From oil to plants there is a big step, which Philippe Joubert has decided to take to convert. After 20 years in the oil industry, this Houston Frenchman recently took over Newton Nurseries, nurseries based in Texas.
" I wanted to invest in a promising and meaningful sector for the community and find a more flexible structure "He said. He took advantage of a change of management at Allied Fittings, where he worked, to quit oil and become an entrepreneur. He then joined forces with Christophe Person, who left him Lexicon Pharmaceuticals where he directed operations.
If the change in quality of life – among plants, played an important role in their choice, they harbor real ambitions for their business, which they want to transform. " Our historic positioning with large landscapers calls for more and more expensive structures without prices increasing ” explains Philippe Joubert. They identified a new target, that of small landscapers, “which represent 80% of the number of potential customers and which continue to grow with the expansion of large metropolises. "
Alongside the two huge nurseries in Houston and Austin, the two entrepreneurs suddenly plan to develop a network of small structures, “Within 30 minutes of residential areas” so customers can get their supplies quickly and inexpensively.
For these 2.0 nurseries, everything has been redesigned to reduce transaction time, thanks to digital tablets and inventories kept up to date in real time. The first “pilot” will be opened in spring 2020, in Katy, “city on the outskirts of Houston and in full urban development that exactly matches the targetExplains Philippe Joubert.
The digitization of the service, which also allows customers to benefit from services (inventory, price, account history, etc.) after the nurseries closed was “important for customers, very often family businesses with limited means ”, adds Christophe Person.
The objective of the company is to develop a close network of the market with the opening of several nurseries of proximity around Houston (around 5 shops in strategic districts) but also to strengthen its presence in Austin and finally to establish a presence in Dallas where the market is booming. The two French give themselves five years to succeed.
