The Dirt - September 2014

Hola! The students are back in school and we, at Dos Gringos, are back to work in full force.  We are enthusiastic about our fascinating fall line up and we want to help you put them on every autumn table in North America.   Pumpkin Trees are here!  This funky, orange relative of the eggplant family is one of our most popular fall items!  These tall stems of mini-pumpkins are a great conversation piece as a stand-alone item in a vase and also add a true sense of fall when included in our bouquets.  Hurry!  Pumpkin Trees do not last long.  Check out Pumpkin Trees in action in our lobby.          We grow our African Marigolds in two colors:  vibrant yellow and deep orange.  The official flower of Dia De Los Muertos really helps our fall bouquet line up shine. Did you know wineries plant Marigolds to ward of pests, big and small?  Even the deer despise them, but we don’t because they make our fall bouquets pop.         Check out some examples below and to the left.                                  Speaking of wine….Safari Sunset’s deep wine color is another enhancement to our fall bouquets.  The flowers are actually a cone surrounded by large, burgundy bracts – much like bougainvillea.  They are one of the oldest known flowers and even look great when dried. Stop by and see us in our “California Backyard” themed booth (#4374) at the Produce Marketing Association show running October 18th and 19th.  There you will get the opportunity to preview some innovative, new products scheduled for release in 2015.  (Almost here!)  We will also be featuring the new designs for our very popular Mason Jar line and our best-selling Bright and Beautiful bouquet. So stop by, we’d love to catch up with you.   ______________________________________ _________________________________________________________

DG Dirt - August 2014

Hola! Mason Jar Merchandising is on our minds! Last month we launched the Dos Gringos Mason Jar Collection.  This collection features a set of simple, fuss-free arrangements that let Sunflowers, unique greens and fillers shine in a charming, chic way. As consumers respond to the “affordable luxury” associated with this trend, the collection is driving impulse sales and reducing time and labor for floral departments. We love the potential this line holds and we're seeing growth in new purchase orders -- but our work isn’t finished yet. One of the biggest advantages we offer clients is partnership and our willingness to tackle challenges together. We’ve spent a good deal of time in stores the past several weeks to develop out the best practices for merchandising the DG Mason Jar Collection. The sooner consumers can get the jars home – or wherever they plan to enjoy them -- the longer they’ll have to bask in the beauty of bold Sunflowers, greens and fillers. Click the button below for Mason Jar Merchandizing ideas August is filled with quite a bit of travel. Colorado, Texas, and Missouri are all destinations for the DG team. We have several Sunflower promotions currently running, and we look forward to touching base with some long-time clients to see how things are going and how we can further help them. The Produce Marketing Association show, October 18-19, is also on our calendar! We look forward to putting our best flowers forward to help you plan for a successful year-end 2014. Please let us know if there’s something in particular we can do to help your business.   Every time you buy flowers from Dos Gringos, I want that experience to be remarkable. We go to great lengths to plant, grow, and harvest the healthiest, most beautiful items from seed to sale, and I am always prepared to stand by our product quality – but that’s only half the equation. Having a great team is equally important, and I am convinced that “great” means healthy and happy. More and more companies are investing in Team Member well-being, and Dos Gringos is no exception. Check out how it pays off!  The DG Wellness Program focused on physical health Jan-June. Lucy Vazquez embraced a 12-week weight loss challenge and shed over 50 lbs. Way to go, Lucy! Tell us about it. Tell us a little bit about yourself. As one of fourteen children, I have been working since a young age when I pitched in to help out my family.  Fortunately, I came to the attention of a good teacher who assisted me in continuing my education.  One of my early jobs was actually cleaning the classrooms.  I also worked at a sewing factory. I followed my older sister to New York when I was 17 years old and worked there and in Nevada.  I was fortunate enough to meet my husband while I was living in New York and we are the proud parents of 3 children – an 8 year old son, and 4 year old and 2 year old daughters. Q. How long have you been with Dos Gringos and in what positions? A. I have been here for 6 years and I have rotated through a number of different positions including packing, box assembly and e-commerce.  Right now I am in the packing department. Q. What is your favorite part of your position? A. Quality is very important to me.  Not only the quality of the flowers and bouquets but also insuring that they are packed carefully to insure they arrive in perfect condition so that our clients are very happy with what they receive. Q. What is your favorite flower? A. I love all flowers!  That is part of the reason I work here. Q. What are you most excited about looking into the future? A. With everything I have learned at Dos Gringos, I hope to someday open my own design -related business. Mental wellness matters, too. The second half of 2014 includes a weekly on-site Mindfulness Seminar about how to be fully present in every interaction. When we say we’re there for you, we’re truly there! Speaking of mental health, we’ll be sending kids back to school before we know it.  Grab every opportunity to make the most of summer while it’s here – and don’t forget the flowers! ______________________________________

The Dirt - July 2014

Hola! A belated “Happy Independence Day” to all of our partners.  I hope everyone enjoyed summer sunshine, great food, fireworks and well-deserved rest and relaxation with family and friends. Leading up to the 4th of July, Dos Gringos made the most of a unique opportunity to boost awareness of the floral industry and help showcase the incredible impact fresh flowers, especially Sunflowers, can make on people.  We were proud to feature our Sunflowers for the first time ever in a display booth inside the Flower Pavilion at the five-week San Diego County Fair.  Against the backdrop of a 1960’s Beatles theme – Fab Fair – we surrounded a bright, red, mint condition Volkswagen bus, with 1,000 stems of beautiful Sunflowers, which we refreshed each week.  It packed a punch for the 1,457,130 visits the Fair recorded for this year. “We were delighted with the great impact this exhibit had on our guests,” said Betty Patterson del Sol, Flower Show Coordinator.  “The Sunflowers may be following the sun but our guests were facing the Sunflowers.  Thank you for adding so much to the 2014 Fab Fair.  You added a “WOW” factor and put a smile on a lot of faces.”   Anyone who is familiar with Dos Gringos knows our vision:  flowers on every tabletop, smiles on millions of faces.  I’m pleased to introduce a recent initiative that brings us closer to achieving this goal.  This week, after months of ideation and product development, we launched an expanded Collection that gives customers an easy, affordable way to enjoy Sunflowers and fresh greens seasons after season, 365 a year.   Originally designed and developed as a promotion for holidays and special occasions, our Mason Jar Collection provides “affordable luxury” year-round.  Simple, fuss-free arrangements with fun names like;Wagon Wheel, Color Pop, and  Autumn Afternoon are big on pretty and easy on price.  Our available access to incorporating interesting California greens and fillers into our arrangements will guarantee combinations you won’t see elsewhere.   With a lot of help from Rachel Larsen, a Marketing major at San Diego State and a DG summer intern, our Marketing Team is rolling out a new catalog, flyers, sell sheets, email blasts and “How-To” videos to support this expanded line.  Our Business Development Team will also be making the Mason Jar collection part of upcoming client conversations. As we continue to be your experts on Sunflower knowledge and product, we would love to hear your feedback.  Please take some time and tell us what you think of our new collection and how it works for you! Together we can take the DG Mason Jar Collection to the next level and continue to drive flower sales higher.  ______________________________________

The Dirt - June 2014

Hola! Holy June already!  We are half way through the year and Dos Gringos is diving head first into summer. School is ending, graduations are taking place, and summer projects are underway.   This summer's theme is “Road Work Ahead.”  Some of us will hit the road to visit customers.  Some of us will work on filling in the pot holes from heavy Spring and Mother’s Day traffic.  Some of us will hit the road to recharge our battery.  And some of us will do all three! ______________________________________