May, 2010

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• Family Owned Business• Over 63 Years in Floral Industry• Manufacturer – Importer – Distributor• Leading Provider of Floral Supply Items• 858,630 Square Feet Office, Factory, Distribution• 72 Acres

19812025 N. Wabash Street

CONFIDENTIAL3

Our Customers…

• 800 Wholesale Florists– 25,000 Retail Florists

• Pro Flowers, FTD, 1-800flowers.com• Grocery – Kroger, Safeway, Ahold, Publix, and

more• Large Retail – Walmart, Sam’s, Michaels• Other: Event planners, Novelty, Craft

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Manufacturing…

• Plastic Molding• Phenolic Foam• Preservatives/Care and Handling Formulation• Contract Glassware

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Virtual Tour…

Cut Flowers

• Cut Flowers– Very high respiration rates– Rapidly deteriorate– Highly susceptible to damages.

So cut flowers need the utmost care

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Factors affecting the quality of fresh cut flowers

• Maturity of flowers• Food supply• Temperature• Water supply

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Maturity of Flowers

• Bud stage– Make sure that the flower buds open to their full

potential later– Less Damage

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Food Supply

• Carbohydrates is a must– Due to high respiration rates– Quick opening of the flower buds

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Temperature

• 0.50 to 20 C.– Just above freezing– Will arrest respiration– 100 C for tropicals

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Water supply

• Because of large surface area cut flowers loose more water rapidly

• Use high RH and lower temperature• Air embolism, bacterial plugging and poor

water quality

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THE PRODUCTS

Hydraplus®• Clears blockage in stems to allow nutrients

and water to travel all the way up to the flower

• Works in 45 minutes – It is the fastest working hydration

solution on the market• Unlike other hydration solutions, it does

not cause burn out if left in the solution for an extended period

• Prevents bent-neck in roses, gerbera and other flowers

• Adjusts pH of water to desirable levels (3.5-5.5)

• Reduces harmful microorganisms

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AquaHold® Pro• Provides small amounts of nutrients

– Perfect for keeping flowers somewhat dormant

• Keeps fresh flowers from opening too early– This reduces loss of flowers during

storage and shipping process• Works in or out of cooler• No expiration date• AquaHold Pro has a chemical which

absorbs harmful salts and solids, leaving only nutrients and water to be fed to the flowers

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Hydraquik®

• Reduces harmful microorganisms

• Allows flowers to quickly take up water

• For situations which there is no time for a full hydration process

• A one to two second dip of the stems in Hydraquik® is all that is needed

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…the difference is clear

• Full nutrient supply for flowers• Includes water clairifier• Increases vase life• Adjusts pH of water to desirable

levels• Reduces harmful microorganisms • Should be used when you want

the flower to fully open

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Proper Dispensing is CRITICAL!

• Make sure your customers are mixing the solutions properly. If they do not use the proper dosing rates, they will not experience optimum results– HYDRAQUIK – Ready to Use. No Mixing– HYDRAPLUS – 4 ml per 1 liter of water– AQUAHOLD PRO – 5 ml per 1 liter of water– AQUAPLUS – 15 ml per 1 liter of water

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ROSE POST-HARVEST PROCESS REGULAR WEEK

FLOWERS ARRIVE TO POST-HARVEST ROOM IN BASKETS OR BOXES

BOTRITYS TREATMENT

HYDRATION AT ROOM

TEMPERATURE WAITING TO BE

GRADED

GRADING AND

BUNCHING

HYDRATION AT COOLER

MINIMUM 4 HR- MAX 24 HRS

DRY PACKING

INSIDE THE COOLER

STORAGE IN THE COOLER

DRY PACK FOR UP TO 7 DAYS

MAX

SHIPPING TO AIRPORT (7 DAYS IN TRANSPORTATION

BEFORE THE WHOLESALER

RECEIVES THEM)

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ROSE POST-HARVEST PROCESS HOLIDAY WEEKSTORAGE PRODUCT

FLOWERS ARRIVE TO POST-HARVEST ROOM

IN BASKETS

BOTRITYS TREATMENT HYDRATION AT

COOLER

DRY PACKING IN

PLASTIC BOXES

IN THE COOLER FOR 12-15 DAYSOUT THE

COOLERGRADING AND

BUNCHING

HYDRATION INSIDE THE

COOLER FOR 12 HOURS

DRY PACKING INSIDE THE COOLER

SHIPPING TO AIRPORT (7 DAYS IN TRANSPORTATION

BEFORE THE WHOLESALER

RECEIVES THEM)

