In This Issue ...

1. Save The Date - You're Invited
2. The Evolution of the San Francisco Flower Market
3. Two Scholarships Available Through AFE 
4. CalFlowers "New Member" Spotlight
5. Transportation
6. Welcome New CalFlowers Member

Upcoming Events:

2022
SAVE THE DATE

2022 Great Lakes Floral and Events Expo "Inspire" 
March 4 - 6
DeVos Place
Grand Rapids, MI

World Floral Expo 2022
June 8 - 10
Jacob J. Javits Center of New York

AIFD Symposium "Roots"
July 4 - 8
Caesars Forum Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV

Fun 'N Sun
"All About Flowers"
Aug. 29 - Sept. 1, 2022
Hotel del Coronado
Coronado, CA

Click Here to Rediscover the California legend - Hotel del Coronado.

Latest Legislation
Updates:

Click Here to read the latest Legislative updates.

January Birth Flowers:

With winter setting in, those born in January have two birth flowers—the carnation and snowdrop. Whether they’re your “birth” flowers or not, learn more about the history, meaning, and symbolism of these colorful flowers that are sure to lift your spirits during these cold winter months.

The Carnation

Native to the Mediterranean area, the carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is a widely cultivated fringe-petaled flower, with a spicy fragrance. It was first imported to the United States in the 1850s and within two decades more than 50 varieties had been made available. It has long been a staple in the flower industry—especially for Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day—thanks to its meanings of love and remembrance.

Carnation History

Translated from Greek, carnation is often referred to as “flower of the gods.” It grew in the wild on the hillsides of Greece and is said to have been named by Greek botanist Theophrastus. The carnation’s history dates back to when it was used in garlands, art and decor in both ancient Greece and Roman times.

At one time, the carnation was used to treat fevers in Europe. In the Elizabethan era it was used to spice wine and ale as a substitute for the more expensive clove. An essential oil can be extracted from the flower of a carnation and is used for aromatherapy and perfumes. It is traditionally prescribed in European herbal medicine to treat coronary and nervous disorders.

In the Netherlands, a white carnation is worn in remembrance of veterans, and the resistance in World War II. Bright red carnations represent the 1970s military and civil coup in Portugal, which is often referred to as the Revolution of the Carnations. Red carnations also symbolize socialism and the labor movements, and have been worn on International Workers’ Day (May 1).

Carnation Meanings and Symbolism

In early times, carnations were predominantly pale pink and peach, but over the years the availability of colors has grown to include red, yellow, white, orange, purple, and green, as well as bi-colors and frosted varieties. As with roses, different-colored carnations convey different meanings, as shown below.

According to Christian legend, the first pink carnation on Earth grew from Mary’s tears when she wept for Jesus as he carried his cross. Therefore, a pink carnation often symbolizes a mother’s unyielding love. 

The Snowdrop

Notably the earliest garden flower to bloom, the snowdrop (Galanthus) emerges in late winter or early spring, sometimes when snow is still on the ground.

Snowdrop History

Although native to the cooler mountainous, wooded, and grassland regions of southern Europe and Asia Minor, snowdrops have since been naturalized in the United States.

Extract of the snowdrop was used by the ancient Greeks for its mind-altering effects. Used as a folk remedy for various ailments, snowdrop is thought to have been brought to Europe by monks and midwives for medicinal use.

Snowdrop Meanings and Symbolism

The snowdrop’s genus name, Galanthus, is derived from the Greek words gala (milk) and anthos (flower), referencing the flower’s pure white appearance.

Snowdrops are used to express both sympathy or celebration. During happy times, it is thought to provide optimism and hope, but following a death or misfortune, it symbolizes compassion. Innocence is also linked to the snowdrop because of its color.

According to one Christian story, an angel turned snowflakes into snowdrops and gave them to Adam and Eve as a sign of hope after their banishment from the Garden of Eden.

Amongst pagans, the snowdrop is associated with the beginning of spring, as it is thought that the arrival of the first blooming flower signifies the end of winter.

A single snowdrop bloom brought inside was once believed to represent death, as it was traditionally know to grow in graveyards. 

Nowadays, this delicate flower-often one of the first to poke through the snow in late winter-signifies hope and beauty.

CalFlowers
Featured
"New Member" Spotlights

To see all of our past Featured "New Member" Spotlight stories Click Here.

If your company would like to be a featured "New Member", please contact Monnaie Pepin for more details.

Past CalFlowers Newsletters 

Click Here to view past CalFlowers Newsletters now available on our website.

CalFlowers News

SAVE THE DATE - YOU’RE INVITED!

We’re excited to give you…
‘That Flower Feeling’!
Thursday, January 13
11:00 a.m. PST (2:00 p.m. EST)

CalFlowers will share, for your viewing pleasure, our
exciting new consumer-direct brand and marketing campaign launch. 

Everyone is invited to join!

CalFlowers is on a mission to ensure more Americans enjoying more flowers more often.  We have partnered with marketing agency 180 Amsterdam and media agency Designory to produce and execute a professional, funny, edgy, and very shareable marketing campaign that will launch nationally across numerous social media platforms, podcasts, and music streaming channels in January. 

