If they have a more minimalistic theme with muted colors, you may want a white flower like an orchid or Peace Lily anthurium. If they have a variety of colors and eccentric designs, you can go all out with a anthurium which come in red, green, pink or variegated colors.
About two hours outside Mexico City, in Tenancingo, 67-year-old Lucio Alva Pastrana shows off his small parcel of marigolds, or cempasúchil as they’re called in Mexico. The bright orange buds peek out from the tangled green foliage.
“All this,” he says as he gestures to the plot of flowers, “it’s worthless.”
Pastrana is one of the thousands of flower farmers in Mexico who have seen their market contract — or vanish entirely — due to the pandemic. Typically, Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, which is celebrated over the first two days of November, is one of the most profitable times of the year. Many families buy dozens of flowers — marigolds in particular — to build altars at the graves of their deceased loved ones.
But in October, news broke that many cemeteries in Mexico would be closed to the public; COVID-19 cases are on the rise again and officials want to avoid large gatherings.
The news was particularly bitter for farmers like Pastrana in the southern state of Mexico, a region often referred to as the floriculture corridor that provides two-thirds of Mexico’s flower production. Come harvest time, the hillsides are a patchwork of fluorescent crops, grown mainly by small, informal producers like Pastrana. Here, entire towns make a living off growing and selling flowers and families rely on the modest income to survive.
“The pandemic has affected the entire sector. ... We, the farmers who grow flowers, have been very affected because who are we going to sell to?”
“The pandemic has affected the entire sector,” Pastrana said. “We, the farmers who grow flowers, have been very affected because who are we going to sell to?”
Globally, the pandemic has not been kind to flower producers. In March, an estimated 400 million flowers were destroyed in the Netherlands in an effort to stabilize plummeting prices. In Colombia, the world’s second-largest producer, a report from the US Department of Agriculture found exports were effectively cut off due to the country’s strict lockdown measures.
Mexico may not be a major flower producer on the international market, but the effects on the domestic industry have been tragic. On Mother’s Day, many thousands of flowers were left to rot in the fields as marketplaces were shut down across the country. Farmers planted again in August, hoping that by fall, pandemic conditions would improve, but nonessential activity is still limited in most of the country.
Unable to recoup the cost of seed and fertilizer, farmers like Pastrana are slipping further into debt.
Pastrana says the price for marigolds this year is so low — between $2 to $4 per bundle, according to one estimate — that he’ll try and use his flowers to barter with his neighbors for other goods. Other farmers have taken to Facebook to try to sell their crops — and some are even giving them away.
About 90% of Mexico's floriculture is consumed domestically and demand coincides with several key holidays. Javier Jesús Ramírez Fernández, a professor of social sciences at the National Autonomous University, has been studying the flower industry in Mexico for the last several years. He says he wouldn’t be surprised if as much as 80% of flower sales are lost this November, and the consequences could be long-term.
“[In the next 10 years], we may see the fields of flowers convert into fields of avocado trees since it’s more competitive at the moment."
“[In the next 10 years], we may see the fields of flowers convert into fields of avocado trees since it’s more competitive at the moment,” he said.
Apart from around 200 large companies in the region, some of which export flowers to the US, Remirez says this corridor is home to as many as 12,000 small farmers who have no financial safety net. He expects some will have no choice but to migrate to the cities for work, while others switch to more lucrative crops.
Further down the corridor, Francisco walks by row after row of pink roses inside a giant white greenhouse. The World is only using his first name because Francisco’s success as a flower grower has made him a target of organized crime. Francisco has built his business from the ground up and now exports to the US, but at the moment he’s using credit to keep production going. He’s betting on better sales for Dec. 12, when Mexico celebrates the Day of the Virgin and roses feature prominently in the celebrations.
“I like to say that sometimes, [in this industry], you have to live for illusions."
“I like to say that sometimes, [in this industry], you have to live for illusions,” he said.
As one of the larger producers in the area, Francisco says the drop in sales brings an added pressure; he’s responsible for about 60 employees who need their jobs to support their families.
“We’ve had to reduce the work schedule to half days or remove a few hours. So far, we’ve avoided having to let anyone go,” he said.
Flowers are not edible, so Mexico’s government does not consider it an essential agricultural commodity. Therefore, it’s very unlikely that anyone in the industry — from the individual farmer all the way up to the large exporter — will receive any direct government assistance. That’s concerning, considering that plummeting flower sales have rippled through the economy, all the way to Mexico City.
