Millions of dollars worth of New Zealand flowers are being traded using a virtual auction platform which has seen a surge in buyer usage since lockdown.
The digital platform is being credited with supporting the resilience of the local flower industry - providing continuity during raised alert levels and helping connect growers and retailers when attendance at physical marketplaces was not possible.
The locally designed online auction took more than three years to build and beta test - and now allows retail buyers to enter an auction remotely, review and purchase their flowers through live streaming cameras - a first for the New Zealand market.