As the leaves change color and the air gets cooler, it’s time for florists to prepare for the always-exciting fall season. Rio Roses explores five ways to prepare flower businesses so they can reap the rewards of a busy autumn.

1. Use Data to Plan for Fall

Real Local Florists Inc., through the efforts of Harold M. Hoogasian, have donated $20,000 to the American Floral Endowment to support and bolster future educational efforts. This significant contribution creates a lasting legacy for the Real Local Florists.

Giant Eagle Inc. announced a 20 percent average price reduction on more than 200 produce items across its Giant Eagle and Market District locations, offering customers an estimated $25 million in annual savings. Its New Low Price initiative will include many of the most popular items in the produce department as Giant Eagle aims to provide affordable access to high-quality fresh food in the face of continued high grocery costs across the neighborhoods it serves.

Family Tree Farms announced the creation of the Jack & Sun brand under its parent company, PayBack Provisions Inc. The Jackson family of Kingsburg, CA, owners of Family Tree Farms, along industry veterans Matt Fuller, Willem Meyer and Amanda Goers formed PayBack to collaborate on creating healthy and delicious snacks from the fruit grown by Family Tree Farms and other world-class farmers.

The Organic Grower Summit will offer an impressive lineup of key exhibitors for its 2024 trade show Dec 4-5 in Monterey, CA. The event is set to showcase the latest advancements in sustainable agriculture, including groundbreaking technologies in artificial intelligence, robotics and eco-friendly farming practices. Organic growers and industry producers will have a chance to explore solutions that will shape the future of agriculture.

Ocean Mist Farms, a leading grower/shipper of fresh artichokes in North America, took part in the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay For Life event last weekend in Salinas, CA. In less than 50 days since joining the cause, Ocean Mist Farms climbed to fifth place in charitable rankings out of 77 participating teams.