Miami once again became the epicenter of innovation and development in the floral industry with the 139th Annual SAF Convention which recently took place. This year, the event brought together more than 400 passionate floral professionals from all segments of the sector, offering a superb opportunity to train, be inspired, share great memories, unite, innovate, and make connections that transcend the competition.
SAF Miami - A Popping and Very Successful Event That Brings Together the Passion for Flowers
Over three days, from August 6-9, 2024, attendees explored some of the best practices in customer service, workplace culture, and economic sustainability, while the latest trends in florals and foliage were vividly and eagerly shown at the 'Outstanding Varieties Competition'. Additionally, talented industry designers exposed their creativity at the 'Sylvia Design Competition', offering a colorful and creative show. According to a few visitors we interviewed, it was an educational and networking experience like never before.
In case you're not so familiar with what this event is, SAF Miami is a complete experience that offers valuable tools to improve every aspect of a floral business. From profitability strategies to creating a strong organizational culture and exploring new revenue streams, it is designed to transform the way industry professionals face market challenges and opportunities. This year, we interviewed a couple of growers, among these Alexandra Farms, Elite Flowers, Deliflor Americas, Icon Selections, Agrivaldani, and lastly, Sunrite Farms. Here's what they had to share about their experience.
Asocolflores - Flowers of Colombia for the World
Asocolflores participated as a Platinum Sponsor at the SAF convention, standing out with a floral mural and decorations using Colombian flowers. During the kick-off breakfast, Augusto Solano welcomed the guests, and a video was shown. Also, bouquets were handed out in an activation before "Petal it Forward". In addition, two partners, Ayurá and Dekker Chrysanten, were awarded in the Outstanding Varieties Competition, showing the quality of Flowers of Colombia.
Exclusive Interviews and Guild Insights
Learning more about the highlights of the event is important but hearing about grand insights from key industry leaders is also a key component. Through a couple of questions, each person shared their knowledge, experiences, and visions on the future of the floral sector, offering a special perspective on how SAF Miami 2024 marks its guidelines and goals for the coming years.
Alexandra Farms Won Seven Awards at SAF 2024
Alexandra Farms was delighted to win seven awards in the Society of American Florists' Outstanding Variety Competition, including the prestigious 'Best in Class'. In addition to their incredible collection of garden roses, their dahlias were also recognized. While talking to Joey Azout, President of Alexandra Farms, he was asked the following:
Q: What kind of content or activities would you like to see included in upcoming conventions to further strengthen the floral industry?
Joey:
"More florist profitability strategies such as marketing, cost management, advertising, and social media. Everything that allows a florist to survive and grow. Product education and different types of flowers, new and old: what is available, what is the best handling and care for each? For example, in Garden Roses: what are they? When it comes to design and installation education I would like to see in future editions for example 'How to make a design with Carnations that doesn't look like a supermarket bouquet', or 'How to use garden roses in installations'.
Additionally, more about education on software for florists. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using this or that software? And lastly, more about purchasing education. Is it better to buy directly? And what are the advantages and disadvantages?"
To learn more about each variety, read the article 'Seven Awards for Alexandra Farms at the SAF Outstanding Varieties Competition'.
Elite Flowers Shining Bright at the SAF Annual Convention
For this short talk, Pamela Duperly, Sales and Marketing Manager for the Elite Flower's wholesale channel was interviewed. She highlighted the company's participation in the SAF Annual Convention as a strategic experience.
Pamela:
"Every year, this event is key to connecting with the entire supply chain and continuing to innovate in a dynamic market. The convention also facilitated direct exchanges with customers and key industry players, allowing them to adjust strategies according to market demands. As members of the Growers Council, their collaboration with SAF reinforces The Elite Flower's commitment to the growth of the floral sector."
Deliflor Americas Bringing the Chrysanthemum Game to the SAF Event
Deliflor, once again, attended this year's event with great pleasure and joy. We interviewed Juan David Lecuona, Commercial and Marketing Director of Deliflor Americas, and here's what he had to say.
Q: What was your most memorable experience at this convention and what made it so special?
Juan:
"The most memorable experience of this convention is the quality of the connections that are formed. People are open to talking not only about topics in the floral industry but also about deeper issues, such as the friendship that has been cultivated over the past 20 years. For us, meeting again at this event is always one of the best experiences we can have."
