Little Packets Of Flower Food Can Cause Big Opinions Among Florists

Gina B Kellogg

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Sep 30, 2011
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Overland Park
www.hottcornflakes.com
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Little Packets of Flower Food Can Cause Big Opinions Among Florists

Flower food apparently is a topic about which some florists can get very—um, how shall I put this… impassioned, perhaps?

I learned this fact after writing an article awhile back for the FlowerChat newsletter and then posting a link to the article around the web. (See “Give (Generously of Flower Food Packets) and Ye Shall Receive.”) In most of the online groups where people took the time to comment, the conversation centered on agreement that giving extra packets of flower food was very beneficial toward improving consumers’ flower-buying experience.

But in one online conversation, the comments were just the opposite.

The first person to respond was the owner of a floral shop in North Carolina. She wrote:


“It’s a matter of cost. When your walk-in special on a dozen roses is 20 percent less than you need to sell them for (but you do it to maintain a steady rotation of the freshest roses and to bring customers in), and you wrap them in floral tissue, then a bow, then a powder packet, then they pay with a credit card, you just have to stop the leaking somewhere….”

A North Carolina florist followed up with similar thoughts:

“I have to agree that customers should be given ONE packet of floral food with their purchase. However, on the other side of the coin, they are not FREE by any means, so they are a cost of doing business. I would not give multiple packets, as I would hope that when new flowers are needed, they will return to my shop and get them from ME and NOT the grocery store variety. It is one of the little ‘perks’ that you get for buying from a real florist, just like the tissue wrap, floral paper, bow, cardette and enclosure card that they DON’T provide at the grocery store. These things make buying flowers from my store AN EXPERIENCE. And they are one to each and every customer!”

The conversation started to get a bit heated at this point. A few folks were a bit incensed that I—not being a professional florist—was trying to give advice on topics with which I had no real-life experience. I did try to explain that I relied on interviews with floral-industry experts in forming my opinions and that all of my efforts were in support of the floral industry, though I’m not sure I entirely calmed the ire of those I had annoyed. But amidst the indignation, several other florists commented that one reason they don’t give out flower preservative is because they don’t see the powder as being beneficial.

Specifically, a florist in Kansas wrote:

“Trials we have done ourselves at the shop and while I was in college suggest that floral food packets are not the best option, but rather it would be best if consumers simply trim stems and use fresh tap (Yes, TAP) water every other day. The chemicals added to tap water prevent unwanted bacterial growth for the most part, and fresh water does the rest.
“What we have found with most floral foods is that the average consumer doesn't dissolve them fully, nor is the carbohydrate provided in the flower food QUITE the right form of sugar, so it tends to clog the ends of the floral stems more than it helps them.
“Consequently, we have spent 7+ years educating our customers to throw their floral food packets away, trim stems every other day and fill up with tap water. Our customers report longer vase life than they have ever experienced from any other florist, and we save on the added expense of purchasing floral preservatives.”

A Pennsylvania florist said she had done a similar experiment in the “Care and Handling” class in her floral-design program and experienced similar results, depending on the flower variety.

“But,” she added, “that was a while back, and I'd like to think that the floral preservatives/foods are much better now. But that prompts me to re-do this experiment again, since it's been so long.”

I was surprised that these individuals’ flower-food experiments didn’t result the same as others I’ve seen published by experts in the industry. Research by industry luminaries—such as Dr. George Staby, Perishables Research Institute; Dr. Michael S. Reid, Environmental Horticultural Department, University of California-Davis; and Dr. Terril Nell, Environmental Horticulture Department, University of Florida—have proven time and again that commercially prepared flower food beats plain tap water or home-made remedies any day of the week.

In fact, in the Society of American Florists Flower & Plant Care guide, authors Drs. Nell and Reid write, “When used properly, fresh flower food solutions usually increase flower life by 25 to 75 percent or more” (page 28).

On the next page, they recommend “every fresh flower stem, bouquet, bunch and arrangement should include a packet or two of fresh-flower food solution packets for the buyer. If the five-gram or similar size is used, add two packets per sale to make sure a full quart of properly mixed fresh-flower food solution will be available.”

If you’re not convinced that these experts’ recommendations are accurate, you can always perform your own tests. Here, you can find detailed instructions from Floralife on how to accurately set up an experiment in your shop. (Another option for this info: Set up tests to show your customers how flower food impacts vase life.)

