| MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012 The Dirt - May Issue   HOLA! I imagine you’re as busy as we are right now in preparation for Mother’s Day. Interest in Sunflower bouquets and bunches is leading the charge – a little higher than expected, actually – and we’re thrilled and doing everything in our power to deliver as close to 100% as possible. Recent rain and May gray has made life around here a little more interesting, but that’s the way we like it! From now until May 13 all hands are on deck to make sure your order is filled with the quantity and quality you expect and we demand. Please contact me directly if that’s not the case.  MAKING IT EASY We’re always looking for ways to make flower-friendly holidays better and easier for our clients, andthis spring is no exception. Aaron Motola, Marco Rivera and their teams worked hard in recent weeks on significant enhancements to our popular “Just Add” program. I’m pleased to introduce our new “Just Add Enhanced” selection. STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE We went straight to the source for this one, visiting several grocery stores and speaking with many floral managers in an attempt to understand what happens with “Just Add” bunches from the time they arrive at a back dock until they leave the store with a satisfied consumer. Then Aaron Motola spent 40 hours working in the store to better understand the department’s needs. Lastly, we went a step further and invited one of these in-store designers to the Dos Gringos Design Center to work with us on recipes. How’s that for teamwork!  PROTECTING OUR PRODUCTS We identified and immediately put in place some packing modifications that protect the product better and reduce waste. And we bulked up the contents, adding Leather Leaf and more filler greens to rim a vase and ensure a “complete” look for higher-priced arrangements. “Just Add Enhanced” is a time saver at the store level and a great value for our valuable floral managers. I can’t wait to see what we come up with next as we continue to reach out and partner with each other.  DESIGN MATTERS! Robin Mooney, our designer guru, has been equally busy making her creative mark on our products. She’s worked shoulder-to-shoulder with our Business Development Managers to learn what’s really capturing attention and to ensure we offer a diverse selection with something for everyone. The summer collection is all about color – the brighter, the better! And there are several new twists, including Bear Grass loops, color enhancement, and glitter. Nice. From botanical to summer shimmer, Robin has it covered – including red hot 4th of July bouquets that are sure to make sparks fly!  VIDEO TUTORIALS On the client education front, please check out our new “Even a Gringo Can Do It” tutorials on our you tube channel. The team and I are sharing all we know about flowers and greens to help you make the most of every product and gain customers for life!  MAKING A DIFFERENCE Dos Gringos is pleased to provide tours for the UCSD Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s Out and About Group. This picture is of our third tour group. Joan Saunders conducts the tour and Suzy Long does a bouquet presentation. Research has shown that during memory loss, people retain emotional connections longer. UCSD advises us that the groups really benefit by these tours and remain enthusiastic for a week or so following their visit. CELEBRATING CINCO!  -  The Dirt - April Issue   Hola! Spring is ‘round the corner – and so are several new products from Dos Gringos! Diversification is the name of our game right now. More and more clients want a one-stop shop that “gets” them and can help them win the day with on-trend, fun and interesting items and one-of-a-kind designs. Rest assured that our Sunflowers will continue to rock & roll as we work with the best breeders and plant in ideal locations. The difference you’ll see – by design, of course – is that we’ve got much more to offer outside of Suns. There are many new flower lines up for discussion. Stay tuned! Client response to our January survey is driving a lot of this research and development, and we’re always looking for more. If you didn’t have the time to give us your input, we’re still listening!  Spring Variety It’s always hectic around here as we make the transition from Easter to Administrative Professionals’ Day to Mother’s Day. People are eager to get in on the colors and textures of spring, and we are thrilled to deliver. That means we need our cutters sharp, our hard good inventory in shape, and our crops on time. A recent upgrade to our email server has helped ensure we have the capacity to meet increased demand for Sunflower-themed bouquets and for the terrific Ranunculus we’re enjoying this season. Waxflower is winding down and won’t make it to Mother’s Day. No worries; we’ve got plenty of interesting alternatives!  Right on the Mooney Robin Mooney has finished the designs and recipes for Spring and Summer 2013 bouquets; she's working with the team now to snap all the photos and put the finishing touches on marketing sheets. She shared some positive feedback she received on the spring line in particular and tells me that clients are very enthusiastic about pastel- and spring colored Daisy-themed bouquets and about the Iris, Sunflowers and Gerbera Daisies that just scream spring. How's that for something to look forward to?  