Flowers have always been associated with special occasions like weddings, Valentine’s Day and funerals.
However, Euphy Ngami, an entrepreneur based in Nyeri Town, has found a way to change this image by establishing a successful florist business.
Her love of flowers inspired her to launch an online florist business in May 2022, despite initial reservations about selling flowers year-round.
“I love flowers. I enjoy flowers myself. I am not a native of Nyeri. However, when I moved to Nyeri, I wanted to order flowers but I couldn’t find someone to deliver them. I felt like it was an opportunity to see if it could work as a business,” she stated.
Ngami saw an opportunity and chose to start her business online; by November 2023, she had opened a physical store on the outskirts of town.
With Ksh 500 in savings, she ordered her first batch of flowers and posted them on her social media profiles, resulting in the birth of Nyeri Flowers.
Ngami’s company specializes in flower sales, including one-of-a-kind floral arrangements and bouquets for small gatherings.
“Most people associate flowers with weddings and funerals, and the majority source the flowers from Nairobi, even funeral homes but my business has made it easier as they are locally available,” she said.
In this era of self-care and public demonstrations of affection, the demand for flowers has surged in large cities as well as smaller towns like Nyeri.
Most people are embracing the tradition of giving flowers to loved ones on anniversaries, birthdays, graduations and even when there is no specific occasion.
“When I started, I knew my target market was women but this year, on Valentine’s Day, most of our clients were men and it was so different for us. There is such a big change, in the perception of gifting flowers,” she noted.
Initially, flower purchases were largely made by women, both as purchasers and recipients.
Furthermore, in the past, people who wanted to decorate their homes with flowers would go shopping at stores that sold artificial flowers.
Fresh flowers add richer colors and a more natural feel to your living space.
Many people are also embracing the idea of self-love, which allows them to celebrate themselves by giving themselves a bouquet.
She mentioned that when she first started selling flowers online, she was concerned about people coming to her door to pick up their orders.
Flowers are exceedingly perishable, as Ngami discovered when she ordered too many and was unable to sell them all, resulting in losses.
“It was my second order though I ordered more flowers than I did the first time. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to sell them all and had to dispose of them after a few days,” she said.
She was initially adamant about selling one bloom rather than a bouquet because she was concerned about losing money, but she changed her mind and now sells the flowers based on the customer’s choices.