GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Valentine's Day can be the single busiest day of the year for flower shops. But while demand for flowers will be high in the next few days, the supply of flowers has been low.
Due to supply chain issues, local flower shop owners say this year they've experienced shortages of everything from vases to floral foam to the flowers themselves. They say they've had to prepare for months in advance to make sure they’re stocked up in time for Valentine's Day.
“We’re trying to be really strategic about what we’re ordering so we can still send out arrangements that look full and beautiful and amazing by the using the product that’s the best value essentially,” said Nichole Campbell, the owner of Petal Pusher in downtown Green Bay.
In addition, inflated shipping costs have caused local florists to increase the prices of certain flowers.
“I would say overall just with fresh flowers and vases we’re probably seeing about a 15 to 20 percent increase minimum just for what our overall wholesale cost is for them," said Kyle Hogarty, the owner of Flowerama of Green Bay and Appleton. "We’re trying to make it so that we’re still making money but at the same time it’s not a huge sticker shock when it comes to what they’re coming in and purchasing.”
This year, the prices of some of the most popular flowers for Valentine's Day might be higher than in years past. Campbell estimates the price of roses has risen about 50%. While a single stem of roses might normally cost $3 to $6, this year it might cost anywhere from $5 to $10.
“A lot of roses that are obviously sold in Wisconsin right now, we're not growing them in Wisconsin so they have to come from South America," Campbell said. "So the cost of shipping them obviously is a little bit more than what we're used to in years past”
That's why this Valentine's Day, shop owners recommend ordering your flowers as early as possible and being flexible with your orders.
“All florists will tell you they greatly appreciate any orders we can get in advance, with that you’ll also be guaranteed a little bit more as far as the type of flowers you’re getting, colors, that kind of stuff,” Hogarty said.
“We want everything to look phenomenal that goes out the door," Campbell said. "So the more creative freedom you can give your designer, the better.”
