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FROM FIELD TO STORE, WE'RE WITH YOUR FLOWERS ALL THE WAY
As winter settles in, Tom Royer starts to think about a trip to South America. But it's not a vacation getaway
that Tom has in mind. It's your flowers.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of our first trip to Colombia, which ships more fresh-cut flowers to the
United States than any other country. Two or three times each year, Tom, our senior vice president and chief
operating officer, travels to South America to inspect the roses, pompons and other flowers that are grown
especially for our customers.
Seventy percent of the fresh-cut flowers sold in the United States are imported, with Colombia accounting
for more than half, according to the Society of American Florists. Ecuador, a neighbor to Colombia, is second
at 16 percent.
The floral industry's internalization dates to the 1970s. With the OPEC oil embargo doubling or tripling the
cost of crude oil, local greenhouses – ours included – no longer could operate profitably. Instead, growing
shifted to South America.
Colombia, particularly the region around Bogota, features
temperatures that typically stay within 65 and 70 degrees, combined
with consistent light levels. Greenhouses there don't even have sides
– just tops to protect petals from rain.
Tom has made nearly 100 trips to Colombia, Ecuador and
Amsterdam (where new flower breeds are developed). One of
Tom's trips always falls just before Valentine's Day, when he'll
follow the half-million roses and carnations that we receive for
the holiday.
Once the flowers are picked in South America, they are boxed
and flown to Miami. Federal inspectors review them before they are
put on refrigerated trucks destined for our distribution center in Grove City.
Fresh-cut flowers travel a much greater distance from farm to florist than they did three decades ago, but
their quality has never been better. And Tom's regular trips to South America are a double assurance that our
customers are getting the best flowers possible.
"What's amazing," Tom said, "is the flowers we get now last longer than the ones we used to grow ourselves."
What's more, we offer an eight-day guarantee on all flowers.
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