Albertson Flower Shop News
After 125 years, Manatee company delivering fresh flowers differently - Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Friday, May 29, 2020You can find Manatee Farms products at more than 150 retail florists throughout Florida, 50-plus independent garden centers from Naples to Central Florida, and at supermarkets, such as Albertson’s and Safeway, as well as wholesalers and brokers nationwide.Flowers and feelingsThough the business depends on executing the logistics of delivering fresh products, Preston is equally comfortable talking about the value of what Manatee Fruit Co. brings to its customers.“Flowers are a business of feelings," he said. "There’s a saying that flowers are the language of love, and they really are. When you think about the unspoken word, the word you can never really say, you can say that with flowers.“Flowers fulfill that moment when no one really knows what to say, and we’ll always need that.”That's the message of the company's latest transformation.Hurricane Irma slowed the rollout of the company's re-branding effort last year, damaging several buildings, including greenhouses and a packing house that was built in 1926. But by April the new Manatee Farms brand was fully formed and public with a new look, feel and focus as well as name.Cortez Floral and Manatee Floral, two companies under the umbrella company Manatee Fruit Co., were consolidated.Beyond fresh, sustainably grownManatee Farms now is offering “choices that matter” to consumers that care about how the products they buy are produced. The goal is to attract, engage and inform consumers and to be as transparent as possible about where and how their flowers are produced.Robert McLaughlin, chief sustainability and marketing officer for Manatee Farms, has largely spearheaded the re-branding.“This is the decade of responsible choices, and that resonates with consumers,” McLaughlin said. “We focus on eco-friendly flowers and plants, ensuring that they are certified so that we can ensure that every flower is held to certain standards.”According to Manatee Farms, its eco-friendly flowers also are good for the people who work on the farms that grow them and means that “every purchase helps improve the lives of farmworkers by providing fair wages, health care benefits, education programs and employment of women.”The company requires that farms they work with have sustainability certifications, such as USDA Organic, Rainforest Alliance or Fresh from Florida. According to the company, certified farms employ 60 percent women and are far more likely to offer higher wages and produce higher standards of living for their workers.Many of these farms also use integrated pest management as opposed to heavy pesticides, meaning that more common-sense, long-term practices are used to achieve the same results. Examples are vacuuming pests out of plants and using organisms like spiders to eat harmful pests, such as thrips, which puncture and damage plants.Getting the word outIn an effort to create a more direct link between customers and its product, the company is placing interactive digital kiosks in some stores that can help educate consumers about where their flowers come from.“We want to create a source for the consumers so that we’re reaching out in different ways and allowing access to all this information right in the retailer,” McLaughlin said.The ultimate goal is to attract customers, engage them, inform them and send them to the retailers that carry the Manatee Farms brand.For McLaughlin, part of the re-branding is taking into account a balanced three-pillar approach when talking about environmental sustainability: environmental, economic and social.“There tends to be a lot of misinformation. You can have something be organic, but that has nothing to do with whether or not you have chemical runoff,” McLaughlin said. “It’s about more than just having certifications or seals on a product.”Preston has seen a lot of change at the family company over the years, and someday there will be others in the family making the decisions right there beside him, he said, and maybe after him, too.But if Preston has his way, one thing will remain constant: the business will continue to serve the community and people will continue to feel good about the brand.“Branding is... https://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20180611/after-125-years-manatee-company-delivering-fresh-flowers-differently
Fill your list with gnomes, home-grown gems and more with the 2018 Treasure gift guide - Idaho Statesman
Tuesday, December 04, 2018It’s the perfect combination of flavor and spice, and it’s as good without alcohol as it is with. It also works for a marinade. It’s $8 to $11.99 at Idaho State Liquor Stores, Albertsons, Winco and other area outlets. Jodi Peterson: Giving from the heart Jodi Peterson has made an impact in Boise on several fronts. As the co-head of Interfaith Sanctuary, she works on innovative programs with the city’s homeless population and also co-produces the popular “X-treme Holiday X-travaganza” with her fia... https://www.idahostatesman.com/latest-news/article222346790.html
For love and for money, more seniors are staying employed - Midland Reporter-Telegram
