Floral Update: You spoke, we listened

November 27, 2023

It’s been just over a month since the Global Show and we’ve been hard at work digesting all of the feedback, ideas, and work that happened on site. Here is a brief summary of what’s been on our mind since the show:

Floral Committee Meeting:

AFIF’s Christine Boldt presented a Hugs and Smiles Campaign based on using a Public Service Announcement approach to the changing feelings Plants and Flowers can provide.
For every $1 spent on this campaign, there was $10.43 in revenue, totaling approximately $16K just in Michigan.
IFPA has created a Task Force started to help increase success and participation in this campaign but WE NEED MORE BUYERS WILLING TO TEST THIS IN THEIR STORES DURING JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
2024 will focus in TEXAS, MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, INDIANA and FLORIDA.
There is no cost to participate except for the product you buy to sell. Work with your suppliers on this promo but wait to sign the PO until we get enough participation in your state.
To sign up, or if you have any questions, email dzoellick@freshproduce.com

Those States not participating in the Hugs and Kisses Campaign-Make sure you are doing something in July, August and September besides your Rose Promotion to help drive interest in other flowers and plants.

Sustainability Task Force

We have just started a floral-specific Sustainability Task Force to drive sustainability across the floral supply chain.
This is already underway with 4 Retailers and 4 Suppliers. There will be 4 meetings per year via Zoom with reports to the group at the Floral Committee meeting.

Other Task Forces available for sign up: Divide and Conquer…

Looking for a few more Volunteers for the Global Floral Show planning. We can get involved to make this show even better next year.
Floral Data and Information Task Force- will be working on how to get more detail into the POS data collected. For example, wouldn’t it be great to know which consumer bunches sell better than others, which blooming plants are HOT, etc.
Global Expansion Task Force has been created to see how we can take what we know to other countries.

Training on how to run a Supermarket Floral Department, also came up. There is no clear standard as every retailer has a different system and strategy. However, we discussed how ever retailer should have a strategy to share internally that identifies easy and trusted how tos of merchandising correctly to attract customers such as: Care and Handling, Cold Chain Importance, how to rotate product, how to attract through cleanliness, and more. The importance of doing the job correctly at store level is the difference between a sale and no sale.

We want more information on plants!

Everyone was curious about gathering more information on plants, they want to know specifically know what sells, what customers want, trends and more.
We’ll work to consider the best way to identify and share this information throughout the year.
We are also featuring more plant Breeders at the Breeder Showcase in Anaheim on February 27, 2024. Don’t forget to sign up! Growers will be invited to sign up after we’ve secured our list of buyers to ensure productive and mutually beneficial meetings.

If you had particular questions on the Global Show please email dzoellick@freshproduce.com.

When do Booth Registrations start for the Global Produce and Floral Show 2024?

If you had a booth for 2023 you will get information on February 7 or you have already received an email with a specific booking code/link to use as you will be part of the early application process.
If you have not had a booth in 2023, you can still apply on February 7. These booths will be assigned after the early application process is complete and payment is received on a first come first serve basis.
You would not have a booth location until late May/early June.

Please sign up for the February 27^th Floral Conference and Breeder Showcase. This will be in Anaheim at the Hilton next to the Convention Center. We’re currently looking for interested Buyers for the Showcase. The goal is to create more Triangle Sales with the Grower, the Breeder and the Buyer to get new and different into your stores.

If you are a part of any of the Floral Committees or Task Forces, these groups will be meeting the next morning from 9-noon, February 28.

In other news, IFPA Floral Membership renewals are due January 1. Please let me know if you have any questions about membership!

We’re very much looking forward to 2024, so here’s to a Happy (Early) New Year as we we’ll have a special edition of our newsletter next month! See you in 2024!

Floral Update: You spoke, we listened

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