The flower shortage of 2021 is an unprecedented event in our industry. There is a lot to know about the shortage and we are sure that you, like many, have questions. There are a few factors at play that led to this unprecedented flower shortage.
First, one of the contributing factors to the flower shortage is that fewer plantings occurred in 2020 due to the pandemic. Flower farms destroyed tons of flowers since many of them shut down for quarantine. A lot of other farms laid off workers or shut down completely. Since there were fewer flower farms open and many were operating at a diminished capacity, fewer flowers were planted and harvested for upcoming seasons. That, plus the increased demand, is what is resulting in this severe shortage.
As demand began to surge once people began planning events again, many flower farms even had trouble finding workers. They struggled to have the appropriate staff to bundle flowers and load them into trucks properly, which meant they were left to die in the heat.
Less than ideal weather has hurt the floral industry too. Growing conditions in South America, where most U.S. flowers are sourced from, have been difficult. Colder nights and an influx of rain negatively affected the harvest of healthy flowers.
Since there are so many weddings happening this year and next, there is a huge demand for flowers. Demand for flowers is so high that buyers are not even able to ask for specific flowers or flowers in colors of their choosing. Instead, florists can request merely a general color palette. White flowers are particularly hard to come by.
How florists can work around the shortage
As florists, this flower shortage causes quite a challenge. Thankfully, there are a range of different ways to work around this shortage to ensure happy clients and shop success.
The first way to work around this challenge is to set customer expectations correctly. When you are working with clients on their wedding flowers, educate them on the shortage.
Another way to work around the current flower shortage is to encourage clients to book services with you early, especially for weddings. Even further than that, have a clear idea of what they want their wedding flowers to be early in the process. This will help you to ensure you have adequate time to either source the flowers you need to make their vision come to life or to work with them on changing things out as needed.
Read the complete article at www.floranext.com.