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ROSE POST-HARVEST PROCESS HOLLIDAY WEEKCUT TIGHT PRODUCTION

FLOWERS ARRIVE TO POST-HARVEST ROOM

IN BASKETS(Cut is tight)

BOTRITYS TREATMENT

HYDRATION AT ROOM

TEMPERATURE WAITING TO BE

GRADED

GRADING AND

BUNCHING

HYDRATION AT ROOM

TEMPERATURE FOR 24 HRS

DRY PACKING

INSIDE THE COOLER

SHIPPING TO AIRPORT (7 DAYS IN TRANSPORTATION

BEFORE THE WHOLESALER

RECEIVES THEM)

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FLORCONTROL TEST RESULTS(December 2009)

• When using Hydraplus and Aquahold Pro properly within the post harvest process vs. using only chlorine, 15.4% fewer flowers were lost due to dehydration.

• When using Hydraplus and Aquahold Pro properly within the post harvest care process:– 35.3% fewer flowers were lost due to dehydration vs when Chrysal

RVB was used as the holding solution. – 31.3% fewer flowers were lost due to dehydration vs when

Florissima 825 was used as the holding solution.• When using Aquahold Pro as the holding solution, flowers

were less likely to open prematurely. Average opening size was 5% less when using Aquahold Pro vs competitive products.

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Frequently Asked Questions• Should the dosage for Hydroplus change for different pH ranges in water?

– No, the dosage will be the same for all pH ranges of water• What happens when lowering the dose of Hydraplus? Does it effect its

performance and the control of bacteria and its quality?– Lowering the dose will not control bacteria and fungi. Also, the chemical which

hydrates will be reduced and will not work efficiently. So never change the dosage• In waters with organic matter content, carbonates, bicarbonates, irons, and

other metals, is it necessary to treat water before using the products?– If there is too much organic matter and if the water is not potable, it is better to

treat the water. Carbonates, bicarbonates, iron, and other metals are often present in water supply. Water does not need to be treated when these are present within normal ranges.

• It is mentioned that Hydraquik, Hydraplus, Aquahold Pro and Aquaplus work in all types of waters. What are the specific characteristics found in these waters? (pH, conductivity, carbonates, bicarbonates, iron, ect)?– The pH should be between 3.5 and 10. Total dissolved solids should not exceed

1000 ppm. Carbonates and bicarbonates within a reasonable limit should be fine.

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Frequently Asked Questions• How does Hydraquik really work?

– It removes the bacteria and fungi from the bottom of the stems only• Is there any decrease in the quality of the flowers or vase life when using

Hydraquik and Aquahold Pro in an hour as compared with using Hydraplus for hydration and then using Aquahold Pro for storage?– Yes. The flowers treated in Hydraquik and then Aquahold Pro will have shorter

vase life and will be of lower quality than those which have been treated in Hydraplus and then in Aquahold Pro

• Can flowers suffer thermal shock (resulting in poor quality) when they move from harvesting to cold storage?– This may be true. But there is no way to avoid this. To minimize the bad effects

you can harvest the flowers very early in the morning when the temperatures are cooler and the physiological activities like photosynthesis haven’t started yet

• What is the appropriate water level in the tub at the hydration time?– 2 to 4 inches

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Frequently Asked Questions• Does the water temperature affect the hydration? Why?

– Yes. Warm water (around 35 deg C) aids in efficient hydration. Warm water also dissolves the chemical in Hydraplus so that the flowers can take up the chemical smoothly

• Why does chlorine (hypochlorite) not work efficiently to eliminate bacteria and air bubbles in the vascular bundles?– Chlorine does remove the bacteria and it is unable to remove the air bubbles

in the stem. Also, the active life of chlorine is very short (if you don’t smell chlorine, there is no chlorine present)

• What is the proper treatment for hydration? How does the decrease of hydration time affect the quality of the flowers?– Hydraplus works best if left for 45 minutes. If you decrease this time then the

chemical present in Hydraplus does not have enough time to dissolve in water.

• What is the ideal pH for flowers soaking in Aquahold Pro?– 3.5 – 5.5

• Why is a more acidic solution better for hydrating flowers?– Acidic solutions do a better job of clearing the stems for efficient water uptake

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