If your results match those of industry researchers, consider running a few additional tests comparing different brands of flower-food solution. Drs. Nell and Reid suggest that brands’ impact on vase life can differ due to variances in water quality from one shop to the next. Therefore, they provide tips in the SAF Flower & Plant Care Guide (page 28) on how to accurately perform tests to choose the right solution for your shop.


So what’s your opinion on the importance of flower food? Do you give out the packets? Do you give out extra packets? Or do focus instead on educating customers on changing water and trimming stems regularly? Add your comments to the discussion below.
 
To the florists "complaining" about the COST. You cannot afford to NOT give packets generously! If the vase life of a customers flowers do not last, they will have reduced buying confidence AND purchase fresh flowers less. Not too mention, they will assume that your product is inferior to other florists.
 
While training in Europe, the designers would make fun of American florists and their little packs of flower food. I agree that perhaps there is some value if used exactly the way they are tested in laboratories; however, 99.9% of the US consumers will simply dump a packet in the vase with or without removing the flowers first and end up mucking up the stems no matter what you write in the care instructions. We've never used them in the 12 years we have been in business in the US and no one complains. Fresh, clean water and frequently cut stems is what we recommend.
 
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I think the more important issue is a CLEAN VASE. I am continually amazed that when you ask a customers about washing out their vases after use - So many say NO! they just dump out the pond scum water and put it away in the closet. I always try and educate that a good washing after use will extend your flower life. Dirty vases are like dirty drinking glasses.
 
I am continuously amazed at how individuals in our industry will shoot themselves in the foot with short term thinking. The reality is that flowers are our stock and trade and we are judged by the consumer on our product and service.
“It’s a matter of cost. When your walk-in special on a dozen roses is 20 percent less than you need to sell them for (but you do it to maintain a steady rotation of the freshest roses and to bring customers in), and you wrap them in floral tissue, then a bow, then a powder packet, then they pay with a credit card, you just have to stop the leaking somewhere….”

So lets address the "matter of cost",
Flower food - $0.05, Tissue - $0.05, Bow - $0.20 = Total $0.30
Now I have no idea what this individual normally sells roses for, but for the sake of argument lets say $30.00 (with a cost of $10.00 based on a 3x1 MU), remove the 20% they refer to and we have a selling price of $24.00 with a cost of $10.00 leaving a gross profit of $14.00, less the $0.30 for extras, netting $13.70. I have intentionally left out credit card clearing as it is a cost of doing business, like labour, utilities, rent, etc. and these all come out of the $13.70

So someone please explain to me how another nickel changes their life? Or better yet, let me.
The reality of flower food is that it is formulated based on a certain set of criteria, one of them being the proportionals of the eventual solution.Generally 1 dozen roses require a vase that holds somewhere between half a liter and a full liter of water. So providing a customer with one package of flower food designed for a half liter of water is simply not adequate. In the ideal situation their vase holds exactly a half liter of water and all is fine, except this allows no room for addition of water as it evaporates and is used by the flowers themselves. Flower food contains a number of ingredients among them , food (sucrose), and an agent designed to prevent the growth of bacteria. Using too little flower food is as bad as using none at all, because it allows for the growth of bacteria. So here we have someone that has lowered their price to compete with the supermarkets and big boxes, and yet instead of taking the opportunity to impress the customer they short change them for the sake of a nickel?

The bottom line is that as flower retailers we MUST do everything within our power to ensure that the consumer views us as their first choice when purchasing flowers, we will never compete with the supermarkets and big boxes on price alone, but we can beat them with service and product knowledge. Let the mass marketers short change the consumer on flower food to save a nickel, based on their volume it probably makes sense to their bean counters. However, for the average flower shop that is using 15 -25 flower food sachets a day it amounts to a small investment in the future of their business. Again, I don't know anything about the individual that wrote the comment I quoted, but they use their "walk-in special" as the basis for their comment, so what do they sell, 5 a day? this would amount to an additional $0.25 a day. Sorry to be harsh, but if a quarter a day is going to break them, maybe they are better off shutting their doors and not doing our industry any further damage
 
Youch! on reading further I discovered this gem
“Trials we have done ourselves at the shop and while I was in college suggest that floral food packets are not the best option, but rather it would be best if consumers simply trim stems and use fresh tap (Yes, TAP) water every other day. The chemicals added to tap water prevent unwanted bacterial growth for the most part, and fresh water does the rest.
“What we have found with most floral foods is that the average consumer doesn't dissolve them fully, nor is the carbohydrate provided in the flower food QUITE the right form of sugar, so it tends to clog the ends of the floral stems more than it helps them.
“Consequently, we have spent 7+ years educating our customers to throw their floral food packets away, trim stems every other day and fill up with tap water. Our customers report longer vase life than they have ever experienced from any other florist, and we save on the added expense of purchasing floral preservatives.”

