As the manufacture takes action to overcome its boastful challenges , there is reason to celebrate , said the Society of American Florists ’ CEO , Kate Penn , during the State of the Industry address last calendar week at SAF Phoenix 2023 , the organization ’s 138th one-year convention .
Labor dearth and the need for succession planning go along to “ pose our manufacture ’s grownup experiential challenge , ” Penn said . But , there is plenty to celebrate as other challenge , such as a bottlenecked supply Sir Ernst Boris Chain , lack of production availability , competition for payload space , and other factors , have normalise accompany two twelvemonth of uncertainty .
Addressing Labor ShortagesOne of the big challenges face the industry is the deficit of labor in all sectors due to a number of factors , including the aging manpower , the rising monetary value of sustenance , and a lack of cognisance about the careers available in the floriculture industry .
“ Labor is tough to get , hard to keep when you do get it — and very expensive , ” Penn said .
SAF is tackling the issue from different angle . First , with its advocacy work on Capitol Hill , where floral pros buttonhole p.a. during SAF ’s Congressional Action Days . This year — and in past years — SAF members have asked Congress for meaningful in-migration reform and for research funding that can bring efficiency to the growing process .
In addition , SAF ’s spouse , Seed Your Future , is leading the campaign to bestow new talent to the horticulture and floriculture diligence . One of the ways the organization is doing that is through Green Career Week , slate for Oct. 2 - 6 . Green Career Week is an opening move that take businesses to host or visit schools and showcase the career available at their companionship on societal medium .
It ’s also authoritative to retain that young talent , something that SAF has made a strategic priority with its Next Gen group and the in - person and practical events SAF hosts specifically for them , Penn said . This year , virtually 200 floral professional , age 45 and vernal , met in Miami for the 2nd annual NextGen LIVE ! Conference , which feature teaching , networking , and tour of duty of the Miami import scene and retail flower shop class . The league has been such a success , Penn said , that it is continuing next class , February 25 - 27 , in San Diego .
“ The learning and sharing at this case is an over-the-top affair to see , and the event left attendee with a newfound enthusiasm for our industry , ” Penn articulate .
Planning for the FutureWholesalers and retailer are experiencing integration and closings , Penn say , though they appear to have slowed . There were 11,509 retail merchant in 2022 , consort to the U.S. Census Bureau , a slight decrease from 2021 and slight decreases foretell for the next few years .
“ It ’s nothing like the contraction we receive in the early 2000s , ” Penn articulate . “ Since 2013 , shop completion have leveled off to single digit . ”
There is no quantitative datum on why shops are conclude , but Penn hears anecdotally that many did n’t have an exit strategy .
“ In many shell , there ’s no obvious successor , and they just did n’t design far enough ahead to machinate the business for a successful sale , ” she said . “ And every time that happens , that ’s a red to the biotic community and our industry . ”
Penn pointed out that SAF has produce resource to help floral pros plan for the future of their businesses . The topic was the nidus of a cover account in Floral Management , a virtual roundtable , and at two convention school term that featured former and current business enterprise proprietor who had or will soon sell their businesses . SAF ’s Floral Education Hub also created a three - part grade , “ prognosticate Your Future , ” with Manny and Clara Gonzales , who shared the strategy they used to ensure they had a business organisation worth selling .
Reasons to CelebrateDespite those challenges , there are a number of thing to celebrate , Penn say .
The logistic issues — include air cargo capacitance and a lack of motortruck and driver — that plagued the diligence in 2020 , 2021 , and 2022 “ have all but disappeared , ” she said . “ One wholesaler tell apart us that this Valentine ’s Day was the smoothest the industriousness has experienced in 10 years . ”
Another reason that vacation and others went so well ? There was more than enough fresh flower , foliage , and hard goods this yr , Penn said , note that retailers had been hoarding supplies that were scarce .
“ This yr , we know where our voiceless goods are do from , so we do n’t need to tie up all of that Johnny Cash and space in inventory , ” she say .
And , though sale are down for many compared to 2022 , according to SAF ’s semiannual economic outlook survey , they are up from 2019 , and 42 percent feel optimistic about future cut-rate sale .
Floral mathematical product purchase , which include seeds and potted works , was also up in 2022 , with a 13 percent increase , according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis .
Sales of U.S. floriculture crop grow 4.6 pct from 2021 to 2022 , according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture ’s National Agricultural Statistics Service .
Sales at retail florists also increased from 2021 , according to the U.S. Department of Commerce . Sales were up in 2022 by 3 percent and are projected to grow at sub-2 percent increase in the coming years .
“ gratuitous to say , we ’d wish to see those numbers increase at a big magazine , ” Penn said . She observe the Floral Board enterprisingness , which , if it hail to realization , will make a national furtherance fiat for shortened flowers , and the “ That Flower feel ” brand of campaigns started in 2022 by CalFlowers . That campaign won SAF ’s Marketer of the Year award and is seeking voluntary financial backing for succeeding campaigns .
SAF ’s one-year Petal It Forward goodwill first step , which asks flowered occupation to turn over out two bouquets , one for the recipient to keep and another for them to give away , is another room the industry can market the feel - good might of its product .
“ [ Petal It Forward is ] a herculean admonisher of why we do what we do , and why we must keep work hard to keep our employees engaged , and our businesses strong and tidy and in the residential district , ” Penn tell .
For more selective information : SAFsafnow.org
