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May your holidays be filled with warmth, love, and flowers!
-CalFlowers Board & Staff
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Member Benefit Spotlight
CalFlowers members receive a free annual subscription to uBloom.com. Gain access to:
- Flower Arranging and Design Tutorial videos
- Video Tours of Flower Farms
- Professional Resources
- Streaming Episodes of J Schwanke’s Life In Bloom and much more!
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That Flower Feeling hosted the webinar, Marketing Flowers for Self-Care: The Importance of Evolving the Floral Industry. Industry experts came together to discuss how floral businesses can adapt to support self-care and well-being while staying ahead in a changing market.
The webinar introduced the Unit Sales Program, tailored for mass markets, and the Bloom Together Partner Program, designed for wholesale, retail, and e-commerce.
Interested in learning more or getting involved? Watch the full recording or contact Vanessa.
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CalFlowers and Pollen Talent hosted a webinar focused on enhancing HR strategies through organizational analysis to improve hiring, employee development, and retention.
Pam Lopez, Senior Head HR Consultant, shared valuable insights, including the
impact of organizational structure on efficiency, creating effective roles, aligning employee development with company goals, and fostering a motivating workplace culture for long-term success.
Check out the recording and learn more about our partnership with Pollen Talent by visiting our website.
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Member Spotlight: Alaska Prancing Peony Farms
Alaska Prancing Peony Farms is a family-owned operation located in Alaska, specializing in the production of commercial peonies for over seven years. The farm serves customers across all fifty states, with a special focus on event planners and florists. Their blooms arrive at the perfect time during Alaska's late peony harvest in July, offering vibrant, high-quality flowers at the peak of the season.
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Reflection: CalFlowers Joins AIFD® Symposium for an Exceptional Floral Experience
The American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD®) is thrilled to announce CalFlowers as a Platinum Elite Sponsor and Industry Partner for the 2025 AIFD® National Symposium Reflection. This premier event will take place in Palm Springs, California, from July 12–15, 2025.
As a leader in floral education, the AIFD® Symposium continues to offer unparalleled workshops and main-stage programs featuring world-class designers from around the globe. The 2025 Symposium is set to deliver another exceptional educational experience.
"We’re excited to have CalFlowers and That Flower Feeling join our lecture sessions and collaborate with CalFlowers’ membership to showcase the stunning products California has to offer," said Lori Novak, AIFD®, the 2025 Symposium Coordinator. "Our members and attendees are going to love what CalFlowers brings to our association and this event."
The AIFD® Symposium is open to everyone in the floral industry, including retail shop owners, growers, suppliers, mass market professionals, and floral enthusiasts. Early registration opens soon.
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CaliFlora 2024 – Rekindle Your Imagination – A Huge Success!
The California State Floral Association (CSFA) proudly hosted its annual event, CaliFlora 2024 – Rekindle Your Imagination, on November 8–10, 2024, at Cal Expo in Sacramento. This year’s convention brought together floral enthusiasts, students, and industry professionals for three unforgettable days of education, creativity, and camaraderie.
A Celebration of Emerging Talent
The event opened on Friday with the California Certified Florist (CCF) exam, followed by the FTD-sponsored Student Design Competition. Twenty-four high school students representing five schools showcased their talent.
Unleashing Creativity with Donald Yim
Saturday featured the much-anticipated sessions with world-renowned designer Donald Yim AIFD, CFD, PFCI, co-sponsored by Accent Décor and Smithers-Oasis. The day began with Donald’s hands-on workshop, Creative Magic Holiday Centerpiece, where attendees explored innovative techniques to craft festive, trendsetting designs. In the afternoon, Donald’s Magical Fall and Winter Wonderland design program captivated the audience with enchanting concepts for winter weddings and seasonal events. His ability to blend education and entertainment left attendees inspired and ready to elevate their designs.
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FedEx Updates & Service Disruptions:
FedEx Demand (Peak) season surcharges began October 28th and run through January 19th. We’ve sent out information detailing what to expect. If you missed the email, you can click HERE for complete details from FedEx.
Starting January 6th, our new rates will take effect. The General Rate Increase (GRI) that FedEx will enact for 2025 is pegged 5.9%. Our contract however, holds the line at 5% so members will feel some relief this coming year. New rates will be automatically uploaded and visible on the 6th and we will have hard copies available later that week which can be found on our website.
Now that winter is here, it is a good practice to always check for any service delays or alerts before shipping.
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FedEx International Shipping:
See here for an excellent resource from FedEx that walks shippers through the process step by step. First time international shippers inherently have questions on process and paperwork required. If you would like to talk to someone in person whether on the phone or at FedEx office, professional assistance available.
