PHOENIX — Local florists have a message for you ahead of this Valentine’s Day: don’t procrastinate on those bouquets for your sweetheart.
From supply chain struggles to staffing issues, the pandemic is making the flower industry especially challenging right now, as is the case with so many other industries too.
It could mean you might not get the exact flowers you want in that bouquet, higher price tags, and even delays if you don’t order soon.
Every part of your bouquet is affected by the struggles from the pandemic.
Crops were lost in 2020 at the start of the pandemic when the world shut down, so there aren’t as many options still two years later as farmers rebound those crops.
Event the vase your bouquet might come in is limited supply due to shipping and supply chain delays.
Some florists are also having trouble getting enough delivery drivers to drop off your order at your loved one’s door.
Flower Bar owner and lead designer Megan Carollo tells ABC15 that despite the challenges her Scottsdale shop is facing right now, they’re doing their best to deliver on quality this Valentine’s Day.
“We’re all doing our best to, like, source the best flowers we can find, get the best product we can get,” Carollo said. “We're all in this together, like, trying to make this work, and so a little bit of patience goes a really long way.”
Carollo says your best bet is to put those orders in as soon as you can to give your florist as much time as possible to figure out logistics and put together a beautiful bouquet.
Meanwhile, Cactus Flower owner Eric Luoma says his shop has had to make accommodations to handle staffing issues and keep up with this season.
“We've kind of tightened up our selection a little bit as well to make it easier for us to fulfill because if you need delivery drivers to deliver the product, we also need designers and salespeople to help the customers out and that's another one of those challenges,” Luoma said.
A survey by the National Retail Federation estimates consumers will spend a collective $24 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, with candy, greeting cards, and flowers remaining as the most popular gifts.