Our Very Own Ambassador... Quality Control training continues in our distribution and assembly areas as well as on our farms. We have hired our first-ever Dos Gringos Ambassador to Mexico and look forward to the help he’ll offer Todd Thornton in visiting our farms to make sure our high standards are being met and best practices for quality and freshness are in place.  Always Improving! The team and I are well aware that you need us to keep costs as low as possible. I assure you we’re working on it. We’re discussing and developing a plant redesign for higher throughput and productivity that lead to lower costs. Marco Rivera is leading our Business Development Managers through some intense, product-specific training so they can offer you greater intelligence and insight about what we’re offering, what you’re buying, and how you can make the most cost-effective decisions for your business.   Since sizeable challenges have never stopped us in the past, we decided to face the opportunity head-on in 2012 with a seasoned, successful industry rep. Business Development Manager Cindy Hamner joined our family in January and has already achieved “Road Warrior” status, logging thousands of miles in her car and on airplanes to get us closer to this business and to bring a regional perspective back to our headquarters in Vista. From her home in Virginia, Cindy is meeting our clients and prospective clients one by one and looking at the product mix with new eyes. The goal, of course, is to provide a selection that works for you, that “Wows” your customers, and that’s priced appropriately. Welcome, Cindy! Glad to have you “on the job.” What’s up out east? Outside of spring and summer, very little is locally grown out here. Offerings during the fall and winter are typically from South America, and they have a very traditional look and feel. That leaves customers craving something different, but it has to be cost-effective. It’s a delicate balance. Greatest Opportunity: DG can deliver variety and quality that’s born in the USA. The greens are silkier, the Suns are bigger, and the choices are many. Our message is great; we just need to share it face-to-face. Early Successes: For Valentine’s Day we were able to introduce California consumer bunches to a Midwest retailer and get them up and running for sale. Incremental Sunflower promotions are very hot for June and July on the East Coast and in Texas! Client Response: People want a seat at the table and a say in the process. The clients I’ve met with really appreciate the effort to connect what they’re doing with what we’re doing. It’s truly a collaborative approach, and that excites and energizes folks. The DG Advantage: The sales team and service level are amazing! Everyone cares about the company and its objectives; they deliver on promises and hold themselves accountable. I love the creative environment and the fact that they don’t take no for an answer. They find a way to make just about anything work! The Cindy Hamner Advantage: I was a category manager for a retail chain for years, and I’ve spent a good deal of my career in sales. I understand the challenges and stresses of retail in general. I “get” margin and shrink, and I’m all about making improvements that can be profitable for everyone. On a personal note: I am officially a “Skating Mom,” driving all over the place to support my not-yet-16-year-old daughter in competitive figure skating. I hope they don’t make a show about us. Outside of the car, I’ve been a gardener my whole life, and I’m an avid runner. You can contact Cindy at: cindy.hamner@dosgringos.net.  Congratulations! to our Plant Supervisor, Raul Meza and his beautiful bride Adela. May you enjoy a long and happy life together. -  The Dirt - February 2012 Issue    The first two weeks of February are a blur for all of us in the flower biz. Thank you for taking time to catch up on what’s up at Dos Gringos. In honor of your time and the upcoming holiday, I’ll keep it short and sweet.  Imperfect timing, great intentions. Late last month we e-mailed a survey to all of the clients in our database. I shared in December that we’re looking at expanding our product line. We want and need you along for the ride. Would love your feedback on everything from vase life to selection – what’s missing? -- to service from our sales team. It will influence our planting and personnel decisions, what trade shows we attend, and future investments. Please let us have it.   There are new trends in arrangements and bouquets, and speed to market is everything. A fresh perspective is in order. Meet Robin Mooney, our Floral Design Coordinator, in the profile below. She’ll give some new love to our design department and challenge us to mix it up a bit and get “it” out there better and faster than anyone else.   The pillars of this business haven’t changed in over 20 years. We chose them very deliberately when we started, and we still believe that success in these three areas means success for all.  We’ve made a recent investment in more quality control Team Members. More red vests and aprons on Gabe Gill’s team mean greater quality for you and your customers. We also have plans for a lot more training and grading at the farm level.  A recent plant redesign will increase throughput on bouquets. We want them handled less and in water faster, period. Our weekly Quality Council is a cross-functional team charged with addressing quality issues the instant they arise. The faster we can move from assembly to water, the better. Updated forecasting tools and 52-week planning and planting reports help align inbound product with outbound product for greater freshness, less waste.  