Q: Which day of the convention was the most special for your team and what moment or activity do you consider to have been a significant experience for you?
Juan:
"The most special day was when we received the ribbons, of which nine were awarded in total, and our company received eight. Another highlight of the same day was one of the trend lectures given by designer Talmage Mc Laurin. In this lecture, he gave us a detailed overview of the new trends for the coming year, including colors, ambiances, and key aspects of floriculture."
Icon Selections Enjoyed a Delightful Visit to This Year's Event
Ana Maria Zapata, Commercial Director of Icon Selections was asked:
Q: Do you think that participation in the Best in Class and Best in Show Varieties competition influences innovation and the development of new floral varieties in the industry?
Ana:
"I think that winning in competition helps to promote and strengthen varieties. Of course, they must be varieties with a name and be commercial so that customers can obtain them in the market. But participating and winning makes your varieties visible. That is why the issue of them being commercial and having a name is so important because that way the market can remember them.
Q: What characteristics do you consider most important when deciding and selecting the floral varieties that you send as a breeder for the SAF competition?
Ana:
"We select innovative varieties in terms of colors and textures that generate value and differentiation for both bouquets and floral arrangements. If clients request them to be planted, we know that they will be competitive for their technical teams and thus generate good results on the farms and, of course, for the end customers."
Agrivaldani Won a Prize With Their Felicity Rose as 'Best in Class - Cut Rose'
As we interviewed girl bosses Daniela Lobato Jarrin and Valeria Lobato Jarrin of Agrivaldani, they were excited to share their experiences during the event.
Q: What day of the convention has been the most special for your team, and what moment or activity do you consider to have marked a significant experience for you?
Daniela:
"The day we got the most out of was Wednesday during the show, where we had the opportunity to interact with potential clients and share information about our farm. Among the most enriching activities were the talks, which were incredibly interesting and provided insights that we can apply in our daily work with our team and adapt to our strategies within the company.
The 'All Industry Session: Top Industry Trends and Challenges Roundtable' was such a special experience because we had a highly interactive session with people from the industry, but we each belonged to different parts of it. We had growers, breeders, florists, wholesalers, and logistics peers all in one place discussing important topics such as how to promote everyday flower use within Gen Zers. The insights shared were very eye-opening, and the ideas were all great."
Q: Do you think participating in the Varieties Best in Class and Best in Show competition influences innovation and the development of new floral varieties in the industry?
Daniela and Valeria:
"Winning the 'Best in Class - Cut Rose' category is an incredible achievement for us. We are constantly striving to improve our quality, which is why we are so proud that our work on the farm was reflected in the Outstanding Varieties Contest. It was our first year participating in SAF, so we decided to enter a classic variety like Rose Felicity in the cut rose competition because we knew it was a variety we grow with excellent quality, that has good market demand, great vase life, a spectacular color, and a unique bloom.
Definitely, this type of competition encourages us to focus as an industry on developing new products and also commits us as producers to always strive to improve our flowers."
Sunrite Farms Shares Their First Experience at SAF
Marcelo Carrera Sales Manager of Sunrite Farms was part of the interview segment of the SAF 2024. As his first time attending, he shared:
Q: What was your most memorable experience at this convention and what made it so special?
Marcelo:
"This was the first time that Sunrite Farms participated in the convention organized by SAF, and the experience was exceptional. We had the opportunity to connect and learn from various industry players, but what stood out was our participation in the 2024 Outstanding Varieties Contest. We presented three rose varieties: Dallas, Queen's Crown, and Unforgiven, and we are proud to have obtained second place (red ribbon) with Unforgiven and Queen's Crown. This achievement reflects the effort and dedication of our entire team at Sunrite Farms Ecuador. We are excited and motivated to continue competing and showing the best of our roses at future events."
Q: What do you hope to see or experience at upcoming conventions to continue strengthening your role in the floral industry?
Marcelo:
"At future conventions, we hope to continue strengthening our relationships with business partners and better understanding our end consumer. These events are key to exchanging valuable knowledge, learning about best practices, and facing common challenges. They allow us to structure action plans that foster joint growth in the industry. We also look forward to participating in Supplier Expo again to showcase our wide and diverse collection of roses, and thus continue to position the Sunrite brand in the global market, sharing our vision of quality and excellence."
If you missed this year's edition, make sure to attend the event in 2025. You really don't want to miss it.
