Every florist knows the struggle, designing the perfect arrangement, then stressing over how it’s delivered. Wobbly vases, shifting centerpieces, and last-minute disasters can turn a beautiful creation into a logistical nightmare.
We all face challenges in our daily work, but inventive floral designers create their own solutions. Christine Foley, founder of Caddy Up Solutions, realized that one of the biggest challenges in floristry isn't creating flowers, it's delivering them. After endless hours of
pre-planning and production, delivery can still be a last-minute scramble.
What if there was a better way to get your flowers ‘from vase to venue?
Photo: Christine Foley
While managing In Full Bloom, a Long Island wedding and event business, Chris applied her 40+ years of experience to solving the delivery dilemma. She invented The Flower Caddy - a game changing eco-friendly, durable product designed to transport flower arrangements safely and stress-free. Transforming a common floral frustration into an inventive solution.
“Think about the six different ways flowers are transported,” suggests Chris. “From the vase to the carrier, into the refrigerator, onto a cart, inside the van, into the venue, and onto the table. It’s a more professional look when you’re not delivering designs in old flower boxes.”
Photo: Christine Foley
Flower damage costs money
Like most florists, Chris’ team calculates prep, product, and production costs, and builds it into the cost of bouquets. They know that every time they place flowers in the refrigerator, delivery van, or venue, they are moving and jostling fresh product. Replacing those damaged or bruised flowers costs time and money that must be factored into the price.
“You want to protect the flowers, because they’re expensive. Consider the money you’re spending on flower replacement. That money could be invested in a good, stable delivery mechanic instead,” Chris explains.
She wanted to move even large $300 - $400 centerpieces, without bruising the flowers. Chris tried placing the arrangement on a piece of Styrofoam. For larger arrangements she doubled the Styrofoam. She used wooden picks, but the picks broke. Her struggles inspired her to manufacture a new flower transportation product. A solution created by a florist, for florists.
National Inventors Club
Chris did her research and joined an Inventors Club, sharing her idea with like-minded people.
She asked questions and got answers. “I googled - Inventors Club and found that my local college, Farmingdale University on Long Island holds meetings once a month.” Chris joined the NIC- National Inventors Club free membership.
She worked with a coach who guided her. She did her homework and located a manufacturer in Iowa that made 3D prototypes. They sent ideas back and forth, making changes.
Chris soon learned the basics of invention.
• Identify the problem.
• Do your research.
• Document your idea.
• Ask questions. Ask more questions.
• Be open to suggestions. Seek solutions.
• Test products in the marketplace.
• Learn from both good and bad reviews.
• Create a prototype.
• Manufacture. Promote. Sell.
Photo: Christine Foley
Creating the Caddy
Chris knew that many florists are tight on space. A big caddy would take up more room. How could she solve that problem? One day, she saw Legos and said “What if they could be stacked like Legos?” She made her prototype stackable.
“It's just innovation, sitting with it, leaving it on the coffee table, having my cup of coffee in the morning, looking at it to say - what else could I put in this area? Because I know if it doesn't do what it says, I'm going to hear about it,” chuckles Chris.
Many people advised Chris to go overseas for production, suggesting it's cheaper. “But guess what? It cost $15K to $18,000 to get cargo here from Malaysia and China,” Chris explained.
Chris did zoom with factories in Asia via Zoom. “There was a language barrier.” She felt more confident doing business in the US and proudly saying its “Made in the USA.”
It may have cost Chris more, but she was able to visit the factory while the caddy was being produced. She and the product development team sat around the table sharing ideas. They still weren't getting it.
“I made a beautiful centerpiece and put it on the table for the designers to see. Now, they could understand how the flowers had to fit as they were developing the caddy.” Working closely with her manufacturer, Chris made plans for a cost-effective mold.
Photo: Christine Foley
Have a Conversation
“It's just a conversation. Life is amazing and great and you could have anything you want in life. It all starts with a conversation.” If that conversation doesn't support your vision and mission, have another conversation,” suggests Chris.
