Exclusive
Americans wanting to get a rosy gift for their moms this Mother’s Day better not wait ’til the last minute … because COVID-19’s making life difficult for floral pros.
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the flower industry’s bottom line has wilted since mid-March, U.S. farmers and major import countries like Holland, Ecuador and Colombia are struggling to harvest, and of course … there’s a seismic decrease in demand.
According to several industry experts … flower sales have been down anywhere from 50 to 90 percent in recent weeks, with the major blow being the loss of floral-themed parties and receptions because this is when wedding season kicks off.
Flower suppliers are uncertain how much to produce going forward in order to avoid having to donate or destroy all the unsold petals.
The good news … some retailers were able to have a decent haul over the Easter holiday, and people like Christine Boldt, Exec. VP of the Association of Floral Importers of Florida, and Dave Pruitt, CEO of the California Cut Flower Commission, believe there could be a major bounce-back for Mother’s Day.
Boldt predicts the flower biz will do 70 percent of its normal volume this year, while other officials expect it to be even higher due to increased delivery orders … especially because many families are unable to celebrate in person due to stay-at-home orders.
The consensus — place your flower orders early. That way, there’s plenty of time to determine how to get flowers from point A to the all-important point B … Mom.
