Interflora

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Interflora is the most commonly used name for a group of organisations worldwide, providing florists with a brand under which flowers can be purchased and delivered to 64 countries, most with their own partnership, or unit.

[edit] History

Back in 1920 a florist, Joe Dobson, of Leighton's Seedsmen and Florists in Glasgow, and a nurseryman, Carl Englemann in Safron Waldon, Essex were looking to increase their business. They knew of the Florists Telegraph Delivery Association (now known as Florists' Transworld Delivery) which had existed in the US since 1910, and applied to join as foreign members. In 1923 the UK arm of the FTDA was officially formed and had 17 members across the UK. Back then, one of the straplines used in advertising was "Flowers by Wire" when the telegraph was actually used to communicate between florists. Later, telegrams were sent from member to member requesting deliveries to be made in the recipient florists area.

In 1953 the name changed to Interflora and the slogan "Flowers Worldwide" along with the now famous Mercury Man roundel became well known. "Say it with Flowers" became the subsequent and most famous slogan associated with Interflora.

A book entitled "The history of Interflora" was written by Geoffrey Lewis in 1977 (Interflora's Jubilee year).

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[edit] Units of Interflora

• Interflora British Unit (UK) - IBU renounced its co-operative structure when purchased in 2006 by FTD Group (Interflora's US affiliate)
• Fleurop (Europe, main English site)
• Aux Quatre Vents Swiss Florist, Fleurop affiliate
• Interflora Australian Unit
• Hana Cupid (Japan) - Formerly known as Japanese Florists Transworld Delivery (JFTD), until a disagreement was had with FTD in the US, and JFTD disassociated itself from FTD and renamed itself Hana Cupid.
• Interflora Pacific Unit (New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, Brunei, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Tonga, Vietnam and Western Samoa) Interflora Pacific Unit is a retailers' co-operative^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ About. Interflora Pacific Unit Limited. Retrieved on 2008-05-20. “Interflora Pacific Unit Limited was formed in New Zealand in 1952 and is a Co-operative Company registered in New Zealand under the Co-operative Companies Act 1996. It is owned by its member florists, currently 200 in New Zealand and 120 ‘overseas members’ in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji Islands, Tonga, Vietnam and Samoa.”