At the Mercado de Jamaica, one of the main points of sale for flowers in the country, many vendors agree that this year sales are particularly slow because families are preparing smaller altars at home.
In his white face mask and glasses, flower seller Antonio Ruiz stands next to a mound of marigolds that were harvested yesterday and arrived at his stall this afternoon. He says the fresher they are, the stronger their aroma — a sweet and spicy scent said to guild spirits to their altar.
As shoppers pass by, Ruiz tries to entice them into buying a bundle but few take the bait. Like many flower vendors, Ruiz was counting on this season to recoup the losses he suffered on Mother’s Day when this market was closed during the citywide lockdown. Now, he’s priced marigolds at a discount in the hope that he can sell enough to break even. He says business this year is complicated.
“We’re not going to see the tradition that we usually would have of families coming to the market together to pick out their flowers [for the altar]."
“We’re not going to see the tradition that we usually would have of families coming to the market together to pick out their flowers [for the altar],” he said.
For Mexico, the irony is that in a year of so much loss, many are unable to celebrate those who have died. Ruiz, who lost his father to COVID-19, says this time of year is supposed to be healing and nostalgic.
“But we can’t even visit [our dead] in the easiest and closest way that we know how — when they're 3 meters underground,” he said.
You are solely responsible for your comments and by using TribLive.com you agree to our Terms of Service.
We moderate comments. Our goal is to provide substantive commentary for a general readership. By screening submissions, we provide a space where readers can share intelligent and informed commentary that enhances the quality of our news and information.
While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. Because of the volume of reader comments, we cannot review individual moderation decisions with readers.
We value thoughtful comments representing a range of views that make their point quickly and politely. We make an effort to protect discussions from repeated comments either by the same reader or different readers
We follow the same standards for taste as the daily newspaper. A few things we won't tolerate: personal attacks, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes), commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, proselytizing and SHOUTING. Don't include URLs to Web sites.
We do not edit comments. They are either approved or deleted. We reserve the right to edit a comment that is quoted or excerpted in an article. In this case, we may fix spelling and punctuation.
We welcome strong opinions and criticism of our work, but we don't want comments to become bogged down with discussions of our policies and we will moderate accordingly.
We appreciate it when readers and people quoted in articles or blog posts point out errors of fact or emphasis and will investigate all assertions. But these suggestions should be sent via e-mail. To avoid distracting other readers, we won't publish comments that suggest a correction. Instead, corrections will be made in a blog post or in an article.
flower.indah.link Businessman Dariusz Chornicki (L) bought all the flowers being sold outside the cemetery in the town of Łuków, and gave them away to passersby. Lukow24/Facebook
With Poland’s cemeteries closed on All Saints’ Day this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, people around the country came forward to help flower sellers in a gesture of solidarity.
Every year, on 1 November, Poles mark All Saints’ Day by visiting cemeteries to light candles and lay flowers on the graves of their ancestors.
This year, to help contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the government decided to close cemeteries over All Saints’ Day weekend, from 31 October to 2 November.
In Kraków, some people still went to cemetery gates to buy flowers and candles from the sellers there, as a way of helping them financially.Lukow24/Facebook
This left flower sellers – who usually sell chrysanthemums for the 1 November holiday, which people lay on their relatives’ graves – in a tricky position.
However, people stepped in to help, with initiatives across the country.
In Warsaw, city authorities launched an initiative called “Kup pan chryzantemę”, which translates as “buy a chrysanthemum, sir”, urging people to buy flowers from flower sellers who had prepared for All Saint’s Day.
One flower grower put out her flowers – bunches of yellow chrysanthemums – on 31 October with a sign saying “for free” but most people insisted on paying.Agata Wu/Facebook
Flower sellers were allowed to sell their goods in six designated popular locations around the city for free.
In Kraków, some people still went to cemetery gates to buy flowers and candles from the sellers there, as a way of helping them financially.
Other examples of people’s readiness to help include the story of a flower grower who put out her flowers – bunches of yellow chrysanthemums – on 31 October with a sign saying “for free” (with an optional donation to charity).
All of them went with most people insisting on paying for them.
In Warsaw, city authorities launched the buy a chrysanthemum” (Kup pan chryzantemę) initiative urging people to buy flowers from flower sellers who had prepared for All Saint’s Day.Paweł Supernak/PAP
Perhaps the grandest gesture was made by a businessman who bought all the flowers being sold outside the cemetery in the town of Łuków, in eastern Poland. He then gave them away to passersby.
