Herbolario Navarro launched an ambitious expansion plan before the COVID-19 pandemic, with advice from Kaizen Consulting. The health crisis has not slowed down its projects and this Valencian company has emerged stronger. Its CEO, Pepe Navarro, explains in this interview some of the keys to its successful management and highlights how Kaizen Consulting has helped his company to improve its administrative and financial management.
– Why did a company like Herbolario Navarro turn to Kaizen Consulting?
– Because we needed to be well advised financially. We are a company with many departments and we have to be aware of many different aspects of the business at the same time: the shops, logistics, quality control, production… There came a time when the financial part was growing and we wanted it to be very well managed, at the same level of demand as the rest of the areas. That’s why we trusted in Kaizen consultancy and we have improved the financial department a lot.
– This collaboration was established before the pandemic. Has it helped your company to face the crisis resulting from COVID-19?
– Yes, absolutely. I always say that the financing and administration of a company is like the defence of a football team. No matter how many goals you score, if you don’t defend well you don’t win games. Good financing gives you freedom of movement and allows you to take on new challenges. Kaizen Consulting’s advice has helped us a lot to face this time of crisis and has even allowed us to come out stronger.
– How has Herbolario Navarro been able to go ahead with its expansion plan in such a complex context?
– Our company will celebrate its 250th anniversary next year. Imagine the crises we have overcome in all this time, that encourages us. They say that they are also opportunities and we must strive to make sure that this is the case. It is time to do our homework, adjust where we can and look ahead. This crisis has not slowed down our expansion, on the contrary: new opportunities have arisen to access very well located premises at a good price.
– Is it now more expensive to access credit?
– In our case, no. Thanks to the work we have done in collaboration with Kaizen Consulting, our finances are very orderly. We feel supported by the banks, now food and health are growing sectors and people’s awareness of them has increased: we have spent more time at home and we have learned to value more aspects such as healthy living, the need to take care of ourselves with exercise and food… The values of Herbolario Navarro and our products now reach the consumer better.
– What do you value most in the work of Kaizen Consulting?
– What we value most is the honesty and professionalism with which they work and also their day-to-day support. It also gives us reliability: going to the banks with Kaizen Consulting is a good guarantee for the entities and makes it easier for the projects to go ahead.
