An example of good practice in the aromatic and medicinal plants sector

Context

The modern customer demands something more and that is why it is of the utmost importance to give him an unforgettable experience that he will not easy forget, and the memory of the experiences will certainly be a reason to return again. In order for the experience to be complete, it is important that the customer or visitor learns as much as possible about the product and the process of its creation. Also, new innovations and products that are nowhere to be found elsewhere are sure to bring the customer back and make him a regular customer.

Objective

In order to attract new customers, especially foreign buyers, it is necessary to move away from the usual things and take a step forward. The advancement of technology enables customers to easily access the Internet and inform themselves about various products, and can easily buy it through the web store. It is therefore important to provide customers with something new that is not so common and to tell them the story of the product and to provide them with an overall experience that will go beyond just buying the product.

Results

From the very first crop, growers saw the need to finalize the products from the lemon balm and other medicinal plants and to expand their activities. So the decision fell on the production of organic cosmetics after it was determined that lemon balm was not only used for tea, but was also widely used in gastronomy, cosmetics and wellness. The production of own products, which are naturally grown and processed, have been transformed into a recognizable indigenous souvenir. Such products will be present in all Croatian domestic stores, souvenir shops, tourist destinations, spa hotels, etc. Tourists who liked the various products will definitely want to buy them again, and they have this opportunity from their home with the help of a web shop.

Recommendations

" Kuća magične trave " is the first product range in Croatia to receive the EKO cosmetics and natural cosmetics with ecological ingredients certificates. Therefore, in the future, it should definitely increase production, expand the product range and start using new types of herbs whose medicinal properties are forgotten or rarely used. Also, in order for the customer to have a full experience, it would be worthwhile to have open days or organized tours with visitors who, after visiting the plantations and production facility, could then test the various products they could eventually buy. It is of utmost importance for foreign buyers to be able to buy products from the comfort of their own home, which is why developing a web store is essential.

Impacts and weaknesses

The development of such an activity would certainly have a positive impact on the development of the rural area, since increasing demand would require more raw material, allowing the locals to grow the targeted species without having problems to sell it. With the dependence on weather conditions that greatly affect production, research and development to create new products, they are not cheap, which raises costs, and it is not known how a particular product will be accepted by end users.

Future developments

Developing activities in this direction certainly requires cooperation with several growers and other sectors such as gastronomy and tourism. It is important to emphasize the quality of the products and make those same products available on the global market. Continue to use natural, ecologically grown and processed ingredients of native plant species from Croatia and make sure that the product packaging is made of natural materials and can be recycled.