Kind-hearted Dariusz Chornicki, who is the CEO of courier company EPAKA said: “I bought all the flowers in a gesture of solidarity and willingness to help people who lost their source of income, especially since my courier sector benefited from the pandemic.”
November 02, 2020 at 09:37PM
https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/flower-power-kind-hearted-poles-come-to-aid-of-flower-sellers-hit-by-all-saints-lockdown-17261
Flower power! Kind-hearted Poles come to aid of flower sellers hit by All Saints' lockdown - The First News
The coworking space Caddo Office Reimagined is scheduled to open in fall 2021. (Rendering courtesy Caddo Office Reimagined)
Caddo Office Reimagined is under construction at 2201 Spinks Road, Flower Mound.
Once complete, the coworking space will offer more than 160 private office suites as well as conference rooms, unique shared spaces and kitchen amenities for members.
“Our neighborhood location will provide a comfortable and professional work environment close to home, allowing members to get their work done and be home in time for dinner,” marketing consultant Jaclyn Amend said in an email.
The private office suites are enclosed with lockable doors and are offered with a 60-day cancellation, no-term lease, according to Amend.
“We partner with our communities to provide this ideal combination of convenience, flexibility, safety and security—while keeping costs low and terms fair and transparent—so that members can focus on their business and the things that are most important to them,” she said.
Caddo Office Reimagined caters to small businesses and entrepreneurs who are looking for a convenient, professional and safe office.
“The flexibility offered through our no-term lease structure with 60-day cancellation gives business owners the ability to increase and decrease their space easily as their needs fluctuate,” Amend said.
According to Amend, Flower Mound was an attractive location in which to build for a variety of reasons.
“There are a high percentage of professionals in Flower Mound, which makes the neighborhood a great fit for this flexible office concept,” she said. “The close proximity of this particular piece of land to the Lakeside community and all the amenities offered there, such as restaurants, shops and entertainment, made it even more appealing to us. Lastly, the ease of access to transportation, including highways and the airport, make it a great location for a Caddo Office Reimagined building.”
Hardhat tours are expected to be available by April, and the offices are planned to be open by fall 2021.
November 02, 2020 at 06:00PM
https://communityimpact.com/dallas-fort-worth/lewisville-flower-mound-highland-village/business/2020/11/02/caddo-office-reimagined-builds-new-coworking-space-in-flower-mound/
Caddo Office Reimagined builds new coworking space in Flower Mound - Community Impact Newspaper
Fire & Flower to Acquire Leading Ontario Cannabis Retailer Friendly Stranger Holdings Corp.
The Acquisition Will Increase Fire & Flower’s Issued and In-Queue Ontario Store Count to up to 27 – Solidifying a Clear National Leadership Position
TORONTO, Nov. 2, 2020 /CNW/ – Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. (TSX: FAF) (OTCQX: FFLWF) (“FFHC”) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Fire & Flower Inc. (collectively, “Fire & Flower” or the “Company”) today announced that it has entered into a definitive share purchase agreement (the “Share Purchase Agreement”) that will result in the Company acquiring all of the issued and outstanding shares of Friendly Stranger Holdings Corp. (“Friendly Stranger”), which, at closing, is expected to own and operate 11 licensed cannabis retail stores across the province of Ontario with 4 additional cannabis stores in queue to be licensed and operational by the end of the fourth quarter of 2020 (the “Transaction”).
Upon closing, Fire & Flower is expected to have 66 stores including 18 in Ontario and an additional 9 stores in queue for licensing, giving the Company the largest footprint in both Ontario and Canada.
Pursuant and subject to the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, as consideration the Company will issue to the shareholders of Friendly Stranger up to an aggregate of 31,117,750 common shares of FFHC (the “Consideration Shares”).
The acquisition of Friendly Stranger is transformative for Fire & Flower and is a product of our financially disciplined approach to aggregation in the sector. It will immediately put us in a leading position in the major Ontario market, and it allows us to increase the potential of the acquired stores using the proprietary capabilities of our Hifyre™ digital retail and analytics platform.
Trevor Fencott, Chief Executive Officer of Fire & Flower
The acquisition will bring some of Ontario’s longest established Cannabis brands into the Fire & Flower portfolio, transforming us into a multi-banner operator that appeals to a larger cross-section of cannabis customers. We are also excited to add Friendly Stranger’s demonstrated expertise in the high-margin accessories business to our team.
