In the northern region of Portugal, one of the few remaining textile hotspots in Europe, lies the company Vaz da Costa, renowned for its label Bovi. With a team of over 200 employees, the company designs, produces, and distributes table and bed linen from Guimarães (near Porto) for the private label market and exclusive designs for Bovi. Over the years, the brand has made its mark in Belgium and Luxembourg. The next step is the Netherlands. 
Patrick De Schepper, agent for Bovi.
From Belux to Benelux
Patrick De Schepper has been an agent for Bovi in the Belux for 2 years. The 'Ne' is still missing from the acronym. "The Dutch market is currently being studied and prepared," he explains. "I am in contact with suppliers. They are impressed by the products, but the dimensions of the pillowcases are not yet optimal for the Dutch market." There's a significant chance that some production technical adjustments will be made in Portugal, so the dimensions can be offered at 60x70, which is common in the Netherlands. "This is the path we want to follow." 
Mutual trust
Bovi has been active in the southern neighbouring countries for several years. In total, there are 17 different dealers in Flanders, Brussels, Wallonia, and the GHD Luxembourg. Patrick is responsible for this growth. "There is mutual trust between Vaz da Costa and me, allowing me to freely market the Bovi label." And it seems to be working well. "Revenue has steadily increased over the years. However, there is also room for growth in Belgium, especially among independent retailers and specialists not bound by a chain." These could be sleep specialty stores, but also furniture stores with a sleep comfort department. 
Permanent stock
Currently, Vaz da Costa is revising its logistics. Until now, there was a four to six-week period between placing an order and its delivery. This period needs to be significantly shortened. "We are going to work with a permanent stock, or 'never out of stock'. We have also developed a new ordering system for dealers. Processes have been automated, allowing for easy online reordering." This will drastically reduce the delivery time to just one or two weeks.
Something for everyone
Bovi strives to stand out with a varied offering. "Cotton percale and cotton sateen in various thread counts, typical southern influences through nostalgic embroidery, but also sleek designs for modern interiors." There is a choice of different colours, variations, and prints.
Bovi is also strong in linen, exclusively sourced from Europe. Patrick notes that there is a high demand for the linen collection. "The strongest growth is in linen products. Currently, we have two different colours: classic linen and washed linen (off-white). We plan to expand this range. In a few months, we will decide which colours can be added to the assortment." Bovi releases a new collection once a year.
More information:
Vaz da Costa / Bovi
Portugal
[email protected]
www.portugal-natura.com
Patrick De Schepper
+32 (0)479 702 042
[email protected]