Trying to answer each question on the Promotion order

[Ocean Rose]

Ricky-Retail asks .....................I don’t know if this is a fair question or not but am sure many would like to know.

Harley states “Most industry organizations (FPO, AFIF, SAF, WF&FSA, Endowment, Asocoflores, and others ) have put up seed money to fund the investigation and that includes paying Charles for his time and expenses.”

My question is how much is Charles being paid, including expenses, for his services?
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Rickey, not sure that this is really really importaint in this process at this time. Charles is the "only" party in the group that has a salary that is coming from the seed money. We needed a person that worked full time on this, not one of us that could do it "when we could". All promotion orders, had this type of person that would work day in and day out on the process, with guidence from the orginal group and input from as many as companies as possible to help guide the action plan. Charles has been doing that. Calling on all types of companies from all the different paths that our flowers flow thru. Travel has taken Charles from the West Coast to the East Coast and many places in between.

The amount of money being spent by all of us (as we pay all of our own costs) far exceed the money that Charles is paid, as it should be.

I can guarantee that there is no "Fat Cat" salery here. It is a full time position, not a part time one. And less then 50K. We all have a lot at stake here, that is the promotion of our industry in a sea of compaines wanting the consumer to buy their products instead of flowers. Should we not at least try and see if something "fits" for the future of our children and our employees and the growth of our industry?

[Ocean Rose]

There have been a lot of thoughts on the subject of "if" our industry has the proper product to sell to the consumer. Will the dollars raised and spent only be wasited, if the consumer does not have a value experience.

Although there is plenty of room for improvement, as there always is in business to improve the process .... this never ends. But I can say from my eyes and the feelings of my "non-flower friends" the quality of flowers in the market place has really improved over the years.

As you know the "cool chain" is really a hot subject now within our industry. Transportation companies are taking a stand on this and even a few companies have taken a stand on the cool chain. Setting guide lines that the industry needs to follow. Care and Handling is also taking a front seat with many in the industry. As we have a pershable product we all need to keep the "heat on" (woops ... bad term, but keep the "cool on" does not sound right) our suppliers of product and transportation (and keep our own house in order) to supply the very best that they can.

The fact is that there are so many great flowers in the market place now, that poor flowers that use to have a home, no longer have a home.

New types of flowers with brilliant colors are attracting the consumer as the breeders bring to market new flowers.

Yes, I think the industry is ready for an increase in the purchase of flowers by the consumer.

[BOSS]

A big problem with this whole effort, while I think a *National Marketing Program* would be good for the industry....is:

Charles Kremp has ZERO credibility left with the traditional retail florists that know what he's really up to.

Taxation without representation....again....no thanks!

[nomas]

a little tip for ocean on quoting...
when you reply to a post there is a quote capability, you can pull what ever info you want from the quote but ya gotta stay within the quote range which starts with the posters name and then ends at the bottom with the word quote. Hope that makes sense and if some one else can explain better please do... it makes reading easier.

[Williee Harley Armellini]

Ocean Rose, F&C would like to thank you for adreessing the quesitons raised here. It takes lots of time to read and respond to these questions. At least you give us some idea about what is happening and saves me from trying to interview the known members of the project and report those thoughts.

[hopeful]

The last post by Ocean Rose was enough to bring me out of retirement.

I met with Charles Kremp at the Super Floral Show in June because he was trying to convince me to support his effort. I told him the same thing that I had been telling him since Promoflor -  that before we promote, we have to correct the flaws in the distribution system. THEN we can have confidence that promotion won't just create a lot of first and last time flower buyers. I told him that I was reserving my support until I saw what their position was on the cool chain and other proper handling procedures. At least this time he said that corrections did have to be made, but that care and handling could be part of the initiative.

What he meant by that was that money could be spent for RESEARCH on care and handling. Great!  More research that, as Willy said, isn't even being followed now!

We should all know by now, that what the money CAN'T be spent on is grades and standards, which is what we really need.

The last post by Ocean Rose is telling, because it is the same stuff I have heard before...over and over. At the post-Promoflor meeting chaired by Charles Kremp in 1996;
at the Seeley Conference in June, 2005; at our meeting last month; and now from Ocean Rose---Oh, sure (they said every time) flower quality could be better--and it will be. But it is better now than ever! 

Ocean Rose:
"The fact is that there are so many great flowers in the market place now, that poor flowers that use to have a home, no longer have a home."

Pure bunk!!!

Nothing has suddenly changed in the past six months when SAF's then president said that flowers entering the marketplace have never been more stressed out.

This initiative will suck all of the air out of the cool rooms!  Why would anyone invest in fixing the cool chain, when all of that money is being spent on promotion?

Ocean Rose's post has convinced me that I have to oppose this initiative.

[Rosita]

welcome back hopeful...

[amusedtodeath]

Charles Kremp has ZERO credibility left with the traditional retail florists that know what he's really up to.

I'm sorry amigo but that is most certainly not true.....

[dnelson]

What he meant by that was that money could be spent for RESEARCH on care and handling. Great!  More research that, as Willy said, isn't even being followed now!

We should all know by now, that what the money CAN'T be spent on is grades and standards, which is what we really need.

Hopeful,

How do you know that money cannot "be spent on ... grades and standards?"  I consider that applied research.  I also think it can be spent on improving cold chain and want to work with Dr. Staby and others on how to do that.