely decorative items for the room; they take it really seriously,” says Sybren. Sybotanica solves this by focusing radically on one category, plant-specific potting soil, with self-developed recipes and direct distribution via its own web shops.
From financial dip to focused growth
The rapid growth also had a downside. The operation became costly and processes were not efficient enough to run the production site profitably at the scale Sybotanica had at the time. “We grew in turnover, but our factory was not running efficiently enough to achieve healthy figures,” says Sybren. That reality check led to a sharper focus on process improvement, standardization, and scale.
Focus
Sybren consciously chooses to focus. “Better to do one thing very well than three things just not quite well enough.” Although that was different in the beginning. “I sold everything from plants, cuttings, and terrariums to even rare woodlice!” After Sybren decided to focus on one category, growth took off.
Next steps
In the coming years, the focus will be on further scaling up and professionalization. Sybotanica is investing in increasing capacity at its production site in Arnhem, further standardizing processes, and expanding its core product range. At the same time, it is working on improving supply planning and further localization in its main markets of Germany and France, where Sybotanica is growing the fastest.
About Sybotanica B.V.
Sybotanica B.V., founded in 2020, has a mission to make plants happy by offering sustainable, plant-specific potting soils and accessories for anyone with a passion for botany. Our potting soil is based on coconut and Dutch worm manure, and our products are manufactured in a social workshop, promoting not only ecological but also social sustainability. Our extensive range provides both consumers and businesses with high-quality products, and our solutions are available in both B2C and B2B markets.
Contact Info:
Name: Sybren Bies
Email: Send Email
Organization: Sybotanica B.V.
Website: https://www.sybotanica.com/
Release ID: 89177370
Google
RSS