| The
owners of Valley Flowers, Inc., John and Walter Van Wingerden, grew up
in the family business which their father founded in 1977. They have expanded
it from 12 covered acres to 20 acres of climate-controlled greenhouses
and 40 acres of outside production. The growing and shipping facilities
are located in Santa Barbara County, 90 miles north of Los Angeles. Temperatures
moderated by ocean breezes and cool nights create a climate ideally suited
for year 'round production of excellent quality flowers. The close proximity
to LAX gives customers a variety of transportation choices. Throughout
the day major trucking companies pick up orders from our dock and deliver
them to numerous truck and air cargo terminals. Valley Flowers sells approximately
three million bunches of fresh flowers and foliage per year. We employ
100 full-time employees spread throughout our four growing locations. For
the last 15 years Greenhouse Grower Magazine has ranked Valley Flowers,
Inc. one of the top one hundred fresh flower producers in the nation.
The
responsibility of overseeing and operating the business is equally divided
between John and Walter. John takes care of the planting, growing, and
harvesting of the flowers. Sales, shipping, and marketing are Walter's
concerns. They are both constantly seeking new ways to streamline and automate
the business. They attend flower conventions and trade missions in order
to solidify their current position and expand into new markets. John and
Walter have traveled to Israel, Holland and throughout American in search
of new and exciting flower varieties. A portion of the growing facility
is set aside for experimentation, enabling Valley Flowers to remain a leader
in the introduction of new cut flowers to the marketplace. Constant investment
in new technology, the development of great new products, and providing
the highest possible levels of customer service are key factors in our
continued success and growth. Valley Flowers belongs to trade organizations
such as NORCAL, SAF, WF&FSA, and SBFG. The brothers are also members
of the California Cut Flower Commission. Walter holds the position of
President of the Santa Barbara Cut Flower Grower's Association. |
Phil
Guenthart serves on the Board of Directors for the California Association
of Flower Growers and Shippers and also on the transportation committee.
Valley
Flowers was originally known for our wide selection of Spray Chrysanthemums
and filler-type Asters. Today, we consistently have over nine different
flowering crops available. Carefully planned planting schedules and rigorous
quality control measures ensure that flowers are in ample supply to meet
our customer's needs 52 weeks a year. Product quality is assured through
environmentally controlled greenhouses and a fertilizer program specifically
designed for each stage of plant growth. All flowers are cut at just the
right maturity stage, partially deleafed and hydrated with preservatives
according to sensitivity. Since each type of flower has different requirements,
we have tailored our post-harvest care program using an array of treatments
depending on the variety. The flowers are then cooled overnight and ready
for shipping the next morning.
Our
four-member Sales Staff is well equipped to answer any and all questions
relating to the flowers grown. The latest computer technology is used to
provide up-to-date inventory on over 100 varieties. Each order is inspected
and packed properly to ensure damage-free delivery. Valley Flowers Inc.
ships custom packed boxes to wholesalers of every size throughout North
America, by truck, airline or FedEx at a special discounted rate. Valley
Flowers is committed to consistently producing high quality flowers as
a week-in, week-out supplier and therefore we only sell what we grow ourselves.
Thanks
for visiting our web site. Our shipping facility is staffed Monday through
Friday from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm and from 6:30 am to 12:00 pm on Saturdays,
Pacific Time. For more information, please feel free to call us Toll Free
at the number listed below.
John
and Walter Van Wingerden
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