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| Home > Pressroom > Wholesale Florist Form Strategic Alliance |
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Flower Power: Organic Bouquet Inc. and Delaware Valley Wholesale Florist
Form Strategic Alliance.
December 1, 2003 Novato, CA --
Organic Bouquet Inc. the nations leading organic floral provider, announced today the formation of a strategic alliance with
Delaware Valley Wholesale Florist, the largest wholesale floral distributor in the United States.
Earlier this month, Organic Bouquet Inc., signed an agreement to license its brand to Delaware Valley, for wholesale sales of
organic flowers in North America. With its wholesale operations in the care of Delaware Valley, Organic Bouquet Inc. will refine
its focus to the expansion of its socially and environmentally responsible gift products web business, www.OrganicBouquet.com
In conjunction with the signing of the agreement, Delaware Valley established a new business unit to market organically grown
flowers under the Organic Bouquet brand to upscale retail chains and floral shops nationwide. The Companies have agreed to
combine resources to increase sourcing, sales and improve logistics in order to step up the growth of the burgeoning organic
floral category.
Delaware Valley currently operates five distribution centers located in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions along with a
large floral trucking and logistics operation based in Miami.
Ted Johnson, president of Delaware Valley's mass-market division is responsible for the development of this new business unit.
"Delaware Valley has often been at the forefront of floral business trends in the US and this licensing agreement is a
continuation of our progressive position. We see our relationship with Organic Bouquet to be a unique opportunity for Delaware
Valley to be part of rapidly expanding new segment of the flower business. By using our strength in logistics, sales and direct
farm relationships, we are looking forward to helping expand the organic and green floral category in the United States, stated
Ted Johnson, President of the Mass Market division of Delaware Valley Wholesale Florist.
Organic floral is the newest category in the $230 billion LOHAS market (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability). According to
Dr. Paul Ray co-author of The Cultural Creatives, there are 50 million people in America who make environmental based purchase
decisions. Organic Bouquet was established to meet that demand.
Gerald Prolman, a pioneer in the organic food business, founded Organic Bouquet Inc in 2001. He set out to establish the market
for organic flowers. In just a few years, and almost single-handedly, Prolman's passion and vision has created an entirely new
category in the American fresh-cut flower trade: organic floral.
"We are excited about the prospects for accelerated growth as a result of our partnership with Delaware Valley. They are very
well respected in the trade and their commitment to develop the organic category adds a new level of support and credibility
that will encourage further participation from the trade", stated Organic Bouquet Founder and CEO, Gerald Prolman.
Prolman started Organic Bouquet because he saw a need for the highest quality flowers to be grown in a sustainable manner.
Flowers are grown with a variety of fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, nematocides and plant growth regulators. The U.S
does not inspect flowers grown here or abroad for pesticide residues. At the same time it requires that flowers arrive at our
borders pest-free. Trade laws thus encourage the use of strong chemicals.
According to Gerald Prolman, "The future of agriculture exists in the utilization of sustainable farming practices that are
environmentally sound. Organic production systems clearly lead the way to this new standard."
"Organic farming does not pollute the earth or leach toxic chemicals into our water systems. Organic farmers leave the earth
in better condition than when they started farming. This is the old-fashioned way of farming. Growing flowers organically is
safer for farm workers and is good for the environment"
Prior to the formation of Organic Bouquet there were no commercial organic floral supplies sufficient to service a national
market. In addition, industry and consumer awareness of the need for organic flowers was minimal.
Prolman has devoted the past three years to organizing a regionally diverse network of organic flower growers in order to
supply the natural products market with an alternative to flowers grown with synthetic chemicals while at the same time broadly
disseminating the need for organic flowers with consumers and the trade. As a result, increasing supplies of organically grown
flowers are emerging from the US, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Holland and Africa and retail demand is on the rise.
Organic Bouquet Inc. began as a wholesale provider of organic fresh cut flowers to leading upscale natural food retailers.
Whole Foods Markets were among the first retailers to feature the Company's organic flowers.
"Organic flowers are a significant new development for our floral department which we plan to expand as supply is available.
Organic flowers are important because they are good for farm workers, the environment and our florists are happy to handle them."
stated Martin Magadan, floral buyer for 20 Southern California Whole Foods stores.
Magadan further commented: "Our customers expect to find the best environmental alternatives when they shop at Whole Foods Markets.
We are here to make that happen and are committed and proud to be a leader in organic flowers"
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