Flamingo International and French flower grower and distributor Bigot Fleurs to join forces

Rosa Momentum+.

ALLONNES, France: Flamingo International, a supplier of cut flowers and prepared vegetables to most of the UK’s leading retailers, is to acquire Bigot Fleurs, France’s leading grower and retail distributor of roses, tulips, peonies and the quintessentially French flower lily of the valley. The merger will allow Bigot Fleurs to expand its product portfolio. In turn, Flamingo International will be granted better access to France’s hypermarkets.

According to an official statement sent out by Bigot Fleurs, the company has started exclusive, strategic talks with Flamingo International. The terms and dates of the deal remain unclosed.

Jean Bigot founded Bigot Fleurs in 1958. Today the company is run by third-generation brothers Nicolas and Jean-Philippe Bigot, who are delighted to join the growing Flamingo family.

Flamingo and Bigot are no strangers to one and another. Both companies have been working together for 20 years.  What’s more, some English blood is running through Bigot’s veins as the brothers’ mother, Margaret-Elisabeth is of British descent.

The merger will provide Bigot with capital to invest into their (digital) growth plan and better align the companies’ skills, production, and sourcing services. Since 2011, Bigot has heavily invested in its online flower delivery service Les Fleurs de Nicolas and its B2B online store www.cash-bigot.fr

Bigot Fleurs primarily serves retail customers delivering its flowers straight to the depots of the French hypermarkets.  So, the biggest gain for Flamingo International is undoubtingly its improved access to the supermarkets in France, known as the third-largest flower and plant market in Europe.

Bigot Fleurs will continue to operate under its own name from their Allones (in the Sarthe department) based headquarters. Jean-Philippe and Nicolas Bigot will continue to co-manage the company with managing director Nicolas reporting to Giles Turell, CEO of the Flamingo Group and Bigot’s financial director Phillipe de Gélis reporting to Bill Showalter, Flamingo’s Chief Financial Officer.

Flamingo Horticulture is a supplier of cut flowers and prepared vegetables to most of the UK’s leading retailers, including Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Waitrose, and international customers in Europe, South Africa, the Middle East, Japan and Australia.