Chris used design presentations to introduce her product. “I shared it with Smithers-Oasis North America. They were very taken with it and said “Wow! We need a product like this for our industry.”
The Flower Caddy
• 15”x 15”x3.5”
• Eight per case.
• Made of recycled plastics.
• Lightweight. Stackable.
• Easy to manage.
• Made in the USA.
• Available from your favorite wholesaler or oasisfloralproducts.com
Why eight Caddies per box? According to Chris, their average wedding has to guarantee 150 people. A minimum of 15 tables - 15 centerpieces, needs two cases of caddies. “At the store we have 60 because sometimes our pieces are grand and we stack two caddies.” Stacking caddies one above another creates height needed to protect cascading floral materials.
Counting Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Chris estimates there are 156 wedding days in a year. A count that’s expanding because people are booking more weekday events. Estimate the number of weddings you’ll have in a year, divide by the number of times you’ll use the flower caddy to determine your cost per event.
The lesser number of times you touch a flower, the more money you make from it. Chris shares some money saving wedding tips.
Fill flower buckets by recipe
Moving flowers from bucket to bucket costs you money. Storing flowers in buckets by variety wastes design time. It requires taking all the wedding flower buckets out of refrigeration in order to count and divide the stems for each individual set of designs.
While processing flowers, use the design recipe to count stems and divide the flowers into organized buckets labeled for their purpose. Centerpieces, bouquets, personal flowers, etc.
Remove the buckets of pre-counted flowers from the cooler as needed for design. Bring out the centerpiece buckets to design centerpieces, outdoor buckets for outdoor designs, and so on.
Photo: Christine Foley
To save time, Chris’ team pulls the recipe for bouquets, processes the flowers, flips the caddy over, and fills four cylinders by stem count. One bouquet per vase. The caddy is color coded and placed in the refrigerator. Later, designers use the flowers in each cylinder to design a bouquet.
Identify problems
“It's all about conversations and not being stuck in just one way to do it,” offers Chris.
Once you identify a problem, think … who can help me think it through? We usually know someone that can help, or they know someone.
Measure, analyze, and optimize your efficiency. Weddings can come one after another, so there's not really a re-evaluation time unless you make yourself do it. January and June are good times to check the accuracy of your pricing - what's working and what's not. Sometimes you're not making the money that you think you are because materials have gone up and your prices haven't.
Schedule staff meetings on Tuesday mornings, while the weddings are fresh on your mind.
Ask questions.
• How can we work better as a team?
• Share ideas and support each other?
• Did we allocate enough for labor?
• Charge for extras? Were we prepared?
• Setups and color codes prepared in advance?
• Worksheets compiled? Delivery well organized?
Discuss advance preparation. What can be accomplished Monday to Wednesday for execution on Thursday to Saturday to lessen staff overtime?
Create solutions
Florists move from one work crisis to another - holidays, events, or weddings. Re-evaluate the way you work a wedding. To save time, money, and pay less overtime, complete as many wedding tasks as possible in the early part of the week or on slower days. Avoid waiting until busy, prime over-time-pay hours to get things done.
Work backwards
Engage in conversations that identify problems. Create solutions from game changing ideas.
• What problem do I wish I had a solution for?
• What takes the most of my time and energy?
• Make a list of those items.
• Brainstorm possible solutions with others.
• Break your progress into small tasks.
Start with your vision, and work backwards. Share your passion for something that's really needed. Have the courage to create that solution.
“You really have to be your own advocate and believe in your vision.” says Chris. “If in any way I can support you, I will. Just reach out to me. I'd be happy to guide you.”
Can you identify a problem you would like to find a solution for?
Please share Floral Hub Blog (for readers), or How we Bloom podcast (for listeners), with other designers. The podcast is available on Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and similar apps.
Both are available at oasisfloralproducts.com along with other valuable floral information.