Now we have florists that have made the leap to researchers and are publishing their findings as fact.

Here's a fact , the "chemical" added to tap tap water to inhibit bacteria growth is Chlorine, one of the concerns with chlorine as a water treatment agent is its volatile nature which causes it to disappear too quickly from the water system. For those of you who own swimming pools or hot tubs you know how fast chlorine dissipates. The bacteria agents in flower food are designed to hang around for the longer term, but even so need to be replaced with the addition of more flower food. Suggesting that the chlorine in tap water is adequate to deter bacteria growth in a vase of flowers is akin to suggesting that simply rinsing your flower shop buckets with tap water is adequate. Based on this train of thought maybe we can all join the family dog and start taking our drinking water straight from the toilet bowl, after all, the "chemicals added to tap water prevent unwanted bacterial growth for the most part".

Secondly, on the issue of flower food. The above comment suggests that there is no need to provide flowers with any form of nourishment after they are cut. Again this statement goes against every bit of scientific research ever performed on the subject. Proper post harvest care starts at the farm level and follows through right to the consumer. Anytime a step is missed throughout the process it results in shorter flower longevity.

Last but not least, the statement that the "carbohydrate provided in the flower food QUITE the right form of sugar, so it tends to clog the ends of the floral stems more than it helps them", shows a clear lack of understanding on the part of the writer as to the workings of a commercial flower food.Typically, the sediment that one sees at the bottom of a vase are flower food agents specifically designed to draw out certain salts, dirt, and debris which then settle rather than being drawn up the flower stem. This is a good thing, not a bad thing and something that should be explained to the consumer as part of the process of educating them regarding proper post harvest care and handling. Product care and handling knowledge is one of the services that a local "mom and pop" flower shop can provide that gives them a leg up over the supermarkets and in the long term will build a level of confidence amongst their customer base that paying the lowest price is not always the best bargain.

On a last note, it is unfortunate that in our struggling industry we have individuals that throw all solid research out the window and for the sake of pennies short changes their customers, these "flat earthers" should stick to selling flowers and leave the research and development of flower care products to those that are qualified to do so. Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if the next suggestion to avoid the cost of flower food is to use Seven -Up.
 
God bless you all! While I didn't go into the detail that Doug did (which is AMAZING in his clear explanations), I did try to suggest that the little amount of money invested in providing the flower packets (or extra flower packets) was worth it for the longer vase life and better flower-buying experience the consumer would receive. The people who responded negatively basically told me I didn't know what I was talking about, not being a florist myself, and that I was insulting them by trying to tell them how to run their businesses.

I fully admit that you all have the real, hands-on knowledge I don't have. But my heart is truly devoted to helping florists become more successful. I may not be a florist, but I truly understand, recognize and value what you do. So all of my efforts toward writing articles for both florists and consumers are aimed at that goal: helping people recognize the great benefits flowers bring to everyone's lives.

It is so reassuring to me to know that those few florists I encounter with these negative opinions are in the minority! Again, thanks for all piping up with your thoughts! They reaffirm for me that I was promoting the cause with the proper information! THANKS!!!
 
Gina,
I find it ironic that individuals that suggest using tap water for post harvest care, or the need to provide second class service to a customer for the sake of saving a nickel would suggest that anyone else is not adequately informed. However after 30 some odd years in the flower Industry why would anything surprise me. The bottom line is that as a whole our industry is poorly educated about the very product and services we sell. In today's flower market the two competitive advantages that the "mom and pop" flower shop can develop and offer are service and product knowledge, unfortunately all too often both are lacking.

Yes, I know that every retailer will tell you they have outstanding service, but think about it as a consumer for a moment. How often have you been disappointed with the retail service you received? Do you believe that the retailers that disappointed you would suggest that their customer service is not outstanding?

