Flower Power

Non-organic flowers are grown with a variety of fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, nematocides, and plant-growth regulators. Nearly 70 percent of all flowers sold in the U.S. are imported, and the federal government requires that flowers arrive at our borders pest-free. Trade laws thus encourage the use of strong chemicals that can negatively affect the environment.

I was a chef-in-training at a very young age and took an interest in where the ingredients came from, how they were grown, and what nutritional value they offered. This led me to start a business supplying top restaurants and hotels with natural gourmet ingredients.

The next business venture was to market organic produce. I met several organic growers and was highly impressed with the organic method and was personally moved by their commitment to grow crops in a responsible manner, and they needed help in marketing. The name of that company was Made in Nature and was the first to successfully introduce a line of organic produce under a brand to mass-market retailers. In 1994, I sold Made in Nature to Dole. Once Dole embraced the organic concept, most other major agribusinesses started some level of organic production.

Five years ago, I started a quest to find or develop sources for organically grown flowers. It is the goal of Organic Bouquet to lead the floral trade to a day when all flowers grown and sold are produced in a socially responsible and sustainable manner. I'm proud to say that Veriflora, the organic certification standard Organic Bouquet initiated, is now in the process of becoming a national standard for the fresh-cut flower trade.

I am also very happy to see that after five years of development, Organic Bouquet is now gaining traction at a fast clip. We are making an impact on a global scale, and that is quite satisfying.