BUILDING THE MISSING LINK: ASSESSING ECONOMIC BENEFIT FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE IN THE WHOLESALE MARKET

This project involved recording the operations of the wholesale markets in the UK and building links to the Guernsey cut-flower quality system.
Initial suspicion from the wholesalers was overcome by working with them to develop a simple UK diary system.
Between August 1996 and December 1999 over 200 market visits were completed to assess the performance of the product on the market and develop a close working relationship.

The key steps in the wholesale chain were then documented and the simple quality diary system was designed in conjunction with the markets to provide the link to the island.
The diary recorded surplus and under-supply, positive comments, trial suggestions and problems / complaints.
Regular market visits and telephone communication enabled the diary to then act as the live link back to the Island.

The formal recording of this information by market sites enabled the resolution of many intermittent and recurring problems.
Problems were categorised into technical issues related to flower quality and issues related to logistics of handling, delivery schedules and pack format.
The reporting procedure focused on the expected cause of the problem and resulted in quicker investigation and feedback.
Specific UK trials were then operated to investigate problems identified through the diary system including short shelf life and poor display.
Trials were electronically reported to the Island and included key photographic digital records.

The diary was modified by operation over a period of a year and the resulting confidence built between the market and the Island allowed the operation of specific economic trials on the market.
The trials demonstrated the benefit of the QA chain including faster sales and better economic return by matching supply and demand and forward selling of assured quality product.
Despite the advantages maintaining a paper based recording system is difficult in the current wholesale operating structure.
Current suggestions from leading wholesaler’s suggest that the diary could be developed into an electronic “link” to the island for this group.

XIVth International Symposium on Horticultural Economics

J. Ogier, M. Dillon, M. Thompson, L. Cullen, J. Cox

marketing, quality assurance, chain communication, wholesale markets

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.536.16