Business has picked up for Organic Bouquet, the company featured on the cover of the 2007 Next Little Thing issue. "That story put us on the map," says founder Gerald Prolman. Revenues increased 50% in 2007, to more than $3 million. Prolman expects to move 100,000 of his signature six-foot roses in 2008, up from about 50,000 the previous year.
A day after FSB subscribers got the story, Prolman got a call from a float builder for the Rose Parade who wanted to put Prolman's roses on the Macy's Queen's float. The parade was seen by 40 million U.S. viewers. In February another two million homes saw Christina Aguilera give two dozen of the giant roses to Ellen DeGeneres on the 600th episode of her talk show. By then Prolman was already sold out of the stems through Valentine's Day.
Organic Bouquet's biggest challenge today is keeping up with demand from florists, hotels, restaurants, and spas. So Prolman strengthened the company's wholesale operations and can now ship flowers directly to clients from its partner farms. He also made exclusive production deals with 12 suppliers. In April he bought a former magazine brand, Organic Style, to serve as an umbrella retail website for Organic Bouquet and other eco-conscious brands.
Prolman, based in San Rafael, Calif., doubled the size of his staff to 30 in preparation for the November relaunch of organicstyle.com, and he expects his revenues to quadruple in 2008.
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