Tuesday, October 24, 2017I enjoy my profession, and keeping busy."Sometimes, it's not the business or profession, but the employer that keeps workers on the job.Sandy Hight raised two children while working for Safeway and Albertsons before turning her attention to caring for her mother, who was struggling with Alzheimer's disease. Hight returned to the grocery business at Shady Cove Market after moving to the Upper Rogue region. When Hight's supervisor, Tami Meerten, moved on to the Edgewater Inn on the banks of the Rogue River, Hight soon followed, handling the front desk and breakfast counter."I've been working with Tami for almost 14 years," said Hight, who is accompanied by her pug and Chihuahua mix, Dorie, to the office every morning. "I love what I do here."Although she could retire in a couple of years, Hight is in no rush. While caring for her mother, Hight asked her mother's doctor how she could avoid Alzheimer's."He said to keep busy," she said. "So I'm going to keep busy until they tell me I can't do this anymore."The residual effects of the shift from defined benefit pensions to 401(k) savings plans has contributed to people working into their 70s and 80s, Forrest said, pointing out that millions of retirement-aged Americans have no more than $3,000, often less, in the bank.Reviewing statistics from the final quarter of 2016, Tauer discovered among Jackson County workers 65 and older there was a higher concentration in retail trade; professional, scientific and technical services... http://www.mrt.com/news/article/For-love-and-for-money-more-seniors-are-staying-12242790.php
A life that's blossomed after flowers - Arizona Daily Star
Monday, May 08, 2017This was based on an Albertsons ad.”Sometimes a work sells — he gets $60 to $120 for one, about what some of his more elaborate floral arrangements once cost — but that isn’t why he paints.“The joy I’m getting fills me so much,” he says. “I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”... http://tucson.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/a-life-that-s-blossomed-after-flowers/article_ac08dd48-774d-54f7-acd8-26297a124d00.html
Midland Police searching for flower bandit - CBS7 News (press release)
Tuesday, April 25, 2017MIDLAND -- The Midland Police Department is searching for a suspect who stole a $270 bouquet of flowers.According to MPD, the suspect stole the bouquet from the Albertsons at 1002 Andrews Highway on February 13.The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, standing 5'11'' tall and weighing around 160 pounds.He was last seen getting into a silver Hyundai.Anyone with information on this theft is asked to call the Midland Crime Stoppers at 432-694-TIPS regarding case #170313034. http://www.cbs7.com/content/news/Midland-Police-searching-for-flower-bandit-419175144.html
A devoted florist gives each 9/11 victim a white birthday rose - The Gazette
Sunday, January 17, 2021NEW YORK — Every Sept. 11, Michael Collarone, a Brooklyn-bred florist who goes by Mikey Flowers, has the same routine. In the hours before 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center 19 years ago, he parks his truck in downtown Manhattan and, bearing buckets of angelic white roses, walks to the site where he once helped scour for victims’ remains in the twin towers’ smoldering wreckage.There, the burly 62-year-old meets up with “my guys” from the Port Authority police. This year, he will be wearing a mask for the first time and, for social distancing reasons, the victims’ names will be played from recordings on a loudspeaker rather than read aloud from a stage, but little else will change for him. “I’m going to hug my friends,” he says. “I’m going to hug my guys.”Collarone’s steadfast devotion to honoring the victims of 9/11 isn’t a once-a-year kind of thing, though. He’s been the de facto volunteer florist to Ground Zero since it was known around the city as the... https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/a-devoted-florist-gives-each-911-victim-a-white-birthday-rose-20200911
Can flowers live through a pandemic? | Herald Community Newspapers - liherald.com
Sunday, January 17, 2021Roses, lilies and daisies tend to live longer than hyacinths, tulips and lilacs, however, the maximum lifespan of cut flowers is still about a week with maximum care. Since Phase One of New York’s reopening plan began May 27, florists were able to open in a limited manner with hopes of restocking as much as possible. Face masks and a limited capacity were requirements made by New York State that Imperial Florist in Baldwin, Flowers by Mike in Oceanside and Duryea’s Flower Shop in Freeport are all following in order to continue peddling petals. Ann Marie Pierce at Imperial Florist in Baldwin has been operating her shop with only one in-store employee and one delivery driver since late May, accepting curbside and delivery orders. According to Pierce, for “at least six weeks we didn’t work at all.” Imperial Florist has recently opened its shop to customers with caution, putting up dividers, allowing one person inside at a time, requiring mandatory facial covers and accepting only credit cards. Similarly to Pierce, Susan Martin, whose family runs Duryea’s Flower Shop in Freeport, has taken precautions in the first few weeks after reopening. Martin wipes down everything in the store frequently, allows no one to enter the refrigeration unit and has employees “working limited hours.”Mike Graham, the owner of Flowers by Mike in Oceanside and East Rockaway, said one of the main challenges he faced was coming up with new marketing strategies to reach his cu... https://www.liherald.com/merrick/stories/can-flowers-live-through-a-pandemic,126506
