Millennials
"Millennials is not an age group, but it is a mindset. They prefer to spend their free time differently and need everything quickly", says Anna Chernyavsky, Director of Sales at Danziger. Creating plant combinations takes time investment and on top of that one needs to have knowledge of the products. Chernyavsky compares it with baking. “It’s a precise science. You need to know what you are doing. If you combine the wrong ingredients in the wrong sequence, your baked goods will be a disaster. The same counts for plant combinations. Habit, timing and similar behavior are crucial. Many Millennials lack the patience or confidence in their knowledge of plants and by offering pre-made combinations, a grower can not only reach, but also meet the needs of this group by offering something truly unique."
Danziger's Mixis® presented at the California Spring Trials.
Mixis®
By supplying plant combinations, growers can easily differentiate themselves from the competition. And in order to enable the growers to mix varieties, increasingly more breeders offer plants that can be easily mixed with other varieties and/or offer pre-made combinations. Danziger offers both. The pre-made combination line is called Mixi’s® and consists of several varieties that were tested repeatedly to ensure uniform habits, same timing and consistent behavior during the production process. Freestyle mixes are also very common. A grower can build his/her own program, save it in our ordering system and even give it a name in the system for future transactions.
Littletunia presented at the California Spring Trials.
Littletunia
The Littletunia is a petunia variety that hasn’t reached its full potential in the USA. According to Chernyavsky it is an excellent variety that fits well in all kinds of mixes and is a good alternative to calibrachoa, a variety that can be sensitive to higher pH. "It blossoms in perfect harmony, does not dominate in a combination, flowers from early spring to autumn and has hit weather resistance. It can be considered as one of the easiest mixes possible for the grower as it blends together very well and requires less treatment during production than most calibrachoa and petunia varieties."
The Littletunia is currently being re-introduced, as it hasn’t yet been discovered by consumers. According to Chernyavsky, the main reason is that it is not presented in the most flattering way at Point of Sale. "Many present the Littletunia in quarts. In this way, the vigorous habit of the plant and the abundance of flowers is not shown. They should present them in larger containers or baskets. Then, I am convinced that the consumer will respond."
Worldwide popularity of mixes
Not only in the USA, but also in Europe mixes are very popular. "Volume-wise, we supply as much mixes in the USA as in Europe. The color preferences, however, differ per market. In the USA, people are fond of strong colors. Red, white and blue for example are very popular. In Europe, the softer pastel colors are more in demand."
For more information
Danziger
Anna Chernyavsky
Email: anna.chernyavsky@danziger.co.il
www.danziger.co.il