Holiday Special: Inside the Valentine’s Day Floral Supply Chain
Shipping flowers, especially at the scale demanded by Valentine’s Day, is no small feat. It requires the synchronized efforts of farmers, carriers and dozens of other essential links within the supply chain to keep these delicate seasonal gifts looking their best.
Let’s take a closer look at how your Valentine’s Day bouquet came to be — both as a tradition and as a modern logistical marvel.
First, A (Very) Brief History of Floral Gifts
Flowers (roses in particular) have served as a symbol of love and affection since the early days of antiquity. Ancient Greeks associated roses with Aphrodite, the goddess of love; the tradition was later perpetuated by the Romans and survived into the Middle Ages, where roses were seen as a fixture of passion and courtship in romantic poetry.
The connection between roses and expressed affection endured for centuries. When romantics in the Victorian era later popularized the “language of flowers” (floriography), the red rose retained its near-universal status as a symbol of love.
The gifting of roses endures as a custom even now — as evidenced by the nearly 1 billion rose stems imported to the US just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day By the Numbers
Valentine’s Day represents a multi-billion dollar occasion for multiple industries, with the average holiday-related retail spend nearly doubling since 2010.
- The National Retail Foundation expects this year’s total Valentine’s gifting to eclipse $27.5B in total spending (that includes bouquets, cards, gifts and chocolates).
- About 22% of Americans buy flowers for Valentine’s day, representing $2.5B to the US economy.
- Roses take about 75 days to grow, meaning the production cycle for Valentine’s Day begins around Halloween.
- The average shelf-life of a freshly-cut rose is just 7-10 days — assuming they were carefully handled throughout harvesting, precooling, wrapping, packaging, storing and both international and domestic transport.
- The optimal temperature range for cut roses in transit is a relatively narrow sweet spot: between 32°-38°F.
So, with such a short window of freshness and an ideal preservation temperature just above freezing, how exactly do roses make it to your kitchen counter in full bloom?
The Valentine’s Day Supply Chain Starts Abroad
The majority of traditional Valentine’s Day roses sold in the U.S. are grown in either Colombia or Ecuador, two of the world’s largest exporters of cut flowers. Local farmers carefully “pinch” millions of roses from the end of October through November to ensure they reach full bloom by the end of January — just before the annual burst in holiday demand.
Once the roses reach peak bloom, these farmers traditionally bring on loads of additional workers to cut, sort and bundle the roses into bouquets, which are then quickly packed into coolers. Harvesters have to move fast to prevent wilting — within hours, the fresh crop will have landed in Miami (the main entry point for imported flowers) via cargo plane for nation-wide distribution.
How Many Roses Are We Talking?
In the leadup to Valentine’s Day, Miami International Airport sees cargo planes hauling nothing but floral shipments arrive 14x per day, seven days a week. The total tally reportedly reaches nearly one billion stems — DAT even reports that 91% of the annual volume of Miami International’s imported roses and carnations arrive within the first six weeks of the year.
Upon arrival, U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspects and clears the flowers of any pests and diseases, then sends them to be hydrated, trimmed and repackaged for retail distribution.
With the bouquets processed and ready for sale, the nation’s reefer shipping network sees an understandable uptick in strained capacity as brokers and shippers scramble to secure temp-controlled vehicles ahead of the holiday.
Throughout the storage, sorting and distribution process freight handlers must avoid overpacking the delicate cargo, as overpacking is the most common reason for damaged flowers and the spread of disease. Delicate handling requirements, limited reefer vehicle availability and precise delivery windows add up to a particularly challenging logistical undertaking (at least, for those who haven’t yet teamed up with a stellar 3PL).
“Success in floral shipping means partnering with a 3PL that knows the needs of every floral variety. Our experts match you with trusted carriers, the right equipment, and thorough communication to ensure every detail is covered so YOUR customers are thrilled!”
—Tarek Kabbani, Sales Consultant, First Call Logistics
After thousands of miles traveled through a meticulously-managed cold-chain and being handled by dozens of hands across two continents, the bouquets arrive at your local supermarket or florist for sale. From there, it’s just a short journey home to your beloved’s favorite vase.
The Modern Miracle of Holiday Logistics
“Valentine’s Day flower shipping is a race against time. Timing and temp are everything; to get it right, partner with a 3PL that knows the refrigerated truckload market inside and out, ensuring your blooms stay fresh and arrive exactly when they need to.”
— Greg Cordle, General Manager, First Call Logistics
Valentine’s Day is just another case of seemingly simple traditions — like picking up a dozen roses on the way home from work — representing the efforts of a global, time-sensitive operation. Months of planning, multiple modes of transport, thousands of workers and a not-insignificant amount of temperature-controlled tech all contribute to a well-orchestrated supply chain that keeps our tradition of floral gift-giving alive and well.
Maintaining that supply chain requires a deep understanding of industry nuances; every floral variety has an optimal temperature range, special handling instructions and carefully-timed delivery windows to maximize its freshness.
Our team’s logistics experts ensure floral shippers are paired with trusted carriers to ensure every detail is communicated clearly. Contact a First Call agent now and let us help get your next shipment of flowers and gifts underway.
Master Valentine’s Day Floral Shipping with the Right 3PL Partner
Valentine’s Day is crunch time for floral shippers—timing and temp make all the difference. Partner with a 3PL that knows the floral game inside and out. We’ll help you lock in reliable capacity, manage temp-controlled transport, and get those blooms delivered fresh and right on time.
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