Estimated reading time: 8 Min

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Jan Landeros is the co-founding partner of Bioflora with Dr. Valerie Katthain. Their project is one of the most successful cases of ecommerce in Mexico, with two products that crown national sales in their category in positions one and two.

A feat that is the product of the passion, professionalism and absolute dedication of this company to building a high-quality product, responsible for the environment and with effective and efficient logistics. Bioflora is proof that excellence is recognized with success and that companies that also return that success to their community are those that have true value.

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Frank: Tell us how Bioflora was born.

Jan: The way Bioflora was founded was very curious. Dr. Valerie Katthain and I started it together after meeting in a small town in Mexico where we both live, because our daughters used to swim together.

I came from the pet nutrition industry, from a very large factory that made pet supplements and sold them throughout Latin America and some parts of Europe. I left because working in such a large factory is exhausting, but before leaving, I launched a product of my own: probiotics for dogs.

I learned a lot at the factory, and I am grateful for that experience. I had always had many ventures, and although not all of those projects were successful, I have always felt like an entrepreneur. So when I connected with Valerie, one day she told me, “I can’t believe you make probiotics for dogs but not for humans.” I thought about it, and we decided to do it.

Valerie’s family was also involved in a dairy company, so we initially thought about distributing through them. But they told us they could not distribute glass containers, so we had to solve that ourselves. That is how Bioflora started.

Frank: Are probiotics similar for animals and humans?

Jan: There are many differences, but not in the manufacturing process. At the manufacturing level, the process is more or less the same. So I borrowed a manual encapsulator, made my first mixture in a plastic bag, the way experiments are done, and we produced a batch of 100 products.

Frank: Was Bioflora born as an ecommerce business, or did it start as a physical store?

Jan: From the beginning, when we were thinking about creating the company around five years ago, we sat down with another friend who is a business advisor, and he told us, “Make your company digital. Let orders be online and make everything as automated as possible. Because if you don’t need it today, you will need it in five years.”

And that is exactly what happened. We started in 2016 and formalized the company in 2017. During that first stage, we relied on small stores here in Valle de Bravo, and then ecommerce really took off.

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Also read: Nuda Est, great experiences through logistics and unboxing

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Frank: So things have gone well for you.

Jan: Yes. In fact, two of our products are in first and second place in the Mexican market. One is the best-seller in its category, and the other is the second best-seller in its category. Our product is very high quality, and that is something we have always taken great care of.

We do not manufacture probiotics ourselves. We import them from the best producers in Europe. When we place a purchase order, we ask for the probiotic to be manufactured at that moment. It is not a warehoused product. The strains for our products are produced on demand, following our formula.

To begin with, this makes it a very fresh product, which guarantees enormous quality. Then, packaging is also extremely important. We use acid-resistant vegan capsules, which only allow between 2% and 3% humidity, compared to traditional gelatin capsules, which have around 14% humidity. Humidity is one of the enemies of probiotics, and with these capsules, we reduce it.

The fact that they are acid-resistant is also key because when you swallow the capsule, the first thing it reaches is the stomach, where acidity is very strong. So it is vital that the capsule lasts at least 30 minutes, so the probiotics can reach where they need to go.

In addition to all this, the bottle also matters a lot. A PET plastic bottle or blister packaging allows light and moisture to pass through to the product. Our glass jars, on the other hand, do not let anything through, and they are much more ecological and environmentally responsible.

I also want to mention that for every four bottles of Bioflora sold, we plant a tree. This year, we are going to plant 30 hectares, which is a small forest, here in Valle de Bravo. That is one of the things we like the most: being able to create a positive and tangible impact in the community where we live.

Frank: You are a small team, right?

Jan: We outsource a lot. We believe you have to be an expert in what you do. That is why we are experts in probiotics, and then we look for experts in other areas to support us: who does the best logistics, who has the best control, who does the best marketing, who makes the best packaging, and so on.

