Canada: FCO and T & T Supermarket implement strategies to improve floriculture presence
The first training session of the pilot project was held on September 26th at T & T Supermarket at their Scarborough location with over 22 front line staff in attendance. The training, focusing on plant care and merchandising, was presented by certified training consultants Inta Taurins and Patricia Patrick. Attendees were provided with information on creating prominent displays of healthy floral products to make flowers more appealing with the goal of increasing floral sales. Related instructive material was prepared and provided to all of the attendees.
Merging with Loblaws Companies Ltd. in 2009, T & T Supermarket have been in Canada for over 20 years and hold freshness and customer satisfaction as the two anchor-stones of their operation. “Focusing on quality, innovation and on-going improvement is so important to our business. Collaboration with FCO is an excellent fit for our organization”, commented Michael Huang, T & T’s Produce Buyer.
Project leader and FCO’s Marketing Director Nikki Gomes commented: “This simple training concept has the ability to add great value to both the floriculture sector and to the retail chains. Once all of the resource material is completed, it will be made available online to allow retail chain stores and florists across Canada to have access to train their staff on floral care and the creation of appealing displays quickly and efficiently. Flowers provide food for the soul and it is so important that customers have a positive retail experience while enjoying the many varieties of the beautiful flowers grown in our local greenhouses.”
Investment in this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). In Ontario, this program is delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council.
Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc. is the provincial trade and professional association of the Ontario floral industry serving the floriculture sector and its members and greenhouse floriculture producers, for over 40 years. FCO’s mission is to enhance the profitability and competitiveness of Ontario’s floriculture sector by helping growers address common issues. FCO strives to help growers find solutions in trade, plant bio-security, research & innovation, human resources, environment, marketing and risk management.
For more information on FCO please visit www.flowerscanadagrowers.com.