The new service was launched in June and Angus Simms, Wonky Box co-founder, says that now is the perfect time for the service.
He says that in the past few years, New Zealand’s local flower industry has shrunk.
“Many small-to-medium growers have exited the market, and only a handful remain,” he told Hort News. “Those still operating are often facing very tight margins and considerable risk.”
According to Simms, most flowers grown within New Zealand are sold on the open market, meaning there is not always consistent or fair returns for those growers.
“To meet unpredictable demand, the few remaining growers are forced to overproduce, which inevitably leads to waste when some of that stock goes unsold,” he adds.
Simms says Wonky Flowers has been designed as a direct-to-consumer channel to tackle those issues head on.
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“By offering a guaranteed outlet for surplus and cosmetically imperfect stems, we’re helping growers reduce their risk and recover more value from what they grow,” he says.
“At the same time, consumers are becoming more conscious, they want to support local, fresh, and sustainable options.
“We’ve found that customers are keen to support other areas of production where waste is a hidden issue.”
Simms says that while there is less available data around floral waste compared to food waste, conversations with growers had revealed that it is a “very real and often overlooked issue”.
“Flowers are perishable and time sensitive,” he says. “Once they’ve missed the market window, there’s no going back. It’s not just lost income, but wasted water, labour, and energy.
“Wonky Flowers aims to change that by creating a reliable channel for these blooms to be enjoyed and appreciated.”
Wonky Flowers is available to Wonky Box subscribers now. The service costs $52 plus delivery for up to 17 seasonal stems from 4-5 varieties.
