Dümmen Orange Petals It Forward In Columbus

On Oct. 11, Dümmen Orange partnered with Kroger’s Columbus Division and The Gems Group to Petal It Forward in downtown Columbus. The group distributed 700 bouquets to surprised recipients over the lunch hour. With the directive to keep one bouquet for themselves and give the other away, recipients were able to experience the joy of both receiving and giving flowers for no particular reason.

The initiative is part of a nationwide effort called Petal It Forward organized by the Society of American Florists (SAF). This year, SAF enlisted 573 members to lead Petal It Forward events across the U.S. Dümmen Orange, a cut flower breeder, joined forces with The Gems Group, a marketer and distributor, and the Kroger Columbus Division, a grocery retailer, to distribute bouquets donated by
Jardines de los Andes, a grower in Colombia.

“At The Kroger Co., we are dedicated to our purpose: to feed the human spirit,” Teri Rose, director of floral at Kroger, said. “What better way to uplift those in our community than to surprise them with flowers and brighten their day. Kroger Columbus was proud to partner with the Petal It Forward program and look forward to future opportunities to surprise and delight our customers.”

Similar sentiments are shared by the other co-sponsoring teams.

“The coordinated effort led by SAF reminds us to take a moment to connect with one another, and also demonstrates the happiness that a simple gift of fresh flowers provides,” Lindsay Pangborn, marketing specialist at Dümmen Orange. “Our hope is that each recipient remembers the positive emotions associated with giving flowers and incorporates fresh flowers into their everyday routine.”