May 2026 Newsletter

President's Message

Mother’s Day 2026 is now in the books, and I hope and trust it was a successful holiday for you and your teams. I encourage CalFlowers members to take a few moments to participate in our Mother's Day survey. Your feedback is invaluable as we continue working to strengthen and support the floral industry.

Registration for Fun ‘N Sun 2026 is officially open. This year’s event promises to be one of our best yet, featuring a tour of the LA Flower Market, a behind-the-scenes visit to a Rose Parade float-building facility, a strong educational program, outstanding networking opportunities, and a Flower Fair showcasing vendors and floral companies from across many regions.

For the first time in eleven years, we are bringing back the Distinguished Service Award. The recipient of this prestigious honor will be recognized during the breakfast portion of the General Session on Friday morning, August 7. We are excited to once again celebrate individuals whose dedication and leadership have made a lasting impact on the floral industry.

A reminder that membership renewal deadline is May 31. Please renew your membership to ensure there is no interruption in your benefits, including access to the CalFlowers FedEx discount program.

As we move into the summer season, conference and event activity throughout the floral industry will be ramping up. We look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming industry gatherings in the weeks and months ahead.

Thank you,

Lane DeVries

President, CalFlowers

Floral News

How Damselfly is reshaping the way people purchase flowers

Flowers are still largely sold as planned purchases, typically tied to holidays, events, and occasions. But real-life decisions to buy flowers don’t always happen that way. They happen en route. In between meetings. On the way to something else. Damselfly Flowers bridges this gap by repositioning flowers as an impulse driven, everyday purchase, enabled by strategic placement, product design, and operational efficiency. Read more

Seed Your Future launches #IAmHorticulture campaign to spotlight the people powering a growing industry

Seed Your Future (SYF), the national nonprofit dedicated to horticulture workforce development, announced the launch of #IAmHorticulture, a social media campaign that puts a human face on one of America’s most dynamic and career-rich industries. Through the voices of working professionals – from growers and landscape designers to floral cold chain specialist and turf managers – the campaign reveals the remarkable breadth of careers that horticulture makes possible. Participate May 23-July 17

CalFlowers Members Florabundance, 2Plant International, and Ocean Breeze featured on “Life In Bloom” 

Season 8 continues to roll out across the country with upcoming airings of the 100th Life In Bloom episode! Recent and upcoming episodes landing at local PBS stations all in May and into June - including members Green Point Nursery, Florabundance, 2Plant International and Ocean Breeze Farms! There are 14 episodes in Season 8 to enjoy, and new streaming episodes each week on PBS.org, the PBS App, PBS Passport, and uBloom.com - in addition to 91% of local public television stations schedules. Learn more and tune in

Flowers that give back: From the flower empower luncheon to a growing national movement

J Schwanke and Willie Armellini talk flower promotion through T.V. series "Life In Bloom"

Registration & Room Block Now Open for
Fun ‘N Sun 2026—Join Us for 85 Years in Bloom

Registration is now open for the highly anticipated Fun ‘N Sun 2026 Floral Convention, taking place August 5–8 at the iconic Langham Huntington in Pasadena, California.

Celebrating A Legacy in Bloom—85 Years of Floral Excellence, this milestone event will bring together floral professionals from across the country for inspiring education, exclusive behind-the-scenes tours, vibrant networking, and the industry’s must-attend Flower Fair. Attendees can also look forward to signature evening events, hands-on workshops, and the return of the Distinguished Service Award, honoring an individual who has made a lasting impact on the floral industry.

With hotel rooms expected to fill quickly, now is the time to secure your spot and be part of this unforgettable experience. 

Transportation Updates

FedEx Updates: 

We hope everyone’s Mother’s Day shipping season was a productive and profitable one. Now that Mother’s Day is behind us, be sure to file any Money Back Guarantee Service requests and product claims within 15 days. The sooner the better!

With summer approaching, we can look forward to better weather however, winter and spring-like disturbances are still with us. It’s an essential practice to check for any service delays or alerts before you ship- see here. Knowing to what to expect before you ship can limit unexpected delays and headaches. 

Also, there have been reports that FedEx has “accurized” their automated scanning machines that dimensionalize boxes sent through the system. This has been confirmed. These machines with sophisticated lasers are now even more accurate than before thus showing boxes larger than what was previously listed. In other words, your box is probably going to show LARGER than expected. For example, a 20 x 8 x 6, may now show as 21 x 9 x 7. This will result in price changes if your box is sensitive to size in terms of pricing. There are other fees that you may see on your statement and this link can help make sense of it. CalFlowers is currently negotiating some of these fees and we should have news soon on how we did.

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 the process and paperwork required. If you'd like to talk to someone in person whether on the phone or at FedEx office, assistance available when needed.

Surcharges & Claims Resources: 

For those members looking for general information on Surcharges and Claims, the following resources 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. 

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 and a summary of FedEx's offerings. 

We would 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, Dir of Transportation. To obtain your invoice details and payment options, please contact FedEx Customer Service.

GLS Updates:

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. Members who want to ship on GLS must sign up in advance. It’s easy and just takes a few minutes. Please contact Chris Johnson for more details at (760) 533-5580 or chris@cafgs.org.

Check out the GLS interactive Time-in-Transit map. Plug in your ZIP code and a handy map will show you your 1-day, 2-day transportation options. 

GLS Program Improvements: 

GLS has been very receptive to our requests for program improvements. They have added the following features to our program for members to utilize when shipping Priority.

Alaska Air Cargo Updates:

If you've been using our CalFlowers/Alaska Airlines shipping program, you’ve likely experienced its exceptional value. This program provides outstanding rates to numerous regions nationwide, including shipments from California, Portland, Seattle, and Alaska and now Hawaii! 

For 2026, we are pleased to announce the renewal of our Alaska Air Cargo agreement, featuring newly negotiated, highly competitive pricing that delivers exceptional value to our members. Rates have been reduced across the board, and the program now includes expanded service to Hawaii.

Look for more information coming in the next few days and be sure to explore all of the new program details on our website.

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. Click HERE for the latest Alaska Air Cargo Zone Map.

Industry Events

Webinar: Automation & Financial Efficiency for Floral Businesses

WFFSA opens registration for DevX 2026 in Atlanta

The Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association (WFFSA) has officially opened registration for its 2026 Development Experience (DevX), taking place July 28-31, in Atlanta, Georgia. DevX is WFFSA’s premier hands-on professional development event, designed to give floral industry professionals an immersive, behind-the-scenes look at real-world operations.

Formerly known as Management Institute, the program brings together a select group of up to 100 participants for a highly interactive experience focused on operational excellence, leadership development and peer-to-peer learning. Learn more

Will we see you at these upcoming events?

Welcome New Members

Read the full update about our member types

This is the last month to renew your CalFlowers membership.
Members must renew by May 31, 2026, to continue accessing exclusive benefits and industry support. We thank you for being a member of CalFlowers!

Questions? Please contact us

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