New WF&FSA President Talks Labor, Consolidation & Need For Education

The tightest job market in recent memory. Continued consolidation of retail florists. An ongoing need for industry-specific education and hard data.

These are just some of the challenges and opportunities on the mind of Ben Powell, who stepped into the role of president of the Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association in October during the group’s Floral Distribution Conference. Powell, the president of Mayesh Wholesale Florist in Los Angeles, recently shared his perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing WF&FSA and the wholesale segment at large. One thread? Change is constant.

“Every wholesale distributor must [now] fight for its place in the channel by offering unique value,” he said. “Some have done better than others and, of course, there are a range of strategies to deal with the competitive pressures. But it is clear that doing things the same old way they have been done in the past is not viable.”

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Society of American Florists