The United Flower Growers Cooperative Association, operating the largest Dutch auction in North America and celebrating their 60th anniversary in 2023, will be holding their last auction in their large viewing gallery on December 15th. And this day will be celebrated with a short ceremony with a few speakers (including the Provincial Minister of Agriculture) and a presentation of the new gallery in the old cafeteria.
In this gallery, the last auction day will be held on December 15th. (More pictures below)
Located in the Metro Vancouver area of British Columbia, Canada, UFG supplies BC floral products direct from their 80 growers to floral retailers and wholesalers as far south as California and as far east as Manitoba. Over the last decades, they have grown significantly. The gallery where the auctions are taking place seats 520 people and has been operating since 1998. Before that, they had a smaller galley seating up to 375 people.
So why stop auctioning in this gallery? "Since COVID, most of our customers have been purchasing the auction products from home (online), and the gallery has remained practically empty for over two years. Now that the restrictions in our Province have been lifted, only about 12 buyers have returned for in-house purchasing", says Michel Benoit, CEO of United Flower Growers.
As a result, they have transformed their old cafeteria into a new location for in-house buying and will remove the stadium-style seating in the current auction location and use the space to accommodate their growing business needs.
So, on December 15th, the last auction in the gallery will take place, and it is becoming a special day, with the opportunity to plug in, purchase in the gallery, and say hello to the growers and buyers. A short ceremony with a few speakers, including the Provincial Minister of Agriculture, a UFG grower, and a customer, will follow the auction. Afterwards, one can stay, reminisce, and socialize with friends, and one can see the new gallery equipped with four clocks, message boards, and images.
Eager to attend? Please send an email to Michel Benoit before December 4th.
For more inform
ation
United Flower Growers
Michel Benoit
Email: MBenoit@UFGCA.com
https://www.ufgca.com/