The Dirt - Summer Greetings!

Hola! Warm summer greetings to all! A number of client trade shows are getting our time and attention in June.  These are ideal opportunities for us to get one-on-one, face-to-face time with important partners.  We put a lot of thought, preparation and hardwork into these opportunities. Members of the team are headed to Idaho, New Jersey, Florida, and Ohio this month.  We’ve opted out of SuperFloral again this summer, preferring to spend time and resources on established, strategic partnerships with agreed-upon goals and objectives. We’ve learned that this works better for clients, and we’re happy to be able to accommodate them.  Heads Up, though: we are making plans to be at the Produce Marketing Association show in New Orleans in October. Robin has so much to share and display in Autumn, and we can’t wait to catch up with many of you there. I’m confident you’ll find that we’ve continued to improve and change in ways that benefit you. In the meantime, we are bursting at the seams with all the greatest flowers of the summer. The crops I’ve seen look outstanding, and Sunflowers are in ample supply. Sunbeams, Sun Splash, GreenBurst, and all the varieties with gorgeous dark centers are filling our coolers. Might be time to think about a Sunflower Category vs a Sunflower Sku!? Dos Gringos has spread its wings a bit in recent months. I’m pleased to let you know that we’ve successfully purchased a 25 year old company, with over 5,000 clients called Pick On Us. This eco-friendly, sustainable concept produces cuisine décor – bamboo picks, stir sticks, and skewers – giving us improved access to unique and interesting bouquet picks. We’re excited to learn all we can and to share the possibilities with all of you. There’s a lot of synergy between how we sell flowers and how we sell these items, and I felt it was a great time to add some diversification to our business model and boost our financial position for the future. Aaron Motola, who many of you have known for years as DG’s procurement expert, has agreed to run Pick on Us for us. He and a small team have wasted no time getting up and into this marketplace. Conferences and trade shows throughout the spring have been invaluable in allowing us to connect with chefs and begin our quest to be the knowledge experts in cuisine décor – in the same way that we strive to be the smartest in flower and foliage in order to pass this education along to our clients.  Check out the web site and see what we mean: www.pickonus.com. “We’re off to a great start with this exciting new venture,” says Aaron. “It’s really fun and energizing, and we see all kinds of potential. The best part so far has been meeting and starting relationships with so many culinary experts. We’ve created a Chef’s Toolkit that puts all of our products in all different shapes and sizes at a chef’s fingertips as he/she imagines and creates the next menu. And we completed our first catalog, available in hard copy and online. We’re taking smart, solid first steps, and we think there are great things ahead for Pick on us.” As spring gives way to summer this month, I hope terrific days are ahead for all of you. Together, let’s fill them with flowers! _______________________ _________________________

Happy Mother's Day

Hola! I have always said that Dos Gringos is “a Mother’s Day kind of company,” but what in the world does that mean? It reflects the reality that April and early May tend to be very big for us in terms of reaping what we sow. That was certainly the case this spring. We rebounded nicely from some March weather issues and have been able to harvest many of the crops that came up short in January and February. In fact, last Thursday we broke our standing record for largest daily sales.  It was a proud day in Dg history. I’ve been on the production floor a lot this holiday, and I assure you the products shipped this week are some of the lushest and healthiest of the spring season. The Dg Team is working 14-hour days to bring sunshine and smiles to mothers across the country, let's hope they do! This weekend’s holiday puts an end to Marguerite Daisies and Ranunculus while it ushers in our signature stem – Sunflowers! In just a few short weeks we’ll begin harvesting out of California and northern Baja, transitioning the work flow and plant production schedule around this summertime favorite. It still leads the charge in adding instant, budget-friendly flower power to indoor and outdoor spaces, and I am convinced that Dos Gringos is working with the best and brightest hybridizers and breeders to keep Suns fun and fresh. On the design side, Robin Mooney and her team continue to test a variety of builds and displays. We’ve had a great response to our Mason Jars campaign. Robin and Marco Rivera agree that this product hits a “sweet spot” with consumers. Our Mason Jar's are the perfect size and make for a great hostess gift or small table centerpiece.  They present themselves as a really nice gesture that’s tasteful but not over the top.  Also, we’re seeing some of our competitors follow suit with this design idea. Fortunately we haven’t seen any copycats who have Robin’s eye for design – or her patience for hand-tying every Mason Jar we send to a store!  Check out our summer selection below. Mid-May includes site visits to explore opportunities for supply chain expansion as well as a trip for me out east. We’re very excited to reveal interesting and innovative plans for Thanksgiving 2013 and the year-end holidays. Office time will be spent working with the team to finalize our list of summer projects. More on those in June. Until then, enjoy the last weeks of school-year schedules. More importantly, soak in the sunshine that took too long to arrive in certain areas of the country. ______________________