“We look forward to continuing to welcome Friendly Stranger customers into these stores and to our Spark Perks™ customer engagement program that already counts more than 150,000 members across the country.”
Friendly Stranger is very pleased to be joining Fire & Flower, the leader in cannabis retail across the country. Friendly Stranger will benefit from the best practices set by the market leader including their technology-enabled approach and the scale brought from their operations.
James Jesty, President of Friendly Stranger
Through multiple brands in the Ontario market, Fire & Flower will benefit from the ability to serve diverse customer segments in the growing cannabis market.
Upon closing of the Transaction, it is expected that the Company will acquire licenses to operate 11 cannabis retail stores currently operating in the province of Ontario under the “Friendly Stranger”, “Hotbox” and “Happy Dayz” brand, including four in the key urban market of Toronto. The stores will continue to operate under the Friendly Stranger, HotBox and Happy Dayz brands.
Pursuant to the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, an aggregate of 8,339,557 Consideration Shares will be held in escrow following closing and will, subject to certain conditions, be issued to the former shareholders of Friendly Stranger upon receipt of all applicable authorizations at additional cannabis retail store locations in each of Dundas, Midland and Cambridge, Ontario.
Closing of the Transaction is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions, including the receipt of all required third-party and regulatory approvals (including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, as applicable). The Transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Concurrently with the entering into of the Share Purchase Agreement, the Company entered into a loan agreement with Friendly Stranger (the “Loan Agreement”). Pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement, Friendly Stranger may borrow from the Company up to an aggregate of $2,000,000 (the “Loan”), such amount to be used for the purchase of certain licensed cannabis retail stores operating in the province of Ontario and as contemplated in the Share Purchase Agreement. Subject to the terms of the Loan Agreement, the Loan matures on the earlier of March 31, 2021 and the date there is a change of control of Friendly Stranger (which will occur upon the completion of the Transaction). The Loan is secured against the assets of Friendly Stranger and bears interest at a rate of 1.0% per annum, which rate will be increased to 13.0% per annum in the event the Share Purchase Agreement is terminated prior to the closing of the Transaction.
Advisors
Stifel GMP is acting as financial advisor to Fire & Flower and Dentons Canada LLP is acting as its legal advisor. Broderick Capital is acting as financial advisor to Friendly Stranger and Chitiz Pathak LLP is acting as legal advisor.
About Fire & Flower
Fire & Flower is a leading purpose-built, independent adult-use cannabis retailer poised to capture significant Canadian market share. The Company guides consumers through the complex world of cannabis through education-focused, best-in-class retailing while the HifyreTM digital platform and SparkTM program connect cannabis consumers with the latest cannabis products and deliver cutting edge insights into evolving consumer behaviours. The Company’s leadership team combines extensive experience in the cannabis industry with strong capabilities in retail operations.
Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. owns all issued and outstanding shares in Fire & Flower Inc., a licensed cannabis retailer that owns cannabis retail store licences in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario and the Yukon territory.
Through its strategic investment with Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the Company has set its sights on the global expansion as new cannabis markets emerge.
A long-standing retail champion of cannabis culture and iconic brand, Friendly Stranger Holdings Corp. is dedicated to ongoing long-term contribution within the Canadian cannabis market through the launch of numerous retail locations across the country. With strategic investments, such as acquiring the other iconic cannabis culture brand Happy Dayz, FSHC has built a portfolio of brands that resonate with cannabis consumers.
For fact-based information on Fire & Flower, view the company’s sponsored Investor Dashboard.
Get ahead of the crowd by signing up for 420 Investor, the largest & most comprehensive premium subscription service for cannabis traders and investors since 2013.
Published by NCV Newswire
The NCV Newswire by New Cannabis Ventures aims to curate high quality content and information about leading cannabis companies to help our readers filter out the noise and to stay on top of the most important cannabis business news. The NCV Newswire is hand-curated by an editor and not automated in anyway. Have a confidential news tip? Get in touch.
November 02, 2020 at 06:16PM
https://www.newcannabisventures.com/fire-flower-to-accelerate-ontario-retail-cannabis-presence-with-acquisition-of-friendly-stranger/
Fire & Flower to Accelerate Ontario Retail Cannabis Presence with... - New Cannabis Ventures
Trevor Fencott, Chief Executive Officer of Fire & Flower
James Jesty, President of Friendly Stranger
