Supermarket sunflowers prove popular and irresistible
Supermarket sunflowers prove popular and irresistible
“Who doesn’t love sunflowers?” asked Alice Grazziani, director of floral at Gelson’s in Commerce, CA. “As a kid, I remember always drawing sunflowers with a big smiley face in the center. I personally associate a sunflower with a happy flower.”
Grazziani said that sunflowers can add texture to any floral arrangement and when sunflowers are mass-merchandised attractively they will welcome impulse sales throughout the day.
“Our sunflower displays and our sunflower sales speak volumes,” said Grazziani. “They are simply irresistible and, most of all, make people smile.”
Bradley Gaines, director of floral at United Supermarkets/Market Street in Lubbock, TX, agreed with Grazziani.
“Sunflowers are an important part of our business,” Gaines said. “Not like roses, but most everybody uses them in market bunches and consumer bunches, which are our top category. One of our everyday market bunches is a three-stem sunflower bunch.”
Gaines pointed out that although sunflowers are sold year-round, they are considered a late summer and autumn flower. He added that the most popular varieties are the ones with big yellow petals and black centers. United Supermarkets sells some other varieties, like the ones with red petals and the Teddy Bears, but Gaines says nothing sells as well as the big yellows.
Liane Mast, marketing and floral director at Stater Bros. Markets in San Bernadino, CA, told The Produce News that the same thing holds true in Southern California and sunflowers have become a staple in its floral departments.
“Sunflowers are very important to our floral program,” said Mast. “We have customers who purchase the five-stem sunflower bunches weekly. Depending on demographics, we carry the grower bunches, sunflower arrangements and even potted sunflowers; we also include sunflowers in our mixed bouquets.”
Mast sees sunflower sales trending upward at Stater Bros. Markets as it continues to expand the flower’s uses in arrangements and bouquet designs.
“We love offering our customers new varieties and dyed sunflowers as well,” Mast said. “But the most popular is still the old fashioned large yellow flower with dark brown-black centers.”
Stater Bros. Markets doesn’t limit itself to fresh-cut and potted sunflowers.
“With fall approaching, we have a beautiful offering of silk sunflowers and botanicals that lend themselves very well to the season,” said Mast. “We have 167 stores so the amount of sunflowers we sell is phenomenal.”