New flower varieties on the horizon…please help by getting those surveys in! New programs, news ways to sell flowers, merchandising help, and marketing info. As we embrace a customer-driven mindset, we want to provide a more complete package end to end. That’s enough out of me. Thank you for being a valued partner. Happy Valentine’s Day!  Jason Levin President & Chief Gringo   Her first job was in a flower shop, and she hasn’t left the business since. She has worked for growers, wholesalers, and designers before striking out on her own to design arrangements for weddings and special events. Now she brings her passion and expertise to Dos Gringos clients full time. Welcome, Robin! Can’t wait to see what you come up with next. What trends do you see? Bouquets with less elements, clutch style color grouping, and well-displayed. If something looks like it needs a lot of re-work, or if someone can’t picture it on there dining table, it’s a tough sell. A lot of bouquet makers do the same thing over and over again. We want to avoid that rut. Biggest Challenge: Keeping busy: January was a whirlwind. We had a great win when four bouquets were chosen by a major grocery store client. I’m in the flower factory with Gabe Gill and his team. It’s so exciting to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with these team members and introduce my design abilities. I’m working on the summer line and prepping that catalog. I want to stay right in step with our sales team and several steps ahead of the competition. What's great about Dos Gringos? The emphasis on team. The people here work beautifully together – not unlike the items and colors in a well-designed bouquet. The positive vibe and a can-do spirit are contagious. I am inspired to pass it on. On the personal side: I spend most of my free time with my husband and three kids. I love volunteering at my girls’ school, and the whole family enjoys walking, hiking, and biking. You can contact Robin at: robin.mooney@dosgringos.netHEY GRINGO FANS, FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!  -     2011 gave us plenty of opportunities, some terrific new relationships and travels, and interesting and innovative approaches for partnering with all of you. I am confident we learned from both our successes and mistakes, and I hope the same is true for your organization.  2012 gives us a fresh, clean canvas on which to continue our story. Sales and crop planning meetings late last month got the creative juices flowing, the team is jazzed, and the direction is clear: it’s time to broaden our product selection with some new and diverse items – all grown, of course, to strict DG quality standards! New items open up a world of design possibilities, so we’re psyched about that as well. What kind of new items? We’re working with you now to figure out where the current voids are and what’s most desirable before we make final planting decisions, but, of course, we have some ideas to bring to the table. Next week we will be sending out a survey that highlights a number of the products we’re considering. If you have a minute or two to join the conversation, we’d love to hear it. Thank you for your time on this. We want to help you transform your category and solve your problems. We can do this with your help. Attention and resources dedicated to growing the world’s best Sunflowers remains unchanged. We’ll keep pushing the envelope with breeders and our farm managers to provide ample supply of the coolest colors and the longest-lasting stems on the planet. That’s the foundation of our house; it will always be maintained and upgraded with the greatest of care. It’s time to give the first floor some love, and that will include new products and a “more is more” approach that responds directly and distinctly to consumer demands. We’re going beyond Sunflowers and fillers and looking at a whole new process for creating sample designs and preparing for trade shows. I hope you’re starting to see a theme. All of this work is aimed at building and providing you with a comprehensive program that incorporates the most recent and effective marketing concepts, merchandising ideas and solutions, product education, and design expertise. Upcoming newsletters will outline the details.    (Click images above to view the video or promotion) Our corporate mission of “bringing smiles to millions” hit new heights on January 2nd during the Rose Bowl Parade. 800,000 “live” spectators and 18 million TV viewers watched as the Escondido Mounted Posse, decked out in DG Sunflower blankets and bouquets made their way down Colorado Boulevard. They look terrific and what a perfect way to begin 2012!  The Escondido Mounted Posse passing in front of the grandstands at the Rose Bowl Parade, decked out in Dos Gringos Sunflowers. (Click images above to learn more)Until next time, best wishes for a fabulous, prosperous 2012!  Jason Levin President & Chief Gringo HEY GRINGO FANS, FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!  -  | Newsletter Archive 2012 (4)May (1)April (1)February (1)January (1)2011 (12)December (1)November (1)October (1)September (1)August (1)July (1)June (1)May (1)April (1)March (1)February (1)January (1)2010 (9)December (1)November (1)October (1)September (1)August (1)July (1)June (1)May (1)April (1) |