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Additional FedEx Support & Resources: | |
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For those wanting to know who your FedEx representative is, or if you want to be contacted by FedEx, please email Chris Johnson, your FedEx account number and he will respond with information on your FedEx contact. It’s a good practice to establish a relationship with your FedEx representative. They can be of great assistance when needed.
- Call (877) 339-2774 for FedEx’s tech support team, who can help with many tech-related issues including guidance regarding on-line shipping platforms.
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You can have your shipments held at your nearby FedEx Office instead of being delivered to your door. Having shipments held at your local FedEx office can help with temperature management since your boxes will be stored in a temperature-controlled office rather than riding in a truck all morning. It’s also true that you can drop off your shipments at your local FedEx office. This can be an advantage for some parts of the country where having your packages standing by in FedEx office is preferable to being in a truck for hours.
- Find the latest news from FedEx here.
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Surcharges & Claims Resources:
For those members looking for good general information on Surcharges and Claims, the following information can be helpful.
This first resource offers information regarding surcharges and fees. Keep in mind that the CalFlowers program offers members MANY surcharge and fee reductions that are significantly lower than these standard surcharges, however it’s still a good reference point and has some clear definitions on what each fee/surcharge is. If you would like a summary of your program surcharge/fee discounts and waivers, please check our website or email Chris Johnson for a copy.
The second resource is very helpful when you need to file a claim for damaged or lost product. Keep in mind, a product claim is different from our Money Back Guarantee, which applies to shipping charges and is handled differently. Product claims are more involved and can be confusing, but this resource helps navigate the process.
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FedEx New Member Resources:
New members who are just starting with FedEx shipping can utilize the “Customer Training” service that is available upon request. This service offers shippers direct one-on-one assistance from FedEx covering many of the questions new shippers may have. If you are interested in signing up, please contact Chris Johnson. Visit this webpage for excellent information for new shippers.
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We would also like to remind members to stay current with their FedEx Express shipping invoices. FedEx payment terms are 15 days. All members shipping on FedEx Express are expected to stay within the FedEx payment terms. Failure to stay current with FedEx risks your account being delinked from the program. For more information on this issue, contact Chris Johnson.
To obtain your invoice details and payment options, please contact FedEx Customer Service.
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GLS Updates & Transit Map:
Like FedEx, GLS also will implement surcharges during the busy Peak season, however for our account, member shippers will only see a $1/package charge for deliveries to Residential locations when shipping priority. The peak surcharge season runs from October 28th through January 19th.
For 2025, GLS is implementing a 5.9% for their regular customers, CalFlowers members will only see a 3.5% increase. Updated rates will be available after the new year and will be available on our website.
Check out this interactive Time and Transit map. Plug in your ZIP code and a handy map will show you your 1-day, 2-day transportation options.
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GLS Ground Rates:
The CalFlowers GLS program is one of our popular, most value-priced offerings, with discounts well over 70% off standard rates. GLS offers later pick-ups and earlier deliveries while providing express door-to-door services covering CA, AZ, NV, OR, WA, NM, UT, and ID. To take advantage of this service, members must sign up in advance, which only takes a few minutes. For more details, please contact Chris Johnson at (760) 533-5580.
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GLS Program Improvements: | |
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GLS will now honor product claims. If GLS is at fault (acts of God, not included) and the product arrives damaged, significantly late, or just missing, members now can file a claim. We highly recommend member shippers to indicate the correct Declared Value to be covered.
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GLS will credit 100% of shipping costs if your shipment is not delivered on the day promised. Bad weather is excluded. Members will need to request this within 48 hours at customerservice@gls-us.com.
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GLS has given our account access to a special premium team of Customer Service agents. This high-level group was designed for fast response and problem solving. Please contact Chris Johnson for access to this important resource.
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Alaska Air Cargo Program:
If you've been using our new CalFlowers/Alaska Airlines shipping program, you’ve likely experienced the exceptional value it offers. Our program provides outstanding rates to numerous regions across the country, including shipments from California, Portland, Seattle, and now Alaska. Be sure to explore all the program details on our website.
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Did you know Alaska Airlines provides one of the most comprehensive intra-California services, with San Diego serving as its largest hub in the state? Even better, through our exclusive partnership with Alaska Airlines, we offer truly exceptional rates that you won’t find anywhere else. To sign-up, contact Chris Johnson (chris@cafgs.org). | |
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For the latest News and updates please visit the Alaska Airlines webpage.
Alaska Air commonly asked questions.
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For members wanting to get in touch with our Alaska Air Cargo Regional Sales Manager, California, Mike Narowski.
For questions about our Alaska Air Cargo program, please contact Chris Johnson, 760-533-5580.
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