So here as an industry we run around trying to save a nickel on a $40.00 sale and in doing so ensure that our product does not provide the maximum possible longevity and enjoyment possible.to the end user. Would any of these florists take their car for an oil change to a mechanic who used a half quart less oil than the manufacturer recommended just so that he could save a dollar on the cost of performing the oil change?
 
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While training in Europe, the designers would make fun of American florists and their little packs of flower food. I agree that perhaps there is some value if used exactly the way they are tested in laboratories; however, 99.9% of the US consumers will simply dump a packet in the vase with or without removing the flowers first and end up mucking up the stems no matter what you write in the care instructions. We've never used them in the 12 years we have been in business in the US and no one complains. Fresh, clean water and frequently cut stems is what we recommend.

Funny statement considering the largest developer and manufacturer in the world of flower post harvest care products is Chrysal. who coincedently happens to be head quartered in Europe.

Again, another opinion with no scientific backing and that in fact goes against every bit of research performed on the subject. I will rest my case once one of these flower food naysayers produces a single scientific study that states that that proper post harvest care has no positive effects on flower longevity.

There, the challenge has been issued, as they say, put your money where your mouth is.
 
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For those of you who would like more information on the proper consumer care and handling of flowers ( and the reasons for it) here is a link to an informative page>
http://www.growerdirect.com/cut-flower-care

Have fun!
 
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One of my driver's daughers needed to do a science fair project so I had her test roses in several different flower foods (including rose food, bulb food, and general purpose food) across several different brands and some home remedies. The commercial foods were many days longer, nearly a week longer even the bulb food! Hello if even a 3rd grader can get it why can't professionals? I have two shops and both previous owners never gave out food, I have never understood why they wouldn't.
 
One of my driver's daughers needed to do a science fair project so I had her test roses in several different flower foods (including rose food, bulb food, and general purpose food) across several different brands and some home remedies. The commercial foods were many days longer, nearly a week longer even the bulb food! Hello if even a 3rd grader can get it why can't professionals? I have two shops and both previous owners never gave out food, I have never understood why they wouldn't.

I'm with you on this one. I believe the reason for not providing adequate flower food (or any!) is due many times to an individuals short sightedness. Save a nickel today without considering the long term impact on your business. When I was in the wholesale side of things it always stunned me how many times I heard florists commenting on how they used their old flowers for funerals as they only "had to last a day". Often I heard this comment because they were asking for a discount on "old flowers", unfortunately we were never in the business of intentionally selling aged product. Imagine, one of the most emotionally distraught days of an individuals life and some retailers see nothing wrong delivering substandard product at top dollar? When you look at it that way it is not a pretty picture, is it? Yet its done all the time.

As I said in my first comment on this post it never ceases to amaze me how as an industry we continuously shoot ourselves in the foot. Don't even get me started on substitutions on wire orders! that's a topic for another day
 
We had a Care and Handling class in our State training. The gentleman who taught it was Bill McKinley (sorry that may be off a letter or two). He is co-auther of several floral design books and is head of a horticulture program at a major Illinois University. He taught us all about flower food, the ingredients, and the importance. We have customers time and time again tell us they can tell the difference if they forget to add it. And how much longer the flowers live with it in the vase.

I brought this up on Facebook after reading an online article about it and was pretty much laughed out of the room for believing in flower food. Sprite and Bleach were the main things I was told would make the flowers last longer.... so I agree 100% with Doug. The lack of education makes my head hurt. Anyone who is properly trained will know the facts.

I also agree that most customers will probably not follow the directions. But I don't see the harm in giving it to all, and those that do follow the directions will reap the rewards. Those that don't may actually think, "hey I should have used that stuff she gave me".

I believe that educating the consumer and showing them that you are more than just someone who plays with flowers is always a good thing. We tell everyone how to use the food. We even recommend filling an empty water bottle with the food and tap water then adding it to the vase as needed. This way the food is portioned correctly for use.
 
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Little Packets of Flower Food Can Cause Big Opinions Among Florists

Flower food apparently is a topic about which some florists can get very—um, how shall I put this… impassioned, perhaps?

I learned this fact after writing an article awhile back for the FlowerChat newsletter and then posting a link to the article around the web. (See “Give (Generously of Flower Food Packets) and Ye Shall Receive.”) In most of the online groups where people took the time to comment, the conversation centered on agreement that giving extra packets of flower food was very beneficial toward improving consumers’ flower-buying experience.

But in one online conversation, the comments were just the opposite.

