Guide to Valentine's Day Prep

Guide to Valentine's Day Prep

florists flower farmers mass market Valentines Day preparation Wholesale

Valentine's Day is officially less than a month away, so you know what that means--every level of the floral industry has (hopefully) started preparing for one of the biggest holidays for fresh cut flowers.  It's the season of love for some, and stress for others. For seasoned Valentine's Day warriors, we know that the biggest stress-reducer is planning and preparation, so we are here to provide some tips for Valentine's Day prep all the way down the flower line.

 Flower Farmers 

Flower farmers started their prep months ago with the planting of Valentine's Day flower blocks.  Now, our greenhouse teams are preparing to pick, bunch, and sleeve those flowers, while other team members are sorting logistics and making phone calls to ensure that shipping and transportation is ready to go and running as smoothly as possible.  Our tip: Stay calm, breathe, and work together....also, snack often.

 Wholesalers

Wholesalers are in the midst of connecting all the dots; now is the time to reach out to retailers and  pre-book inventory.  Our Tip: Order early and make sure you order enough.  Examine trends and sales from previous years and use that information as you move forward with this year's holiday.

 Mass Market

Many Mass Market Retailers are in the midst (or have already) set up their floral department and built displays for Valentine's Day.  Walk into any big box or grocery store, and you won't be able to ignore the sights and sounds of the upcoming holiday.

Our Tip: Schedule a pep talk with your holiday team.  Answer any questions they may have and make sure they have all the resources they need to succeed.  It's going to be a crazy few days, and it is key that your customer service team feels supported.

Florists

Many florists are decorating their store, upgrading their websites, and hiring and training seasonal staff to help with deliveries, web orders, and flower prep.  Our Tip:  As Jennifer Sparks of the Society of American Florists notes, "The further in advance that you have orders, the better."  Prepare for early-bird sales now to help the actual day go smoothly.  Encourage customers to order in advance with phone calls, email marketing campaigns, social media advertising, and early-order incentives.

No matter where you fall in the flower line this Valentine's Day, the most important thing we can do is plan ahead to the best of our abilities.  And as the day draws near, remember to take breaks, eat snacks, laugh regularly, and make the best of it.

Fellow Farmers, Wholesalers, and Florists -- What tips would you share for Valentine's Day preparation?

American Flowers Week

American Flowers Week

#OriginMatters American Flowers Week AmericanGrown CAGrown Debra Prinzing Domestic Flowers local flowers Mayesh Slow Flowers Wholesale

For the second year in a row, American Flowers Week is taking off! This week-long celebration of domestically grown flowers was created by Slowflowers.com's Debra Prinzing, a writer, speaker, and leading advocate for American flowers and the farmers who grow them.

 Why Dedicate a Week to American Flowers? 

American Flowers Week was organized to unite America's flower farmers with the US floral industry, while also engaging consumers in the conversation about the origin of their flowers.  This is a much-needed conversation, as 80% of flowers purchased in the US are imports, a move that has pushed 58% of US flower farms out of business since 1992.

American Flowers Week wants to change that.  After all, while 74% of consumers do not know the origins of their flowers, 58% prefer American Grown, if given the choice.

Prinzing points out that, "Consumers are more conscious than ever about the origins of the goods they purchase, especially when it comes to food — and flowers."  This is why it is important to celebrate the U.S. flower farmers who grow a diverse selection of florals year-round, as well as salute the floral designers whose values inspire them to source domestically.

  

American Flowers Week is buttressed by the support of the program, American Grown Flowers; a certification program, brand, and coalition of flower farmers--large and small--across the United States.  Through its iconic branding, advocacy, sponsorship, and wildly successful Field to Vase Dinner Tour, American Grown Flowers has been a giant in the domestic flower conversation.  

Kasey Cronquist, administrator of the Certified American Grown program and CEO/Ambassador of the California Cut Flower Commission, adds, “Origin matters, and we believe a week like this helps drive public awareness about hard-working American flower farmers that they can support all year long. Buying American Grown Flowers makes a difference.”

They aren't the only ones for the cause; one large Los Angeles-based wholesaler, Mayesh Wholesale Florist, is another American Flowers Week Sponsor this year, signaling a positive shift in the floral industry.  Their example is important, as the majority of wholesalers do not source domestically grown flowers (a move which then affects the flowers sourced by Grocers, E-Commerce, and Florists).  As one of our floral buyers, Mayesh has been a longtime supporter of U.S. Flower Farmers.  According to their CEO, Patrick Dahlson, "Mayesh is excited to promote American Flowers Week to highlight our American grown flowers and continue our support of the growing community.”

 What Can You Do To Support American Grown Flowers? 

If you are a florist, retailer, wholesaler, or floral designer this campaign is timed to coincide with America’s Independence Day on July 4th, allowing a perfect patriotic opportunity to promote American grown flowers.  See the wealth of promotional resources here: American Flowers Week Free Downloads.

 If you are a flower lover, check out the Why and How below:

We, and many other U.S. farmers, florists, and wholesalers, will be all over Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook with our American Grown blooms over the next week; follow along and add your own photos with the hashtag #americanflowersweek.  

Join the movement and Take Pride In Your Flowers!