Undoubtedly spray roses are bold, colorful, and versatile. Their graceful presence inspires to create, dream, and spread the joy of flowers. World of Spray Roses recently came calling and I answered the call, I mean why not, this is a dream come true for me!
For the love of flowers, anything that creates targeted awareness, and promotion, and contributes to a worthy cause, was a unique opportunity, one that I am proud to be part of. I am inviting you on a journey where we will immerse ourselves and soak in the passion and art of growing from passionate Kenyan spray rose growers under the Word of Spray Roses umbrella. Karen Roses kicked off this amazing campaign, this was such an insightful visit and I was blown away by their quality, expertise, and commitment to consistently improving the art of growing and positioning their spray roses in the market.
Karen Roses, Three Decades in the Making
Karen Roses is an umbrella brand comprised of two farms; Karen and Karen Roses-Ravine. This family-owned farm, started more than thirty years ago, in Nairobi, Kenya but later expanded to Rift Valley in Baringo County. The expansion was purposely to acquire enough pieces of land and also access to optimal growing conditions available throughout the year near the equator region.
Their venture into spray rose growing started mainly with varieties from the breeder, Interplant Roses, a decision their farm manager mentions set them up for success for such a product line. Adequate production, consistent quality, ease of transport, vase life, and diversity are some of the qualities they attributed to spray roses from the breeder.
The grower uses a direct market selling approach for all of its products. Their main markets are; the Middle East, Russia, and new and emerging markets such as Australia, Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland just to name a few. I had a chat with Julius Rutto, who is the manager in charge of roses at Karen.
I wanted to understand how they manage to consistently produce good quality spray roses and their experiences with both the World of Spray Roses and Interplant Roses in general.
"We are consistently balancing our flush per crop/variety to ensure that there is a stable supply of flowers. This concept prevents heavy flush which can trigger pests and diseases and eventually impact the quality of our spray roses."
The Endless Possibilities of Spray Roses
World of Spray Roses is a unique collection of passionate spray roses growers, brought together to showcase the endless possibilities of spray roses. This is made possible first with the breeding, selection, and introduction of cutting-edge spray rose varieties, which Interplant Roses excels in. Their experiences are passed along to growers of their varieties, who in return grow and produce exceptional quality year-round.
The World of Spray Roses is a marketing umbrella that acknowledges breeding and growing as the first two crucial steps to creating unforgettable experiences with these beauties. Karen Roses as a farm appreciated the initiative and my visit was much welcomed.
Julius Rutto noted that;
"Their approach to showcasing the beauty and diversity that exists within the spray rose product line, creates awareness of how significant spray roses are in the market. In return, these efforts have positively impacted the demand and perception of spray roses. This approach is fully appreciated."
The positive culture among the staff, supervisors, and everyone I interacted with at Karen Roses, exemplified their dedication and love for growing spray roses. It emphasized the need to have fun and enjoy what you do, that's how incredible results are realized. The marketing strategy implemented by the World of Spray Roses serves as a motivation the every stakeholder within the supply chain. When they think of roses, spray roses should be at the top of their mind.
You Can Be Part of This Too!
As a self-trained floral designer, en route to mastering this craft, the experience with the World of Spray Roses inspires me too! From Karen Roses's visit, I came home with a few bunches and I managed to design some intriguing pieces. This is what happens when you when you are around spray roses. You can dream, to culminate positivity and to imagine a world with endless possibilities. I want the same for you and together we can spread the magic of spray roses to every part of the world.
One farm to go, nine more remaining, and you can be part of this journey too! Together we can spread the joy and benefits of flowers. To show your support, follow me on my socials, and engage with the content I will be bringing to you from every farm visit. That's not all, share the same with your community, that's how you make a difference. Follow me on Instagram (Queen of Flowers Kenya) and LinkedIn (Rosemary Kimunya) and you will not miss a thing.
Keep it here, for October's farm visit highlight to follow soon.