The first person to respond was the owner of a floral shop in North Carolina. She wrote:


“It’s a matter of cost. When your walk-in special on a dozen roses is 20 percent less than you need to sell them for (but you do it to maintain a steady rotation of the freshest roses and to bring customers in), and you wrap them in floral tissue, then a bow, then a powder packet, then they pay with a credit card, you just have to stop the leaking somewhere….”

A North Carolina florist followed up with similar thoughts:

“I have to agree that customers should be given ONE packet of floral food with their purchase. However, on the other side of the coin, they are not FREE by any means, so they are a cost of doing business. I would not give multiple packets, as I would hope that when new flowers are needed, they will return to my shop and get them from ME and NOT the grocery store variety. It is one of the little ‘perks’ that you get for buying from a real florist, just like the tissue wrap, floral paper, bow, cardette and enclosure card that they DON’T provide at the grocery store. These things make buying flowers from my store AN EXPERIENCE. And they are one to each and every customer!”

The conversation started to get a bit heated at this point. A few folks were a bit incensed that I—not being a professional florist—was trying to give advice on topics with which I had no real-life experience. I did try to explain that I relied on interviews with floral-industry experts in forming my opinions and that all of my efforts were in support of the floral industry, though I’m not sure I entirely calmed the ire of those I had annoyed. But amidst the indignation, several other florists commented that one reason they don’t give out flower preservative is because they don’t see the powder as being beneficial.

Specifically, a florist in Kansas wrote:

“Trials we have done ourselves at the shop and while I was in college suggest that floral food packets are not the best option, but rather it would be best if consumers simply trim stems and use fresh tap (Yes, TAP) water every other day. The chemicals added to tap water prevent unwanted bacterial growth for the most part, and fresh water does the rest.
“What we have found with most floral foods is that the average consumer doesn't dissolve them fully, nor is the carbohydrate provided in the flower food QUITE the right form of sugar, so it tends to clog the ends of the floral stems more than it helps them.
“Consequently, we have spent 7+ years educating our customers to throw their floral food packets away, trim stems every other day and fill up with tap water. Our customers report longer vase life than they have ever experienced from any other florist, and we save on the added expense of purchasing floral preservatives.”

A Pennsylvania florist said she had done a similar experiment in the “Care and Handling” class in her floral-design program and experienced similar results, depending on the flower variety.

“But,” she added, “that was a while back, and I'd like to think that the floral preservatives/foods are much better now. But that prompts me to re-do this experiment again, since it's been so long.”

I was surprised that these individuals’ flower-food experiments didn’t result the same as others I’ve seen published by experts in the industry. Research by industry luminaries—such as Dr. George Staby, Perishables Research Institute; Dr. Michael S. Reid, Environmental Horticultural Department, University of California-Davis; and Dr. Terril Nell, Environmental Horticulture Department, University of Florida—have proven time and again that commercially prepared flower food beats plain tap water or home-made remedies any day of the week.

In fact, in the Society of American Florists Flower & Plant Care guide, authors Drs. Nell and Reid write, “When used properly, fresh flower food solutions usually increase flower life by 25 to 75 percent or more” (page 28).

On the next page, they recommend “every fresh flower stem, bouquet, bunch and arrangement should include a packet or two of fresh-flower food solution packets for the buyer. If the five-gram or similar size is used, add two packets per sale to make sure a full quart of properly mixed fresh-flower food solution will be available.”

If you’re not convinced that these experts’ recommendations are accurate, you can always perform your own tests. Here, you can find detailed instructions from Floralife on how to accurately set up an experiment in your shop. (Another option for this info: Set up tests to show your customers how flower food impacts vase life.)

If your results match those of industry researchers, consider running a few additional tests comparing different brands of flower-food solution. Drs. Nell and Reid suggest that brands’ impact on vase life can differ due to variances in water quality from one shop to the next. Therefore, they provide tips in the SAF Flower & Plant Care Guide (page 28) on how to accurately perform tests to choose the right solution for your shop.


So what’s your opinion on the importance of flower food? Do you give out the packets? Do you give out extra packets? Or do focus instead on educating customers on changing water and trimming stems regularly? Add your comments to the discussion below.
 
