July is American Grown Flowers Month as destine by Congress . But it ’s also one of the slow months of the twelvemonth for flower sales . That is , until a remedy was put into place last year .
In 2018 , most 1,200 retail location participated in the first - ever American Grown Flowers Month Merchandising Contest , further homegrown flowers in their stores with display , signage , customer packaging and all sort of other modern hoopla .
The middling sales increment in the month of July for the top five fund from each participating society was more than 17.5 percent . Overall , participating stores describe an average step-up in sales of 6.7 percent .
Diana Westcott , regional floral purchaser for Whole Foods Market for the Mid - Atlantic section , had nine stores in her area participate in last year ’s competition . Thanks to the winner of the promotion , she ’s bright that number will increase this year .
The Whole Foods ’ Allentown , PA store make beautiful signage that invited client to celebrate American Grown Flowers Month with a purchase of homegrown flower and putting surface .
And she ’s already making design .
She ’s focusing on Certified American Grown Flowers in all her communication theory to stores as they design for July . She ’s serve storage with particular messaging that calls out product in their storage display that are Certified American Grown . And she ’s further participation – and the related displays and promotional sweat – in this yr ’s contest .
The Philadelphia Whole Foods store announce American Grown Flowers Month by station their ask for airman front and center .
That nudge start last yr when contest winner were exhibit their awards in front of all stores in her realm .
“ We did see a rhytidectomy in almost all storehouse that participated , ” Westcott say . And while the increased sales share varied from week to week , one democratic high - traffic participating store saw cut-rate sale that were 85 percentage high than the premature year for the week of July 22 .
Whole Foods Philadelphia , one of last year ’s American Grown Flowers Month Contest winners , displays homegrown blossom making certain customer know where the flower are grown .
For retailers considering take part in the 2019 competition , Westcott say the key is letting guest eff which blooms are spring up in the USA . “ The most important matter is that call out , ” she say .
As to the contest being a solvent to slow sales event ? “ It dead serve with the summer slack , ” Westcott says .
For more information : americangrownflowers.org / julycontest