That is how you create a business ecosystem around your project that you know works, because everyone is an expert in their field. You cannot know everything about logistics, marketing, packaging, and every other area. That is impossible.

And nowadays, it is very easy to surround yourself with experts if you leave your ego aside and recognize that you do not know everything.

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Expert ecosystem

One of the keys to Bioflora’s success has been the intelligent way it approaches the compartmentalization of a modern business: expert allies in each area. Jan insists, with great wisdom, that “we cannot be a jack of all trades.” It is much smarter and more efficient to seek professional help in each field, so they can focus on what truly matters to them: growing Bioflora.

In logistics, Jan found that ally to add to his ecosystem of experts in Cubbo. And he does not regret it.

Frank: How did you find Cubbo?

Jan: At first, I had another logistics provider that was very rudimentary. For example, when I sold through Amazon, I had to print the sheet and send it via WhatsApp to this provider, who was not technologically integrated with anything.

I spoke to him and said, “Hey, please modernize so you can integrate with my ecommerce platforms and receive orders automatically.” I gave him two months to do it because it was impossible for us to keep working that way.

While we were already looking for someone who could do this, I think I saw an ad for Cubbo on Instagram. From there, I contacted Josu, and they took a lot of work off our shoulders because they immediately connected with the Shopify we use in our store.

On top of that, they get good transportation and shipping rates, and we have not had any problems with them to date. Everything has worked out well for me. They have taken a real headache away from me.

Frank: Do you sell throughout Mexico?

Jan: We have two business models: one for ecommerce sales and another for wholesale. This allows anyone anywhere in Mexico to go to our ecommerce store and buy whatever they want.

For now, we will continue distributing only in Mexico. A few years ago, I went to Colombia, but the expansion process became very complex for us, especially because, due to the type of product we sell, we have to be very careful with local laws. We also started that process in the middle of Covid, which slowed everything down a bit.

Also read: Ecommerce in potential with Nowma, a strategic ally

Frank: Five years from now, where do you see Bioflora?

Jan: The plan is to consolidate ourselves in Mexico with the product portfolio we have. Last year, we launched seven new products, which was a beast in terms of logistics, permits, and production. This year, we will launch another three or four new products.

The key for us is to keep reaching more pharmacy chains and gradually consolidate our presence in retail.

We are very innovative, sometimes too innovative. It sometimes happens that we are early to market, and we launch a product before the market has fully matured.

But we like doing that. We launch the product, let it mature there, and I am sure that in a few years it will become a success. We are growing at an enormous pace, around 60%.

Frank: What advice would you give to a Mexican entrepreneur who wants to start a business right now?

Jan: Do all the research you can. Whatever business you want to build, research it thoroughly. And then have capital. You need to have capital, because something will always be more expensive than you thought, or you may end up stopping halfway.

Finally, take care of the execution. Execution has to be perfect, especially in ecommerce. Bad reviews can kill you. Your product has to be impeccable, your after-sales service has to be excellent, and so on.

I would also tell them to never start a business just to make money. That kills the passion. Find something you like, something you fall in love with.

It is very nice to build a business and have it go well, but it is even more beautiful if you also fall in love with it and it helps your environment and your community. I think the key is sharing and generosity: if you give, it will come back to you.

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Are you looking for an ally that improves your delivery process, compliance, and customer satisfaction?

Contact us. Cubbo is a fulfillment center for ecommerce brands in Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil.

During 2021 in Cubbo:

Our clients recorded 21% savings in operating costs.

97.1% of the products received were processed and ready to sell within 24 hours.

We achieved 99.7% shipping compliance.

We recorded 99.9875% accuracy in order preparation, equivalent to 1 error every 8,000 shipments.

60% of our deliveries in CDMX were completed the same day.

We completed nationwide deliveries in an average of 1.3 days.

We act as your shipping platform in Mexico so you can expand your business in a simple way.