Sakata and KB Farms Join ‘Petal It Forward’ Effort
Last month, Sakata Seed America teamed up with KB Farms (Kitayama Brothers) to join dozens of floral industry businesses nationwide to surprise unsuspecting passersby with two free flower bouquets each — one to keep and one to give to a friend, family member, colleague or even a stranger. The random-acts-of-kindness effort — called Petal It Forward and organized by the Society of American Florists (SAF) — is designed to help people start their day with more smiles and less stress. The effort illustrates research from the University of North Florida that shows living with flowers reduces stress.
Petal It Forward Day is an inspiring and fun way of giving back to our community. 2020 has been filled with challenges that have created added stress and taken a toll on mental health and wellness. Now, more than ever, we see the need to brighten someone’s day through the positive effects of flowers,” says Alicia Suits, senior marketing manager for Sakata.
The UNF research findings on flowers and stress relief, and the need for mood-boosting gestures, seem timely: A survey by Wakefield Research in July showed that 68% of Americans experience stress weekly and 32% report feeling stressed daily. Women are even more affected, with 25% reporting feeling stress multiple times per day.
“KB Farms has partnered with Sakata Seed every year since Petal It Forward’s inception in 2015 for this initiative. This year, we donated 150 bouquets to the ‘keep one, share one’ concept,” said Jasen Henderson, KB Farms’ marketing manager. “Statistics show that while 80% of people reported receiving flowers makes them happy, even more (88%) said that giving flowers makes them happy.”
Sakata and KB Farms staff members practiced extra safety precautions due to COVID-19; masks and gloves were worn, and people were encouraged to take bouquets directly from the supply buckets to minimize close interaction and maintain social distancing.