Maëlle Hamma: Louis, why did you join the family business?
Louis Klopp: I started in September 2023, after my degree in economics. Being fifth generation, I saw it as an opportunity. Today, I’d find it hard to leave. There’s an emotional link--I used to come and visit my grandparents here back in the day. It motivates me to carry on the family tradition, which has always been passed down from father to son. Of course, that puts a bit of pressure on me, as the company has been in existence for four generations and I have to succeed in keeping it going, by always trying to do better.
Is your day-to-day life everything you expected it to be?
Yes, because I’ve always known the company. But I’ve discovered other tasks, such as deliveries, taking orders, and busy periods like All Saints’ Day or Mother’s Day... The challenges facing your company? I’d say the dynamism of the market. There’s a lot of demand and services are evolving. The climate is also a challenge for us. Because we work a lot with the seasons. These tend to change, and that has an impact on the flowers. We work a lot with greenhouses, so there’s also the question of energy prices. I don’t think it will completely change the profession, but we will have to adapt.
How do you see your business in five years?
I think my father will still be here and we’ll continue to keep the family tradition alive, while bringing in a bit of innovation. It’s a balancing act, as there’s perhaps no need to revolutionise something that’s working well. I’d like us to be able to develop our presence on social networks, because that allows us to target a younger clientele and stand out from the crowd.
What would be your message to political decision-makers?
To encourage more young people to go into manual trades and to raise the profile of craft trades. Here in Luxembourg, we’re very finance-oriented and, from secondary school onwards, we’re trained to have an academic career, but a great career in craft is also possible!
Fleurs Klopp at a glance
Employees: Ten, including three apprentices
Manager: Marc Klopp
Founder: The company was founded in 1887 by François Klopp and survived two world wars! It has always been based in Limpertsberg. The business specialised more in horticulture and plants. The first generation grew their own plants to sell on the markets. It wasn’t until the third generation that the company really diversified its range of cut flowers.
This article was written in for the magazine, published on 20 November. The content is produced exclusively for the magazine. It is published on the website as a contribution to the complete Paperjam archive. .
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