A belated Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who love and nurture a kid(s) who needs you. I hope the holiday gave you rest, relaxation, and every reason to keep doing the amazing work you do! Here at Dos Gringos, we’re catching our breath after an extremely busy few weeks leading up to May 10. We enjoyed a really nice bump in sales brought on by interesting, innovative promotions for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. The controlled chaos included us busting our own record for highest single day of sales in our 27 year history. We did it May 2, the same day American Pharaoh won this year’s Kentucky Derby. The whole DG family will celebrate our record breaker in style during a fun-filled day in August at the Del Mar Racetrack. You can’t get those results without all hands on deck; I’m proud of the team effort that turned all our planning and preparation into orders and fulfillment.

Of course, when you go hard and fast for a while, you also get to see where there’s room for improvement. Flow and speed are two things we’ll continue to scrutinize and make better to ensure the best possible experience for all of our clients.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW PRODUCTS! I hope everyone’s had a chance to check out our high-end Succulent bouquets. This is a really neat way to extend the life of a DG creation long after stems and greens have given their all and to support end users’ interest in home gardening. There’s a lot we can do on the information/education side of this trend, and we’ll continue to share our unique expertise with pictures, tips, and tricks.

Graduations, year-end performances, and team appreciation events will round out the rest of the spring season for us, and we’ve got quite a few Sunflower promotions to help all worthy recipients mark these milestones with farm-fresh flowers and foliage.

June will find many of us on the road again for the all-important face-to-face conversations with clients.  We’ll be looking ahead to fall and what we can do to continue to deserve their business and be a great partner. I like to say that the spring rush is about being on the runway, while the summer allows us to climb to 50,000 feet and get a much broader view of where we’re at and where we need to be. I’ll keep you posted on what that looks like! Until then, here’s to fresh flowers and foliage that make folks smile! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I’ve always believed that a little luck goes a long way – but it’s up to us to make the most of it! I hope you get your share of good fortune in this month of spring and renewal. One of the most significant things Dos Gringos has never left to chance is the deliberate decision to not be a flower broker. With the variety of roles and players in this industry, it’s easy to forget who’s who and what’s what, but distinction and nuance matters – especially for you, our clients.

We are the first, middle, and last part of the chain that makes up the flower-buying experience. This means there’s never a middle man when you work with Dos Gringos. We are our own research and development experts. We own the seed, we own the production and we own the assembly facilities where your bouquets are made.  We’re committed to regular, relevant innovations that drive quality up and costs down. We also own the responsibility for mistakes – we are people first, and people mess up -- and we take great pride in making things right when they occur. The buck truly does stop right here and right with me.

As we continue our quest to bring smiles to millions, we continue to stand behind the pillars that have supported our growth to date: People, Freshness, and Innovation. The idea is simple – build a great team of forward-thinking professionals committed to delivering the freshest, most reasonably priced flowers and greens on the planet – but it’s not easy. We “get after it” every single day, and agility and evolution are key. It’s my responsibility to ask the right people to do the right things and then thank and reward them for excellence.

When I became owner and chief gringo over 20 years ago, we harvested 100 Sunflowers a day. Today we harvest 100,000 daily. That says a lot about the desire to spread smiles and good cheer, not just on the part of my team but on the part of people in general. There’s a demand for flowers; we need to keep making them fresher and more convenient so more and more people can share the love. It’s a great reason for showing up to work each day!

Dos Gringos was proud, to again, be a sponsor for the Fifth Annual Chelsea's RunCharity Fundraiser this past weekend. The Sunflower ~ It is resilient, it is bright and always follows the sun. It stands out in a crowd. It is surprising, towers over others in uniqueness and splendor, and the closer you look, the more amazing its depth and beauty. Chelsea’s favorite flower, theSunflower has come to symbolize the light and hope that continue to shine brightly.  We were glad to donate 2,500 of them to brighten the run!

with Marco Rivera On a less happy note, I regret to inform all of our clients that Marco Rivera, Director of Sales, has decided to seize an interesting opportunity to work in a different industry. We will miss his expertise and his passion for keeping Dos Gringos “Different by Design.” He was kind enough to share a few parting thoughts that I think say a lot about who Dos Gringos is and what we’ll continue to be. Q. Best Lesson Learned? A. “The number of things that must go right for the end consumer to have a great experience is mind-boggling. There are so many outstanding people in the floral industry -- and at Dos Gringos -- who have made it their life’s work to optimize each and every touch point. It’s impressive and humbling.” Q. Perspective on Pillars: A. “Dos Gringos gets it right by putting people first. With everything I’ve seen, done, and learned, it’s the relationships I’ll remember and cherish most. Colleagues become friends, and teammates become family. People first – all the way, all the time.” Q. I Won’t Miss: A. “Mother Nature! Extreme and unexpected changes in the weather are no friend of the industry. I look forward to ignoring the weather forecast.” In Closing...? “Thank you for all of the great memories. I will truly miss DG and every relationship I developed.”