Our goal in this ‘viewing party’ is not only to introduce you to our concept and marketing assets, but also to encourage you – and give you the tools – to leverage this campaign for the benefit of your own business and the industry at large.  We need all segments of the floriculture industry to help amplify the campaign through your own established marketing channels, and we will provide you the access to do so! 

We will walk you through the range of marketing assets and explain the full depth of the campaign which will include films and stills for social media platforms, host-read and voiceover ads on selected podcasts, a roster of social influencers, and point-of-sale items such as posters and truck wraps.  

CalFlowers is proud to offer this full range to all industry participants, regardless of whether you are a CalFlowers member.

Give us 45 minutes of your time on January 13th, and help us bring this transformative, national marketing campaign to flower consumers across the country.  We look forward to seeing you!

Click Here To Register in advance for this meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

To learn more about That Flower Feeling - connect with Steve Dionne by phone: (760) 213-3996 or email [email protected].  

The Evolution of the San Francisco Flower Market

While I’ve been to the San Francisco Flower Market many times before, this time was very different. I’ve always been there as a sales rep, but this time, I felt like I got to know the San Francisco Flower Market on a more personal level. I’ve always been fascinated with its history and progression over the years, but more than that, I’ve always enjoyed the grit, passion, and commitment exuded by the vendors there. (Jeanne Boes pictured above)

From Jeanne, the director of the San Francisco Flower Market to the various vendors I interviewed, everyone welcomed me with open arms and showed me nothing but kindness. They were generous with their time, answered all my questions, and renewed my passion for the floral industry and the businesses within it. It was truly an honor to speak to the multi-generational business owners and to see how much love and hard work they put into their businesses and in the floral industry as a whole.

This blog is an insight into the stunning history of the San Francisco Flower Market, its evolution through the years, and how it’s viewed by veterans and the new generation of the floral industry today.

Click Here to read the whole blog by New Bloom Solutions.

Two Scholarships Available Through AFE 

Altman Family Scholarship &  Paul Ecke, Jr. Scholarship Application Deadline – February 1 
MS/Ph.D. students only!

APPLY NOW

Two merit-based, prestigious floriculture scholarships have been established to assist in supporting the education of floriculture graduate students.

Students have the opportunity to apply for the Altman Family Scholarship and the Paul Ecke, Jr. Scholarship at the same time!  Each year, one student will be selected for each scholarship. (Pictured above: Deena and Ken Altman)

The primary objective of these scholarships is to assist in funding the education of full-time graduate students (MS or Ph.D.) who will become leading floricultural scientists and educators.

Only one application is needed for the Altman and Ecke scholarships.  Those attending land-grant universities will automatically be considered for the Paul Ecke, Jr. Scholarship.  All others will only be considered for the Altman Family Scholarship.

Click Here to lear more and apply.

CalFlowers New Member Spotlight

Lizzie Bee's Flower Shoppe is a full-service wedding design and retail florist based out of Dallas, Texas. Under the guidance of their Queen Bee, Elizabeth Fisher, (Pictured Left) Lizzie Bee's specializes in garden-style florals for a luxury look with organic, down-to-earth flair. You'll often find Lizzie and the team building large, luxe centerpieces, hanging floral chandeliers from venue ceilings, or decking out an arch in fresh, sweet-smelling roses! Lizzie Bees' new retail space is also a haven for floral enthusiasts of all kinds, with monthly workshops, daily floral arrangements, and an array of unique gifts available to the community.

With winter in full swing and COVID -19 surging across the country, we can expect logistics across the U.S. to struggle.  For our industry and with the Valentine’s Day essentially here, we need to be aware that carriers over all segments are under increasing pressure from many sources.  Our overnight carriers, like other segments, are dealing with labor and operational issues mainly related to COVID-19.  When you combine that challenge with record volumes being shipped into their systems, it becomes understandable that consistency is suffering across the board.  Unfortunately, these challenging times are expected to continue into the near-term future.  With that, we recommend having patience and looking carefully at the service level you choose when evaluating delivery time options with our carriers.  We strongly suggest choosing the highest priority service available.  This will give your shipment the highest level of service that delivers earlier, as this helps to keep you and your customers’ expectations in line with the current environment.

For our FedEx shippers, I strongly recommend checking the “Service Alerts” section of the FedEx website each morning for the latest.  Here is the link: :  https://www.fedex.com/en-us/service-alerts.html

Here you will find the most current alerts and service disruption news updated each day.   Today for instance, FedEx had this posted;

“The explosive surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant has caused a temporary shortage of available crew members and operational staff in the FedEx Express air network.  Additionally, severe winter weather across the country has placed a strain on operations. The health and safety of our team members is our top priority.  We are implementing contingency plans and adjusting operations to minimize delays while continuing to provide the best possible service to our customers during these difficult times.” 

These Service Alerts are issued daily and can be helpful in managing your expectations during inclement weather.

