Imagine 64 football fields of thriving orchids — millions creating a colorful kaleidoscope.
Matsui Nursery, headquartered near Salinas, Calif., sells more than 3 million orchids annually, making it one of the world’s larger potted orchid growers.
In California, their greenhouses in production encompass 70 acres, about 2.8 million square feet.
The nursery’s founder, Andy Matsui, 84, pioneered the nation’s first orchid grocery retail program in 1998.
“Our scale was so large it was impractical to sell to individuals or flower shops,” said Teresa Matsui, 59, Andy’s daughter and company president. “We had to find large outlets for our products.”
While the retail program was a sound business decision, it was also a way for Andy to fulfill a personal aesthetic vision of literally making the world a more beautiful place.
