Valentine Roses and Colombia's Freeze

1/14/10

Colombia Freeze Hurts Roses

Reports of a devastating freeze in Colombia in January are prompting a range of reactions, from concern about shortages to skepticism about the real impact of the freeze.

In the Sabana de Bogota region, temperatures fell below freezing three nights in the first week of January, according to reports from The National Weather Service and The Weather Underground. The average low for the week was 38 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to average lows of 41 F and 49 F in 2009 and 2008 respectively.

The Association of Colombian Flower Growers (Asocoflores) on Thursday predicted the cold spell would damage 30 percent of the country’s flower production. The affected region, near Bogota, accounts for 70 percent of Colombia’s floral exports.

SAF (Society of American Florists) recently asked Red Kennicott a few potential media questions regarding the freeze.

How will the frost in Colombia affect the supply of roses for Valentine's Day? We have talked to all of our rose suppliers. Some have not been affected at all by the cold weather and some growers experienced freezing temperatures. It will take about a week to determine the extent of the damage, if any. This situation is not unusual, and there have been reports of freezing in some areas of the Bogota plateau in the majority of winters.

Will there be a shortage of roses available for the holiday? Why or why not? At Kennicott Brothers, we are not planning on a shortage. We are aggressively pursuing orders for roses for Valentines Day, and we are confident that we will be able to fill them. It is possible that there could be spot shortages of certain varieties of roses at the very last minute, but that would be isolated and in most cases where florists did not plan in advance.

Does this mean that rose prices will be higher this Valentine's Day compared to previous years? Why or why not? No. Prices should be about the same. Values could be better, because many growers have planted new improved varieties and because there have been enhancements to the cold chain for delivering flowers from the grower to the consumer.

 Colombia supplies the vast majority of Valentine's Day roses, so how will the U.S. floral industry fare this Valentine's Day? We think that it will be a very good holiday. Consumers always respond at Valentines Day, and flowers are a great value for all pocketbooks. What other sources will they tap into? Ecuador, California, Mexico and Holland.

Will these sources have enough supply to fulfill the shortfall of Colombian roses? Yes!

Any other comments? The recession has taught our industry that it must be lean and mean to survive. As an industry, we are today more efficient than ever. There are plenty of fine quality roses available in the world markets, and roses and other flowers for Valentines will be the best value ever for this occasion.

Funeral Flowers Have A Positive Impact!

12/30/09

Recent research indicates that sympathy flowers may not only brighten and warm a funeral or memorial service setting, but also have a positive impact on the emotional well being of the bereaved. The phrase "In Lieu of Flowers" is now considered a major barrier to the healing process. Clay Atchison has archived this study, and related information, on the Web site, inlieuofflowers.info, to support people in making the right decision regarding funeral flowers.  Read the entire article at http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/study-finds-the-lack-of,1103354.shtml

Ooh La La - French Heather

12/29/09

French Heather's Season is Now!

Gorgeous, Show Stopping Pink Flowers are just the ticket with French Heather.  They are just starting to arrive from California.  Give your customers a beautiful design delight!

Wedding Forecast 2010

12/14/09

2010 Wedding Prediction from The Wedding Report

Just out today is The Wedding Report's 2010 Market Analysis for the upcoming wedding year. 
Estimated number of weddings: 2.16 to 2.18 million
Estimated spending per wedding average: $20,000 to $22,000
Estimated number of guests: 135 to 145

• Couples will want simple yet elegant events at a lower cost. They will choose DIY (do it yourself) and thriftiness as a way to cut cost
• DIY is bigger than ever and will continue to increase on items from Invitations to flowers
• From the dress to shoes, vintage will be in big demand
• June 2010 will be busier than normal. Couples that put off their 2009 June wedding, because of the recession have booked for June 2010
• Candy buffets will be very hot
• Warm, bright, bold, and vibrate color tones are in for 2010
• In vintage style, black and white photography shots will be in higher demand
• While it hasn’t gone mainstream, video streamed live weddings will continue to gain interest
• Tungsten is the hot metal for 2010, couples are looking for both engagement rings and wedding bands in tungsten
• As with 2009, couples will continue to want package deals over a la carte
• As with 2009, couples will continue to rely on family and friends to save money
• As with 2009, we will continue to see smaller weddings with fewer guests

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