DG Dirt Spring has Sprung

Hola, Like most of you, here at Dos Gringos we don’t see much of a break between all of the hard work and preparation that goes into Easter and all of the “other” spring holidays: Administrative Professionals’ Day on April 24 and Mother’s Day on May 12. The great news, of course, is that spring has sprung! Birds are singing, windows are opening, and doors are being left ajar to welcome the fresh air! Across the country, it’s time to add color and life to our indoor environments and activities, and it’s up to all of us to make sure these additions include fresh flowers and greens of all kinds. Weddings and showers, classrooms and kitchens, graduation parties and last-minute barbeques – which of these couldn’t benefit from some floral love? We typically put travel on the back burner for April and May, and this year is no exception.  These days you’ll find us hunkered down in San Diego and Miami, working hard to finalize forecasts and putting finishing touches on our plan for full-service coverage.   We are also making appropriate assignments decisions about additional training to ensure we bring you the best service and flowers possible.  If there’s anything we can do to make April and May run more efficiently for you, please reach out to me or another DG team member. We continue to evaluate expansion plans and possible future locations in Mexico so we can increase acreage to meet increased demand. I do want to take a minute to re-introduce Nadia Martinez. We were lucky to have Nadia in-house from 2008-2011 as a Sales Support team member. She worked closely with the Sales Team to ensure orders were entered and processed accurately and, more importantly, to learn all she could about the different requirements among our sales segments: Wholesale, National, Regional, and E-Commerce.  She developed a lot of great relationships and became a trusted source of information and ideas for internal and external clients alike. When Nadia’s husband, a U.S. Marine, was transferred to South Carolina, we truly felt her absence. When we reached out to Nadia months later to work remotely and cover another teammate’s leave of absence, she was, as usual, happy to help – and we’ve hung on to her ever since! Those of you who work with Nadia know what a great resource she is. She’s in constant contact with Marco Rivera and his team, and her professionalism along with her ability to follow-through are terrific examples of Dos Gringos’ values.  What’s in it for her? There’s so much to love about working for Dos Gringos. The chance to learn, grow and support are the foundations of great teamwork and are very important to me.  We are there for each other no matter what, and customer service is always top priority. I consider this a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For Nadia and the rest of the team, “Execution” is the word of the month. Please let us know how we’re doing. _______________________

The Dirt - Spring is coming!