These Valentine's Day Gifts Will Be At Your Doorstep In No Time, Even If You Started Shopping Last Minute - Yahoo Lifestyle
Sunday, January 17, 2021Dylan's Candy Bar Belgian Chocolate Covered Indulgence, $, available at Dylan's Candy BarDancing Deer Baking CoHot tip from our comments section — upstate New York's Dancing Deer Baking Co has a box of molasses clove cookies that could make a grown R29 reader cry (OK, she didn't say that but the words "best" and "I've ever had" were used). Sadly, those are sold out for now so we suggest trying the sampler.Dancing Deer Baking Co Deer Classics Gift Basket, $, available at Dancing Deer Baking CoUncommon GoodsAn unexpected spot to find beautiful tasty treats is the internet's corner of curiosities, Uncommon Goods. Here's one example of a delightful little gift — a wine-shaped container filled with tasty truffles. Check out all of the small businesses and makers like this Pennsylvania-based baker, Neil Edley.Uncommon Goods Bottle-of-Wine Chocolate Truffles Box, $, available at Uncommon GoodsCheryl's CookiesThese are decorated and frosted with delicious buttercream icing. (Pssst, there's even an assortment of gluten-free options for our friends with food allergies.)Cheryl's Cookies Cheryl's Long Stemmed Buttercream Frosted Cookie Flower, $, available at Cheryl's CookiesPartake FoodsIndulge in this coveted black-owned brand that offers delicious cookies in every variety — you can even find vegan and gluten-free options here. Chocolate chips, cookie butter, and carrot cake flavors are abundantly available to ship right to your door. Partake Soft Baked Cookie Butter Cookies, $, available at Partake FoodsDavid's CookiesGive the people what they want; an entire tin of chocolate chunk cookies. No nuts, no teeny tiny chocolate chips, just the good stuff from this reliable, top-selling cookie lover's brand — that also happens to ship out delicious cheesecakes to pies, too. David's Cookies Fresh Baked Decadent Jumbo Cookies, $, available at David's CookiesDoughees By M.Dough.WMargo Wolfe’s Miami-based M.Dough.W features brownies, Oreos, caramel, rainbow cookies — you name it and they've stuffed it inside a gooey, fully-cooked, and ready-to-eat cookie dough.Doughees by M Dough W Build A Box (12), $, available at Doughees by M Dough WCarlo's BakeryFrom chocolate fudge cake and rainbow slices to ooey-gooey butter cookies and cannoli kits, you can find it all at Carlo's Bakery. Trust him — he was on Cake Boss. Carlo's Bakery Cannoli Kit - 12 Pack, $, available at GoldbellyMagnolia BakeryAsk almost any New Yorker, and we bet they will say that Magnolia Bakery sells some of the world's best-tasting cupcakes to banana pudding...like, ever. Available in a deliverable variety of flavors with seasonal frostings, this shop's sweets are prime Valentine's gifting material.Magnolia Bakery World Famous Banana Pudding - Party Sized, $, available at Magnolia BakeryBake Me A WishIn addition to brownies, you can send cheesecakes, cupcakes, giant cakes, traditional cakes, baskets, towers, and pies. Plus, 5% off all purchases goes to Bake Me A Wish's Small Business Empowerment Fund.Bake Me A Wish Gourmet Brownie Sampler, $, available at Bake Me A WishWicked Good CupcakesAs seen on Shark Tank, the family-owned team at Wicked Good Cupcakes offers up a fun way to serve and eat, cupcake-in-a-jar. They even have your gluten-free bases covered with a giftable GF package fo... https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/valentines-day-gifts-doorstep-no-141400857.html
RVC florist fills window displays with 'holiday pandemic' scenes - Newsday
Sunday, January 17, 2021People passing by Masters and Company Florist in Rockville Centre will see a holiday window display not unlike those found in New York City. Its decked-out windows are inspired by both the holiday season and the pandemic. "I feel like everything is so surreal and depressing, especially during the holidays," says owner Laurie Speziale, 60. "Why not create something a little whimsy?" The scenes created by the Woodmere resident include a Santa Claus sporting a face covering and a Christmas tree with medical masks mixed in among its ornaments. "I always do [the windows] up quite elaborate, for every season and holiday," Speziale says of her decorative handiwork. This year, COVID pulled the plug on the events that typically carry her business such as weddings, bar and bas mitzvahes and other parties, which gave Speziale some extra time to beef up her holiday display. "I really wanted to bring joy to others, so I thought ‘why not really do them up and I just want as many... https://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/fashion-and-shopping/rockville-centre-masters-and-company-florist-1.50091128