Case Study: How a UK Horticulture Business Stabilised €700k Monthly Payments with Flexible Forwards
When Richard and Simon inherited their family's award-winning horticulture business, they made a strategic decision to source seedlings from the Netherlands. The move accelerated growth—but monthly currency fluctuations on €600-700k invoices were eating into profits and causing sleepless nights.
The brothers' business had grown from their grandparents' 1940s polytunnel operation into a nationally recognised grower with retail nurseries across the region. By 2018, 100% of their seedlings came from a Dutch supplier, along with seasonal products for Easter bulbs, Christmas Poinsettias, and spring daffodils.
But success came with a hidden cost. Monthly spot trades to settle Euro invoices meant profits never matched forecasts. Hidden charges, unexplained fees, and GBP/EUR volatility turned every settlement date into a stressful guessing game about the true cost of goods.
The solution was Privalgo's Flexible Forward—a mechanism that let Richard and Simon lock in exchange rates for 6-12 months of invoices while drawing down as payments became due. Same GBP amount every month, regardless of market movements.
This case study details their complete journey: the FX audit that revealed the problem, the Flexible Forward structure that solved it, and how the Privalgo Insight portal eliminated bank transaction fees. Real numbers from a real family business that chose certainty over speculation.
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