Julep
About Julep Flowers
Julep was started by husband and wife, Nic and Jules. They had been dating for just a few months when they discussed an exciting idea – starting a flower delivery business together. Although neither had experience in the flower industry (Julia was a management consultant, and Nic was a lawyer), they had both always loved flowers. It took some serious deliberations and research before they each committed to making career changes. “We entered these discussions with some scepticism, but the more we learnt about the flower industry, the more motivated we became about the opportunity to create an exciting business. So, we set out to create a customer-centred brand with an innovative packaging and delivery model. Mostly, we were excited by the idea of building a business that could help people connect — to show up for one another, thank each other, and celebrate together.”
Julep now operates in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town, offering “a fresh take on flower delivery” for both senders and receivers. The business is aiming to do a number of things differently, and the most notable is their product. Instead of arriving as an arranged bouquet, their flowers arrive carefully hand-packed in a long cardboard box. The box ensures the flowers are protected during delivery. Each box comes with flower care and arranging tips for the receiver, who then creates their own floral arrangement. This brings some fun and creativity to their day. Julep also gives customers the opportunity to personalise their delivery, such as including a photograph on their gift card.
“We share the view that the only reason a company exists is to serve its customers and this is something that we take very seriously. If we’re perfectly honest, when we started Julep a few years ago, we didn’t expect to find customers whose kindness and thoughtfulness exceeded our imaginations. And these customers are primarily women – in fact, almost 85% of our orders are women sending to other women. These lovely women send our flowers for all the reasons you may have imagined but also for many surprising reasons too. For example, we’ve sent several Julep boxes on the first day back in the office after maternity leave, and then also very often for our favourite reason — which is no reason at all. The just because.”
Julep has the ambition to the be the best gifting option in South Africa, and is excited about the potential growth of the business. “We love the idea of being part of many more special moments for our customers in the future.” You can learn more about Julep on their website (www.julep.co.za), and read through their recent customer reviews.
