Organic Bouquet Signals A New Era In Horticulture

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Organic Bouquet Signals A New Era In Horticulture

CALIFORNIA, NOVATO, Jan. 24 -/E-Wire/-- Organic Bouquet, Inc., America's first branded organic floral company, introduced its initial crop of organic tulips to the natural products market this week.

The premiere 300,000-stem crop of organic tulips, available from mid-January through the second week in May, is valued at approximately $420,000 with a retail price point of $6.99 for a 5-stem bunch. The bulbs were bio-dynamically grown in Holland and shipped to California to be organically grown in a greenhouse by Sun Valley Floral, the largest fresh-cut flower grower in the United States, headquartered in Arcata, California.

Why organic flowers? "Organic flowers address the core purpose of organic production: to enrich the earth," according to Organic Bouquet's co-founder and CEO Gerald Prolman. "The market introduction of organic flowers is important because it is safer for farm workers and is good for the environment. In addition, this will encourage new growers to go organic, thereby reducing toxic chemical usage in the world. Until now horticulture, a critical area of farm production, has been completely overlooked. Organic Bouquet's market debut signals a new era in horticulture."

Prolman further stated "Organic flowers will help natural product retailers communicate their core values of social and environmental responsibility and provide a strong point of differentiation from mass-market retailers who are now competing in the organic arena."

Prolman is a pioneer in the organic foods industry with 23 years of experience building and selling branded food companies in the natural products sector. Prolman was the former president and co-founder of Made In Nature, the first company to successfully introduce a line of branded organic produce to supermarkets in the US. Prolman sold Made In Nature to Dole Food Company Inc. in 1994.

Organic Bouquet's co-founder and president Dave Smith estimates the potential market for organic floral products to exceed $150 million by 2006. "Organic floral is the natural product industry's newest category, competing in the $230 billion LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) market."

Smith further stated, "The Company will establish its core business principally as a wholesale provider, and build a direct-to-consumer business through its mail order catalog and website www.OrganicBouquet.com. The Company will offer seasonal organic flowers and a wide selection of vases exclusively hand-crafted for Organic Bouquet by artisans from around the world."

Dave Smith is no newcomer to the mail order and Internet business. Smith, co-founder and former president of Smith & Hawken, a $100 million garden catalog and retail company, has over 30 years of business development experience in this sector.

Organic Bouquet has solved critical supply, distribution, and merchandising issues that have previously inhibited the market introduction of organic floral products. Several of the largest fresh-cut flower growers and nurseries in the US. have initiated organic production to be exclusively marketed under the Organic Bouquet brand.

Distribution to retailers has been organized nationwide through a network of established organic produce distributors. The Company secured an exclusive license to a new technology that will naturally enhance the vase time of the fresh-cut flowers, as well as allow the bouquets to travel on produce trucks without risk of contamination by ethylene emissions from the fruits and vegetables.

This spring Organic Bouquet plans to introduce over 100 specialty varieties in an effort to present a European country look. "We plan to include a fragrant variety in most of the bouquets and be able to offer them at competitive price points," said Prolman.

According to Lane DeVries, CEO of Sun Valley (an early investor in Organic Bouquet, key grower, and member of the Company's board of directors), "Progressive fresh-cut flower growers and nurseries today are seeking alternatives to traditional agri-business methods due to a number of converging factors, including a major oversupply situation of common varieties, continuous cancellation of agri-chemicals, rising labor costs, increasing energy costs, stiff competition from Colombia and Ecuador and constant price pressure from retailers. With environmental awareness ever increasing, all these factors add up to compelling reasons why growers are welcoming this new market opportunity."

Todd Koons, CEO of Epic Roots (also an early investor in the Company and member of the Organic Bouquet board of directors), stated that "The market entry for organic flowers is timely, as trade and consumer awareness has increased with the development of the USDA organic standards. Recent articles in numerous publications are drawing increasing consumer attention to the harmful effects of toxic pesticides used to grow flowers and their negative impact on farm workers and the environment."

For more information about Organic Bouquet, Inc., please contact CEO Gerald Prolman at [REDACTED-PHONE].

Website: www.OrganicBouquet.com

Toll Free #: 1-[REDACTED-PHONE]

Write in for catalog: Organic Bouquet, Inc. - 250 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Ste. G4 - Novato, CA 94949

Organic Bouquet, Inc.

http://www.OrganicBouquet.com

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