“This 30-year journey as a Walmart supplier has constantly evolved, making Falcon Farms a better company,” said Juan Carlos Alvarez, vice president of sales and marketing at Falcon Farms.
Established in 1987, Falcon Farms now operates 11 farms across Colombia and Ecuador, featuring greenhouses that cover nearly 656 football fields and employing 7,000 people. The collaboration with Walmart ensures that customers throughout the United States have access to high-quality, stunning floral stems. What distinguishes this supplier relationship is Falcon Farms' commitment to fostering and empowering local communities alongside its business endeavors.
“Our wonderful industry has taught us over the years that the beauty of a flower bouquet lies in the diversity of its components,” Alvarez said. “Likewise, we have understood that the beauty of a society lies in the diversity of its people.”
It’s this view that drives inclusivity at Falcon Farms. The company created programs, positions and strategies that provide employment opportunities to populations who face difficulties in accessing jobs, like the deaf and hearing impaired, those with cognitive disabilities, populations affected by armed conflicts and more. It also develops professional growth programs for these individuals within the company.
In assessing the needs of local communities, Falcon Farms has also implemented a flexible scheduling system for single mothers, allowing a greater balance between work and childcare responsibilities. In fact, 60 percent of women employees at Falcon Farms are designated as heads of household. Intensive university internship programs also motivate and prepare the next generation for the workforce.
“All our job positions are accessible and designed so that people of all kinds can work with us,” Alvarez said.
For Falcon Farms, community support also extends to the environment. The company understands the impact the company has not just on the people employed, but also the land being worked on. Some initiatives include a solar panel network at farms level, rainwater collection system, use of bio-controllers and compost, wildlife protection and others.
And Falcon Farms’ efforts expand beyond the land. All disposable plastic from its greenhouses is converted into beams and structural components for the greenhouses, and created floral consolidation centers just for Walmart, placing them closer to general distribution centers to save millions of miles and gas.
The floral packaging at Falcon Farms is crafted from recycled materials. Specifically, Walmart's floral arrangements now feature sleeves made from 90 percent post-consumer recycled plastic, significantly reducing plastic usage equivalent to 18 million bottles annually. Falcon Farms is actively involved in Project Gigaton, achieving its target of mitigating one gigaton of greenhouse gas emissions well ahead of schedule earlier this year.
