Bogota Colombia, August 2023 Proflora
People on a mission arrived at Proflora in large numbers and proceeded to begin their task of finding those buyers or vendors on their to do list.
This fabulous show brings together the best growers and the most interesting buyers and after a four-year hiatus it was good to get back to Bogota.
There were not a lot of US wholesalers represented and I saw more European buyers than Asian. With that said there were a lot of people attending and the enormous hall was packed on the second day.
Vendors are very aware of who they are expecting to find and are on a constant vigil to capture them when sighted. A favorite way to get their attention is to host a party. So, as you wander around the show floor you will get asked the famous question. “Are you going to the party tonight:? And the typical response would be, which one?
Danziger hosted a big party to celebrate their 70th birthday and you needed to have on your dancing shoes as Gaby, Misha and Ori Danziger put on quite a show. Their 100 year old father is still driving a farm tractor.
Another big party was held by USA Bouquet even though I never found their booth at the show.
A few things I learned during my visit:
Bouquet makers are still hungry for farm acquisitions, and I imagine that I will be reporting on more consolidation stories soon.
One of the highlights of this show is the new varieties competition. The growers really go all out to hopefully win a ribbon or two as they parade out their best blooms. The big winners are in the slide presentation. (At the bottom). My video review will show you the huge amount of entries.
The buzz around this show were, concerns about the market and the very slow July.
I constantly reminded everyone that floral is a circular business that has ups and downs. Things will be ok moving forward but the challenges of dealing in a perishable product will never go away.
Proflora also brought together many journalists and industry players to talk about sustainability. Florverde, Asocolflores certification program is one great example of how the Colombian industry declares its seriousness about sustainability and good farming practices.
Asocolflores is a fine organization that not only hosts a great event, but they are very very committed to the preservation of our planet. Be aware that they are doing everything possible (and more) to ensure that growers meet high standards and that all are good stewards for keeping things green and pesticide free.
I would declare Proflora 2023 a success and it was great to see all of my convention trooper friends.
Finally, the ending party at Andres Carne res is a party of legend and while I was not able to attend this year, I know that a good time was had by all.
Next up is the IFPA show in California. This show is huge and focused on the mass market. I will attend and bring my report to you so you can be there to.
Williee Armellini
Editor: Flowerandcents.com
williee@flowersandcents.com
Here is a link to my youtube channel where you can watch my video Proflora 2023 review.
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