Last week , from September 6 - 9 , the Society of American Florists ' 138th annual rule accept berth . A total of 473 floral pro from 42 states and five state assemble in Phoenix for three twenty-four hour period of education , networking , and rival . And regarding this latter , Amistad won the Best in Show at the SAF ’s Outstanding Varieties Competition , and CalFlowers advance SAF ’s Marketer of the Year Award .
' Amistad ' - Best in Show at SAF ’s Outstanding Varieties Competition’Amistad , ' a sparkle pink double Oriental lily presented bySun Valley Floral Farms , won over judge with its soft coloring , elegance , and grandeur to acquire the Society of American Florists ' Outstanding Varieties Competition , carry in concurrence with the organization ’s 138th annual convention in Phoenix .
The Best in Show profits astonished Sun Valley ’s chair and CEO , Lane DeVries , who had n’t enter the competition in several years and had put a considerable amount of time and effort behind another entering — a variety of ilex he bred . “We are very happy with our best in the show , " he say of the lily , which Sun Valley has grown for two years . " These just came out of regular production in the greenhouse . We did n’t plan for it , we just cull it out of the nursery and go for it . "
Judges were impressed with the hard , tall root bearing four to six thinly fragrant and pollenless flush . One judge described the lily as " elegant and classic , " a efflorescence that could be used for everyday arrangements as well as hymeneals and funeral work .
' Amistad ' was among 249 first appearance from 28 company entered in the 2023 Outstanding Varieties Competition .
justice scored each entering base on color and commercial solicitation , stem and foliation , bloom form and size , and overall presentation . The judge panel , which include three retailers , three growers , and three jobber , evaluated specific categories of flowers , and the highest - scored entry of each won " Best in Class . " From this elite chemical group , judges chose their good in Show winner .
Below is a roundup of the Best in Class recipients :
Retail :
Wholesale :
Grower :
CalFlowers - SAF ’s Marketer of the Year Award
A national selling safari that advance flowers as ego - care and invest the merchandising assets to the diligence to practice at a local level is the success of the Society of American Florists ' 2023 Marketer of the Year award .
" This is not a CalFlowers profits . This is a win for everyone in the blossom industry , " said Steve Dionne , AAF , executive theater director of CalFlowers . " We hope that this increased visibility promote more industriousness stakeholders to participate in and contribute to theThat Flower Feelingbrand . "
The cornerstone of the political campaign is a video recording that feature a woman ’s hilarious attempts at ego - upkeep . In the close , she pick up the simplicity and genial health benefits of bribe efflorescence . That television and other marketing asset — which are available for flowered businesses to apply for free — appeared on social medium and streaming services . CalFlowers approximate that by the end of the year , the crusade will have reached 120 million people .
The panel of judges included five floral marketers and one outside marketing expert .
One justice , Jessica Kegerreis , senior selling and originative handler at Syndicate Sales , described the crusade as " a groundbreaking campaign for our industry " because of its " creative thinking , mass adoption , and viral reach . "
Another judge praised the campaign for how it leverage the opportunity for vulnerability in response to the Miley Cyrus ' song , " flower , " in which she croon , " I can buy myself flowers . " The That Flower Feeling Foundation , established in 2022 to collect funds for next campaign , send Cyrus a custom - made vase of her hand and rented billboards and billboard trucks around Los Angeles , give thanks Cyrus for on the side push the campaign ’s message in her song .
" The originality of this effort is undoubtedly a win factor , " said Sahid Nahim of Above All Flowers and New Blooms Solutions , a floral merchandising agency . He total that the spin - off effort targeting Cyrus " showcases remarkable creativity . "
For more information : SAFsafnow.org
