Enlighten Customers with Enhancements

This article appears in this months edition of Super Floral Magazine, written by our own Bill Prescott.

Your customers want new and unique items in your floral department and your mangers want increased margins and greater sell through.  How do you achieve this lofty goal? 
Luckily, there is an easy way to achieve both these goals, in one lovely group of offerings.

Iris and Crocosmia Enhanced Bunch

Enter the eclectic world of “Enhanced Bunches.”

By definition; an Enhanced Bunch is created by taking a straight consumer bunch, such as a 10-stem tulip and adding stems of filler flowers, greens or interesting botanicals. In the tulip example, 8-12 stems of bear grass added to the bunch ads eye-catching personality that will entice consumers to grab the bunch. The wispy bear grass is almost shouting across the floral department, “Pick me, Pick me” to shoppers.

Bunches can be created at the farm where the flowers were grown, at store level, or you can upsell a customer a bunch of greens or filler flowers to make the look at home.

Royal Lilies with Beargrass

By enhancing the bunch you add three key elements, which intern allow you to charge a premium.

1.    Visual interest:  Whether a tall bunch of bear grass, a few stems of Israeli Ruscus or a handful of Matricaria stems, the additional of color, texture and line elevate the essence of the bunch.
2.    Perceived Value:  The addition of unique foliages, botanicals and smaller flowers ads a sense of value that cannot be under estimated. This allows for an upcharge on the items, even when the additional elements may be inexpensive.
3.    Seasonal Flexibility: An enhanced bunch lets you pivot to meet holiday needs. As an example, white lilies are a big traditional seller for Mother’s Day, however, add a couple stems of red IIex (Winterberry) plus some Port Orford Cedar and you have an exceptional holiday offering. 

White lilies, Ilex and Port Orford Cedar

According to J Schwanke, the Flower Expert- Host of fun with Flowers and J on uBloom.com,

“Enhanced bunches are an opportunity to grab the customers attention - with the addition of the unique, unusual, colorful or creative. Enhanced bunches may show the consumer something they’ve never seen before, or maybe something they’ve only seen – and envied! - on social media.”

J highlighted two of his favorite enhancements. The new white sunflowers and white daisy matricaria both bred by BallSB are getting exciting reviews.

Lourdes Reyes from Ball SB (Ballhort.com) says,

“The matricaria is one of those flowers that makes us feel at home. The way it holds in the vase is so loose and free, that it looks like it has just being picked from your own backyard or garden. It is the perfect filler for a bouquet and for me, it is a true “happy flower.” It is also “sensed” as a locally grown crop. That is why I like it so much!”

Rodi Groot the Mass Market Sales Manager at Sun Valley Floral Farms explains,

“For Sun Valley, being able to take our year-round items such as tulips, lilies and iris and give them a seasonal flare is one of our strengths. This fall we are pairing cotinus (Smoke Bush) with our Sonata (OT Hybrid) lilies. These bunches are full of fall color and texture.”

African Lady lilies enhanced with Cotinus

Many Enhanced bunches are focused on greens. Sarah Keefer, Sales and Marketing Coordinator for Continental Floral Greens says,

“Utilizing consumer bunches of greens with a consumer bunch of flowers, is a great way to showcase great flowers and make a large, meaningful, and often longer lasting bouquet. Some of our favorite green options right now are Variegated Pittosporum and Israeli Ruscus.”

The simple act of adding an additional botanical design element to any bunch will give a better overall flower experience to your customers. Check in with your flower suppliers to see what Enhanced Bunches they have ready for your store.