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Hofland Design Show etc....
Hofland Design Show
 J M.H. Schwanke, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, was the featured designer at John G. Hofland’s ‘Winter Design Show’ in October. Co-sponsored by Smithers-Oasis, Schwanke created simple, yet visually spectacular arrangements. Texture is the hot new trend for 2005, Schwanke says, although colours are still crucial. Combinations of pinks and oranges are going to replace the popular green/purple colour combos.
Keep up-to-date on what trends are popular on the fashion runways, Schwanke says. Retail teaches us what is popular. If you notice a certain colour at The Gap or Banana Republic, Schwanke says you’re sure to have clients asking for those colours. Once those colours hit Walmart, there on their way out, Schwanke warns.
Candidate Education Requirement
Candidates seeking to become Accredited Members of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) will soon have to meet an expanded educational pre-requisite before they will be able to participate in an AIFD Accreditation Evaluation Session (AES), announced Jim Ganger, AIFD, National Membership Chairman.
According to Ganger, after AIFD’s 2005 AES, which will take place immediately prior to its National Symposium, “Balance”, in Seattle, candidates for AIFD accreditation will have to demonstrate that they have achieved 50 units of required pre-education.
Presently, an AIFD accreditation candidate need only to have attended a “steps to membership” program prior to being accepted into an AES.
“We are very concerned that the candidates seeking to become accredited are not fully aware of the high level of design artistry that is required to become AIFD,” said Ganger.
Only 48 out of 164 candidates who participated in the AIFD AES in New York (July 2004) passed their evaluation. “Many of those who were not successful simply did not have a fundamental understanding of advance design,” added Ganger.
For more information, visit www.aifd.org.
Florist Supply Opens New Location in B.C.
Florists Supply is pleased to announce an expansion into British Columbia by opening a full service branch in Greater Vancouver. With a newly appointed branch manager, Michael Volker, B.A., they are gearing up for a tentatively scheduled opening in February 2005.
“We believe there is a real need for a full-service floral wholesaler in this region with a focus on florists”, says president Laurie Nesbitt.
The new branch service area will include Greater Vancouver, Victoria Island, the Lower Mainland, and the Okanagan. Florists Supply Edmonton will continue to service northern British Columbia and the Kootenays.
The Greater Vancouver branch will mark the fourth location for Florists Supply. Winnipeg has been open since 1935, Saskatoon 1980, and Edmonton 2002.
The new branch manager, Michael Volker, brings an extensive background in wholesale and distribution to the Florists Supply family. He has been focused on sourcing equipment for the branch, stocking it with fresh flowers and a complete line of floral supplies, and is recruiting experienced staff to operate the branch.
For more information, visit www.floristssupply.com.
Foot Traffic Increased at Garden Expo/Florist Expo
Attendance at Garden Expo/Floral Expo, Canada’s fall buying show for the green and floral industries in October, jumped by 12 per cent overall for the entire show the previous year.
Registration by florists soared by 40 per cent, partly due to a co-promotion arrangement with The West Side Story that took place the week of Garden Expo/Florist Expo. Attendees also benefited from seeing floral demonstrations by Neville Mackay and Albert Graves during the show.
AIFD to Implement New Christmas Show – The Same ... But Different
 Flowers Canada Toronto Chapter presented ‘Christmas Show – The Same ... But Different, Past, future and in between’ in October. Neville Mackay and Kathy Mustard, AIFD, CAFA, were the featured designers for the show. These two veteran designers demonstrated how to make the Christmas season creative, manageable, and profitable.
Audience members were treated to fabulous Christmas designs in a variety of sizes, styles, and complexity. There were designs ideal for customers who like traditional arrangements in whites, golds, and greens in simple glass vases, and then there were contemporary arrangements for the trendy customers who like to have something new and exciting. Colours were incorporated into many of the designs by using fun containers in bright pinks, greens, and yellows.
The 15th Annual Ontario Florist Conference
The Ontario Florist Conference (OFC) partnered together an energized group of more than 300 Canadian florists with FTD’s Canadian sales team to produce two full days of incredible shopping deals, a variety of strong education programs, and fun social events.
Hundreds of Canadian FTD members showed their support and dedication to the floral industry by attending the OFC in October. The conference featured business-building products and services to help provide florists with ideas on how to increase revenues, and run their businesses most effectively. The Trade Fair included FTD Marketplace, member services and technology, as well as numerous key industry vendors such as Smithers Oasis, Golden Rose Canada, and Mex Y Can.
“FTD Canada is on fire! The savvy business ideas, energy and enthusiasm that our
Canadian friends shared with us and each other is stronger than anything I have ever seen in the floral industry. I was very proud to be involved in this event to share our ideas of how FTD can assist florists in increasing their revenues and reducing their costs. I am already looking forward to next year’s event,” says Michael Soenen, chief executive officer, FTD.
New Alliance Between FedEx and South American Flower Farms
When purchasing fresh-cut flowers, consumers are often disappointed due to the “very short” life of a flower after purchase. Whether the flowers were delivered to communicate romance, sympathy or just to let a friend know someone cares, the very brief life of the flowers can quickly put a damper on the occasion.
Most floral product consumers are unaware that this is the case with 80 per cent of fresh floral products in North America. The flowers are normally imported from countries such as Columbia and Ecuador, shortening the vase life of the flowers tremendously. This explains the short vase life of flowers after a purchase.
A new alliance between Federal Express and South American flower farms, now allows consumers and local florists to purchase flowers in bulk directly from the green code farm in South America, and add many days to the life of their flower products.
Creating this alliance has prompted the foundation for a new, innovative way to purchase flowers online. Flowers may now be purchased and shipped directly from the South American flower farms, and the fresh cut flowers are delivered within 48 hours of their harvest. This eliminates the fear of “dead flowers” at special occasions. For more information, visit www.flowerfarmstogo.com.
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