The #FlowerBoostChallenge crosses borders! The initiative to support floricultural growers started in The Netherlands and found its way to Belgium, UK and Canada.
Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, the prices for cut flowers and potted plants have decreased dramatically. This week many flowers and plants had to be destroyed. To turn the tables, the team with Van der Ende Group launched the #FlowerBoostChallenge. The hashtag comes with the challenge to buy flowers from a grower or a florist and hand them out to your employees, people working in healthcare or anybody who might deserve it these days. After being picked up rapidly by the Dutch industry, also many international companies have joined in to help the floricultural industry.
In Belgium, the team with Arvesta was surprised with flowers. They might not be too familiar in the horticultural industry, but their daughter company Hortiplan for sure is - yet they decided it would be way better if the whole company would be included in the initiative. That means over 1,900 employees were surprised with flowers!
Also the team with 2Grow has answered to their nomination and also gained some media attention by handing out 6,000 flowers to local hospitals.
Also in Canada the initiative is embraced. Yesterday, Prins Greenhouses donated tulips from Pioneer Flowers (www.pioneer-pff.com) to Niagara Health - St Catharines General Hospital (Niagara Health) for their front line staff during the COVID-19 outbreak. "The hashtag #FlowerBoostChallenge is a great initiative to help boost the floral industry during these difficult times, and put a smile on the faces of people receiving the flowers", they say and they keep the chain going by nominating another three companies.
International attention
Internationally the initiative was picked up as well - not just by German and British companies, but also by the international media - and we mean the one outside the horticultural industry. UK newspaper The Guardian published about the initiative.
Follow the initiative online and do not forget to post your own photos!