For members looking for the latest Program Summary and Rates for 2022, we now have them posted up on our website for review. 

As a reminder, FedEx has suspended the Money Back Guarantee (MBG) for all accounts nationwide.  This will be in effect until January 16, 2022, or until otherwise stated.

As costs rise for our carriers, surcharges have risen as well across the board.  For those members wanting to reference the latest FedEx Surcharges and Fees click here:  https://www.fedex.com/content/dam/fedex/us-united-states/services/FXE_FXG_Surcharges_and_Fees_2022.pdf.   

Remember, CalFlowers members have many significant discounts off of these surcharges which add excellent value to our program.  For a list our surcharge discounts, please refer to the FedEx Program Summary on our website.

For qualifying members wanting to contact their local FedEx representative, feel free to contact me and I will put you in touch with the right person.  It’s always a good idea to establish a relationship with your local FedEx field representatives who can help out when you need them or have questions.  

To all our new members who are just starting with FedEx shipping, they have a nice “Customer Training” service that is available upon request.  This service offers shippers direct one-on-one assistance from FedEx covering many of the questions new shippers may have.  If you are interested in signing up, please contact Chris Johnson [email protected].  FedEx also has some excellent information for new shippers on their website.  Visit: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/get-started.html for a good summary of what FedEx offers

For members needing FedEx Tech Support, this phone number takes your right into the department (877) 339-2774.  They can help with many tech related issues including guidance regarding on-line shipping platforms.

We would also like to remind members to stay current with their FedEx Express shipping invoices. FedEx payment terms are 15 days.  All members shipping on FedEx Express are expected to stay within the FedEx payment terms.  To obtain your invoice details and payment options, please contact FedEx Customer Service.

Please note: GLS is currently working on our 2022-member pricing.  We have negotiated a modest 3% increase this year.  As soon as GLS finalizes the rates we will let members know.  Until then, 2021 rates are in force. 

Also, GLS is reporting record volumes at this time.  Combine this with weather and labor shortages causing operational challenges, on-time deliveries in some areas can be affected.

The good news here is that even though GLS has not officially re-instated their Money Back Guarantee (shipping costs), they HAVE amended that policy for CalFlowers members.  Our agreement with GLS now states that they will credit shipping costs to member shippers if the shipment is not delivered on the scheduled day of delivery.  Members will need to request this within 48 hours by contacting customer service by sending an email to: [email protected].  Include your account number, tracking number and explanation.  Let them know you are seeking shipping charges credited.

Regarding claims on product (inside the box), Generally speaking, GLS will entertain a claim if the box is missing / lost, or damage is present on the exterior of the package.  GLS will not generally process a claim simply if a box is delivered late.  For complete details, please visit www.gls-us.com

The CalFlowers GLS program is one of our fastest growing, most value-priced offerings, with discounts over 70% off standard rates.  GLS offers later pick-ups and earlier deliveries while providing express door-to-door services covering CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, NM, UT and ID.  Members who want to ship on GLS must sign up in advance. It’s easy and just takes a few minutes.  Please contact Chris Johnson for more details at (760) 533-5580 or [email protected].   

Please use the Delivery Rates & Times Calculator to view delivery dates and estimated.

Airlines: 

We have just learned that Michael Yu, our longtime Alaska Airlines Account Manager has accepted a new promotion within the company and will no longer be our Alaska contact.  He will certainly be missed.  However, we have new Account Manager in Mike Narowski.  Mike comes to us with a wide variety of air carrier experience and can be reached at [email protected] 

If you have been taking advantage of our new CalFlowers/Alaska Airlines shipping program, you know this offering really delivers when it comes to value.  Our program offers excellent pricing to many areas of the country from California, while adding a few new destinations such as Seattle, Portland, and Anchorage. Check out all the program details on our website.

It is reported, as with other carriers, that Southwest is struggling with COVID-19 labor shortages.  They have been forced to limit the acceptance of cargo including perishables at many airports causing confusion and delays.  However, there is some good news, as of Tuesday, January 11, Southwest will be again accepting perishables.  Since conditions are still fluid,  I recommend checking the Southwest website https://www.swacargo.com/swacargo_com_ui/shipping-advisory or your drayage carrier for the latest before you ship.

As a reminder, JetBlue offers CalFlowers members exceptional express prices out of LAX / SFO to Boston, New York, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Puerto Rico and now NEWARK (EWR). 

These new rates are some of the best that we’ve see in some time.  For more information, please contact Chris Johnson at [email protected] or Mark Friedenthal at JetBlue Cargo (310) 490-2659.

NOTE: Transportation Rate information and documents are viewable/downloadable as PDFs on the CalFlowers Members Only site. Please note that these documents are considered sensitive material and are available to the primary contacts for Ag Buddy, Associate Floral, Associate Grower, and Floral members.

Welcome New CalFlowers Member

We are pleased to welcome the following new CalFlowers member from December 21, 2021 - January 11, 2022:

www.cafgs.org 

Ph. 831-479-4912 | Fax 831-479-4914