Right back at you, Marco. We will miss your steady leadership and perspective and hope to stay in touch. Mother’s Day will be here before we know it. Right now all crops and specialty items are looking great, so please let us know what you’ll need. Happy Easter! Happy Passover! This letter began with a leprechaun and ends with a bunny. Life is good…but it’s definitely better with flowers! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Valentine’s week is here, and the hard work and long hours we’ve logged since Jan. 30 have us in good shape for the home stretch. To ensure this holiday delivers all the smiles it can, we’ll have crews available 24/7 until Feb. 13 to get you what you need. Nothing says “love” like fresh, farm-grown flowers, and no one does fresh, farm-grown flowers like Dos Gringos. Well, at least we’d like to think so. Let us know if you need any last minute help this week and we will do everything that we can to try to help.  Our Just Adds® program continues to satisfy several needs and interests right now, and our unique mixed greens remain as popular as ever. We’re hearing that consumers coast-to-coast appreciate the ability to customize a standard bouquet of roses or tulips with a touch – or a ton -- of interesting California greens. It’s easy and affordable, and the possibilities are endless. If you weren’t in the loop for Valentine’s Day it’s not to late to jump on the bandwagon for Mother’s Day.

Strategic Planning was a big topic for us throughout the fourth quarter. Several meetings and conversations resulted in an aggressive plan that holds true to our foundation and the things we’re best at. I want to share what we’re going after so you can get involved as much as you like and help keep us honest and realistic. Highlights include: FRESHNESS: In the flower business, the number of things that need to go right to ensure the BEST end-user experience is mind-numbing. While we embrace the challenge to examine and optimize every last step in the process from ranch to retail, we know that one aspect gets most of the attention: vase life. People who buy flowers want those stems and blooms to last as long as possible. That’s why we’re committed to a three-year-project to drive a full three days from our supply chain. This will demand better forecasting, planning, and logistics solutions, for sure. First steps include the recent addition of a full-time horticulturalist to oversee our fields in Mexico and visits to supply chain efficiency experts outside of the flower business.  It’s our belief that the one thing that we will never hear from our customers and your customers is… “I really wish my fresh flowers didn’t last so long." INNOVATION: New seeds, new designs, and new displays will help deliver on our promise of “Different by Design®.”  In March we’ll introduce you to our new Director of Operations who will focus so keenly on day-to-day operations excellence that I and other leaders will be free to play more offense and less defense. While Jeff Cottingham helps us gets everything just right on the operation side, I plan to increase visits with potential and existing clients and spend a lot more time on “new and next.” Our collaborative approach to date has served us well, and I will continue to ask the people closest to the action – YOU – for the insight, ideas, and feedback that will drive our future focus.  Please click on the attached link if you’d like to help.  If not, all good.  We’re still working hard on everyone's behalf.   PEOPLE: All the freshness and innovative ideas in the world won’t do anything for us -- or you – if we don’t have the right team in place to execute. There’s opportunity to change and improve our hiring process to ensure we’ve got the right folks in the right seats – and that we’re treating them so well they don’t want to work anywhere else. An outside firm that we hired to help us with this teams up with us to help define our talent management strategy and long term road map.   This month we would like to feature our new Teammate Fernando Ayala, who is our Agronomist, handling our Mexican operations.   Q. Although I have just begun my employment with Dos Gringos I am most excited about? A. The attention the company is giving me, I really feel like I am part of a team and a work family. Q. My personal moto or mantra is? A. Everything you wish for is possible, but if you leave it as a wish it will only be an illusion. Q. I chose agronomy as my course of study because? A. Earth is a female figure that must be treated with respect and care. Q. The top three highlights of my life (so far) have been? A. My family, agronomy, and Dos Gringos. Q. My favorite flower/ food/book/movie is? A. Dahlia, shrimp, Mexico Before God (Francisco Martin Moreno), La Malquerida, El Rebozo de Soledad (Soledad’s Shawl) and Maclovia. Q. People would be surprised to know about me. A. The only time my mother went with me to school is when I graduated. Q. In my free time I enjoy. A. Charreria (Mexican rodeos), Swimming, read articles related to my career and profession, and learn more about my country. Q. Is there anything you would like to add? A. The only barrier we have is fear to make a change.   Never a dull moment, and we’ll certainly keep you posted on programs and progress. In the meantime, Happy Valentine’s Day to all!   SALUD!   ______________________________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hola, and Happy Holidays to all! On behalf of the entire Dos Gringos Team, I wish you and yours a warm, wonderful season filled with joy and flowers! Our glad tidings are arriving a little later in the month than I prefer, as we have been nose to the grindstone since winter arrived. The team and I decided to hit the road this month to catch up in person with clients in New York, Ohio, California, Utah and Illinois. Conversations have been incredibly productive, and our team is bringing back plenty of confidence to hit the ground running with in 2015.  This experience will offer improvements and initiatives aimed at client satisfaction for the entire year..  I shared much of your feedback with the Dos Gringos team when we gathered on December 11th for our annual Holiday Luncheon and Town Hall Meeting here in the Design Studio. I assure you that each team member is inspired and excited to do whatever it takes to enhance the experience of working at Dos Gringos and with you.  This includes ensuring that their work supports our strategic pillars of People, Freshness, Innovation, and Growth. We also spent time recognizing the hard work and highlights of 2014, which include:

Look for us in early 2015 to make strides in streamlining and accelerating the flower flow process from Ranch to Retail: -  Optimizing our logistics resources -  Minimizing production dips -  Increasing our product development pipeline for new seeds and designs.  Your input and feedback on any or all these are welcome and appreciated.   Until then, enjoy friends and family and try to sneak in at least a little R&R.   Happy New Year!     ______________________________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mea culpa. This issue of The Dirt begins with one big apology. Several of our valuable clients were very disappointed by our Sunflower dip in production we experienced during Week #40 and part of #41.  One of our top initiatives is to move seamlessly from the production of our spring/summer growing regions (instead of “pushing” them to perform further and compromising quality) into production at our fall/winter sites. We work at this all year long. While we shipped close to flawlessly almost every week in 2014 so far, we did have a hiccup in October that left clients without all the Sunflowers they expected. That’s not o.k., and I assure you we’ll do everything in our power to avoid it in the future.  The PMA show in October gave me the opportunity to explain the gap to some clients in person. Call me 24/7 if you want further explanation or want to hear from me personally on what our plan is for 2015. PMA was a great venue for sharing some of our latest and greatest ideas and innovations – "Copper Suns" and the “Happy Day” bouquets were big hits -- during a very solid Saturday on the show floor. Special thanks to those of you who attended our Happy Hour event at Morton’s. The team and I appreciate your time, interest, and feedback!          We returned from Anaheim to late fall/winter production in full swing, and we are really looking forward to an outstanding Thanksgiving.  So far, we are on plan and have had yields on or above forecast for Weeks 42, 43, and 44.. While Pumpkin Trees and Marigolds wind down for the year, autumn Sunflowers and the usual fall staples are gorgeous and meeting demand. We’re running double shifts from Oct. 27 through the Thanksgiving shipping period and extended office hours begin Nov. 13. Check out these two featured bouquets to the left.

Strategic planning is on the calendar as well. In addition to new, smarter approaches to preventing the fall dip, we’ll start tackling long-term questions about differentiation and a business model that can’t easily be duplicated – all so we can continue to give you the best flower-buying experience at the best possible prices.   In the meantime, on behalf of everyone at Dos Gringos, thank you for choosing and partnering with us, and have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving!     50k Run Stats: Time:  5 hours 25 minutes. Finished #15 of 200 in age group.   ______________________________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Dirt - October 2014

Hola! I hope the start of another school year has been a happy and stress-free time for all!  As students of all ages settle into classrooms across the country, the team at Dos Gringos is preparing for the busy autumn ahead. We love this time of year, largely because it showcases what differentiates us from other growers -- rich, deep red, brown, orange, and golden hues offset by lush California greens that you just don’t find everywhere else.  Pumpkin Tree is as gorgeous as I’ve ever seen it, and our Autumn selection of Mason Jar arrangements are stunning.  Don’t miss a chance to check them out and to offer them to your customers as an ideal Halloween accent. At Dos Gringos, we are loving the sales-driving surge of interest and excitement around Dia de los Muertos (Nov. 1).  Our orange African Marigolds are perfect for home décor and culinary displays as families and friends gather to celebrate this festive occasion. This year’s harvest is fantastic, and the stems are going out just as quickly as we get them in! We expect an ample, healthy supply through October.        We continue to develop and build our booth for the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit Convention and Expo Oct. 17-19.  Spoiler Alert: A new product for 2015 will be “in the house.”  We look forward to seeing those of you who plan to attend.  Don’t miss Booth #4374, where a picnic-style theme will bring us all together to relax in Dos Gringos’ “backyard.”  Here you can enjoy our latest and greatest one-of-a-kind bouquets, while we discuss what we can do to create and develop better solutions for your business.  For us, it's about working with you to achieve positive results.  Marco Rivera, Robin Mooney, Jennifer Flores, Gabby Mercado and Jenny Butterfass will all be with me in Anaheim.  Come by to catch up! November and December will bring to focus strategic planning and budgeting for 2015.  We will be taking some time to refresh the Dos Gringos brand pillars – People, Freshness, and Innovation.  We also plan to look with fresh eyes at the questions: What are we missing or overlooking? How do we permanently fix our reoccurring production dip in early fall?   As we strive to provide smiles and “affordable luxury”, we know fresh, gorgeous flowers can bring joy to so many.  What other “things” can we do to grow our business and continue to earn your partnership? I know my team is up for this challenge, and we will let you know ASAPwhere this great discussion takes us. Until then, enjoy this beautiful, bountiful time of year and know that Dos Gringos will be ready to finish 2015 strong for the year-end holidays! ______________________________________