Hola! Okay, so Valentine’s Day was not the most beautiful execution we’ve ever seen – a three-week delay in California crops and unwelcome weather issues in the Northeast didn’t help – but we did everything in our power to meet expectations and deliver on our promises. I’m not heartbroken that this holiday is behind us and prettier production is ahead. March brings spring, and spring brings new perspective and renewed passion. The season sends all the beautiful items so many of us love and long for all winter. We’ll start harvesting Bells of Ireland, Ranunculus, and Super Stock in March.  Numbers will be moderate to low due to the unseasonable cooler mornings that we are experiencing. March is a great time to introduce all of you to team member and team player Ciro Gonzalez, our new Supply Chain and Logistics Manager.  Ciro jumped aboard in December  learning all things logistics. He is serious and disciplined about ensuring every client receives his/her order(s) on time, appropriately labeled, and in excellent condition. We’re lucky to have Ciro. In the coming months, he’ll assume additional responsibility for seed procurement, working with the sales team and Master Grower Todd Thornton on harvest forecasts, order execution, and follow-up. He pays attention to detail and the analysis this work requires, and I know we’ll all reap the benefits of his influence. Get to know Ciro (hey that rhymes) a little more in the interview below. Where in the world is Aaron Motola? Fear not, my friends. Our fearless Leadership Team Pioneer remains on site and very much a member of the team. Aaron is now leading a 20 year old "new venture" that I recently acquired.  Stay tuned for more info.     We began this month with a Sunflower fundraiser at the 3rd annual Finish Chelsea’s Run on March 2. Giving back is a huge priority for us, and this event is always an incredible experience for all of us who attend. We raised and presented a total of $2,153 for the Sunflower Scholarship associated with this cause – despite my six-year-old Jack’s confusion about why he didn’t get to keep the proceeds from the stems he personally sold…a teachable moment, to be sure.   __________________________________________________________ Early years: Born in Mexico, Ciro began his professional life in Monterrey, an industrial city in the north, and was involved in several manufacturing industries in logistics, production planning and inventory control. He began to specialize in the food industry in the mid-1990s, establishing process procedures and information systems for the seafood, dried fruit and orange industries in the United States. On the Move: Moved to Florida in 1997 to stay close to projects. Arrived in San Diego in 2000. Spent the past 13 years as a distribution manager with diverse responsibilities including inventory, logistics, order fulfillment and growers supply. Flowers offer fresh perspective: I find the flower business challenging and fascinating. The inventory turn is almost immediate. Trucks with material may be received one day and shipped out forming a bouquet the same day. The storage period for flowers and greens, if any, is very short. There is no margin for error. Operations must be precise, transportation on time, and temperature controlled. On top of that, cargo must be treated delicately.   We set the highest standards for quality and availability, yet we’re subject to the seasonality of our product and to Mother Nature’s mood swings – a delicate balance, to be sure! Greatest opportunity: The logistics network is in place, the demand is growing and the trend is toward high-quality, steady supply. My biggest challenge, which I accept wholeheartedly, is developing a supply on par with the other links of the chain that will allow us to grow and continue providing the best products for our partners. I want to help our growers increase the variety and quality of material; create new sources in climates that improve availability; control as best we can the risk of natural events; and create cost-effective logistics for the transportation we need. First Impressions:  I like challenges and finding ways to resolve puzzles and find answers. Opportunity can be found in lots of places. What’s harder to find are the great people and culture Dos Gringos has. It comes from the top. Jason’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious, and the culture he and his team have created is unique. I’ve met so many people, all with different backgrounds and skills – and each with a story about how happy they are to work here. The flowers help, of course – you can’t beat the aroma therapy! -- but this is a happy place in a challenging business. Personal: Married with two kids. My daughter (21) is finishing college, and my son is a high school senior. We love San Diego and the chance to meet people from so many different cultures. I enjoy music, books of all kinds, and flowers. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The Dirt - February 2013

Hola, Like all of you, the Team at Dos Gringos is in the thick of wrapping up Valentine’s Day.  Knowing how busy this time is, I’ll keep it short and sweet. California was hit hard with a cold snap in late January, and several crops were set back.  Stock, Wax flower, Sunflowers and Larkspur all are coming up slower and later than expected.  We are working through this with the same attention and discipline we give to any challenge, and orders are going out.  We appreciate everyone's flexibility around shop dates and recipe changes.  I can assure that you will get the best possible product(s) every time. January was “All Airport, All the Time” for me.  I made some very productive January trips to visit clients, partners on the East Coast and see upgrades in operations and facilities. It is so helpful when we can see for ourselves how our work impacts yours. I also traveled to Mexico with our team to check in and get an update from our Ranch Managers.  We were pleased to see the progress that is being made in our expansion project. After helping immensely with our holiday operations, Dos Gringos Miami continues to add capacity and capability. Our progress in this strategic location will improve service and freshness for valuable clients in the east.  Our staff in Miami – all team members who were with us in California for years and who know and understand the standards and expectations we insist on – is working hard to execute a successful Valentine’s Day.  This was a huge transition for all of these folks, and they haven’t missed a beat. Job #1 is to now secure and enhance our Florida production. In addition to this, establishing important relationships that ensure we can offer and deliver the best products at the most competitive prices will remain a priority. Reaching out within the Miami community and making lasting connections will be a key to our success. I’ll be here in California working with the team until all Valentine’s Day orders are filled and shipped to your satisfaction.  I will then be hitting the road again to head back for more site visits in the Midwest and East Coast. I want to inform you of a very positive change and one addition to our Team. Todd Thornton, a master grower who’s been with us several years in a number of different capacities, is now on-site in Vista full time. His work with Ranch Managers and his unparalleled knowledge of the growing process, start to finish, will continue to be an asset for us. Todd is now working closely with Ciro Gonzalez, the newest member of the family. Ciro has stepped up beautifully to learn from Aaron Motola and to begin helping with the many and varied responsibilities associated with procurement. We’ll give Ciro an appropriate welcome and introduction in the March issue of this newsletter. Until then, I wish you all a wonderful Valentine's Day!

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