I cannot afford the time- literally my time is too valuable- to reply to such a stupid (unproductive) discussion as this one. My time literally costs more than the flower food. Florists who do not remain responsive to what their customers want will quickly fall by the wayside in an economy where consumer spending is on the decline. How much does it really cost you in marketing to gain a new customer? You wont spend the extra 20 cents to throw in MORE than one flower preservative to keep the customer that you already have? Some of these florists have forgotten why we chose this career: to make people happy. Customers are happy when they are provided a product that not only is what they expected, but exceeds their expectations. These same florists who want to save the cents probably don't put a business card In the arrangements that they send out, and that's just fine with me, because their customer will call me next time. And the ones worried about their customer going to the grocery store next time obviously don't have a business plan to appeal to a market share by providing an excellent degree of customer service and quality product that is not found at the grocery- again, i'll be glad to take their customers. There was an excellent episode of chef ramsey where two partners- one was concerned with the bottom line, the other was handling customer service and each was good at what they did. Being is business is a balancing act of the needs of both sides. If your profit margin depends on 20 cents or 4 dollars per each sale, you aren't recognizing the true value of the service that you provide as a florist. And yes I said service. The florists who have endured years of recession have some sage advice for the rest of you: we did not watch the bottom line on the financial reports. We recognized that we do not sell stems of flowers. We sell a personal service that makes two customers happy with every sale, a customer and a recipient. You don't go get a haircut because you need one. Anyone can take clippers to their own hair. You go for the personal experience of being treated like someone special. One buys flowers to 1. feel special about themselves and 2. make someone else feel special. If any of this is news to you, then come work for me; because you are not acting as an owner of a flower shop, but an employee in charge of accounting. My shop will never sacrifice being responsive to customers buying trends in favor of a little extra expense. In fact, myself and the other shops standing in my town, all market heavily on providing MORE than a customer expects. I call each and every customer whenever possible to check and make sure every detail of their purchase experience was as much as much to buy flowers as to receive them. I just gave away my business secrets, so I hope that it helps someone who really had any hesitation in believing that we should give out extra flower packets. We all suffer when less than professional florists decrease the public opinion of us as a whole- especially in a time when we are all fighting to hold our small patch our dirt against the big bullies selling online...
 
I would be interested to know how many florists who are overly concerned about the additional cost of an extra packet of flower food will still be in business a decade from now?

The reality is that this is the kind of thinking that is killing our industry. We can not compete with the mass marketers on price and maintain a healthy margin, yet we continuously look for ways to provide the consumer with less and charge more. The mantra of the independent flower shop should be "Quality, Customer Service, and Product Knowledge". There are literally thousands of examples of small businesses who have carved themselves a niche by simply adhering to these three areas.

As consumers we all know why we shop at certain retailers and what makes them special and worthy of our loyalty. Yet as retailers too many flower shops fail to provide their own customers with the very same treatment that they themselves expect at the retail level.

Shaving a nickel off the cost of a sale will not grow your business, it may stall your demise, but even that is questionable.Either you are in business to succeed by surpassing your competition, or your just passing time.

This is a great industry and one that I have devoted most of my working life to, however it saddens me that we have so many individuals that are hastening its demise.We all too often speak of educating the consumer, unfortunately that is difficult to do when so many in our own industry require education. Often we have a case of the blind leading the blind.

What's the answer?
I wish I knew, but the one thing I do know it doesn't lie in saving a nickel on a package of flower food and in turn short changing the customer.

On a last note, I see that none of "flat earthers" have yet produced any scientific data to prove their case about not using flower food. I wonder when that will be forth coming.....
 
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Doug: My guess is that there are few "flat earthers" among FlowerChat's members. :) The conversation where I encountered those naive florists wasn't on FlowerChat--it was among florists in another online group--florists who won't invest the nominal fee to be a member of FlowerChat just like they won't invest the pennies spent by giving out flower-food packets. Your messages are sound and smart to anyone on FlowerChat. If only more folks had the common sense to join this community to learn from your (and other FlowerChatters') wise advice!
 
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I will preface this by saying that I do give out packets and I do see the value in doing so. (although I apparently need to give out more with each sale than I have been) But my only concern is the statement by someone that using too little is as bad as not using any. That worries me a bit since like others I have customers who ignore ALL instructions given and most likely do not read the instructions on the packs. I still keep trying to educate and will continue to give the food because I know it's good customer service and what happens after they leave my store is beyond my control.( like the guy who sticks flowers in the trunk on a freezing cold day...I have been known to run out and stop that if I see it happening!)
 
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