CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT
With 12 patents and operations spanning three continents, this Virginia-based innovator redefines how Americans bring flowers home, from Valentine's to Christmas Day.
When Dutch entrepreneur Joep Paternostre arrived in the United States over two decades ago, he brought more than tulip bulbs in his luggage. He brought a vision that would transform how Americans experience flowers.
Driving an RV across the country, Joep stopped in Kroger and Costco parking lots to introduce buyers to something they'd never seen before: hydroponic tulips in glass vases, bulb and all, that would bloom for weeks instead of days. The concept was simple but revolutionary: instead of cut flowers already dying the moment they leave the greenhouse, customers could watch the entire lifecycle unfold in their homes.
"He created the long-life tulip. You see everything about the bulb and you watch it grow,” explains Brian Riddle, Bloomaker's long-time purchasing manager.
That invention became the foundation of Bloomaker USA. Incorporated in 2002 in Waynesboro, Virginia, the company’s blooms can now reach 70-75% of the U.S. population within a day's shipping.
From Peruvian peaks to Virginian valleys
While Bloomaker's Shenandoah Valley headquarters handles the delicate work of coaxing bulbs into bloom at the right time, the company's supply chain stretches across two continents: tulips from the Netherlands and amaryllises from Peru.
In 2014-2015, Joep partnered with Dutch horticulture company Kébol to establish Chan Chan Amaryl, a farm north of Lima in the Andes Mountains. With sandy soil and zero rainfall, the area was the perfect breeding ground for amaryllis bulbs.
"It's kind of like you're on the moon," says John O'Brien, Bloomaker's Chief Financial Officer. "Super sandy ground, and it never rains."
A decade later, Chan Chan Amaryl has grown to become one of the largest amaryllis farms in the world, exclusively supplying Bloomaker and Kébol. Waxed amaryllis is now Bloomaker's bestselling product, surpassing even the hydroponic tulips that launched the company.
"It's a completely hands-off process that fits perfectly into the product and vision of the company," John says. "And frankly, you can't kill amaryllises. They'll do their thing regardless."
Cultivating innovation at the core
Nearly a quarter century after Bloomaker’s founding, Joep’s entrepreneurial spirit continues to drive the company. Joep remains deeply involved in product development, his office filled with bulbs, designs, 3D printers, lasers, and precision cutting machines.
"He's a product guy," John says. "That's so deep in his DNA. He's on the internet, and thanks to Europe, they come up with a lot of things sometimes before we do. He'll see something and wonder, 'Will that work with us?'"
This relentless focus on innovation has resulted in Bloomaker's portfolio of 12 patents and counting, covering everything from vase designs to waxing techniques for amaryllis bulbs. Their latest experiment? Growing amaryllis in North Carolina, against the climactic odds. "When you account for the transportation costs, it might make sense," John notes. "We'll see if that works."
Delivering just-in-time blooms
Unlike many agricultural operations, Bloomaker doesn't grow to create inventory. Every flower is grown to order, timed precisely to bloom when it reaches the shelves of stores like Costco, Kroger, and Walmart, with demand peaking autumn through Christmas for amaryllis, and holidays like Valentine’s and Mother’s Day for tulips and other varieties.
"It's a very detailed timeline from when we purchase to when it's actually going to be received in a store," Brian explains.
As timing each bulb's growth cycle requires extraordinary coordination, the business grows a smaller set of SKUs compared to typical greenhouses.
"It's basically just-in-time with a live good," John adds. "And then you have to account for the farms that are growing the live goods as well."
The challenges multiply when customer orders change unexpectedly, which happens frequently in retail. "A lot of the limitations and issues stem from how and when orders come in," Brian notes. "Floral agriculture is a very reactive business. If you are so structured that you can't adjust quickly, you're going to have a lot of difficulty."
Staying fresh and ready for the future
The Bloomaker team's last two decades of experience yields plenty of insights for other growers looking to gain an edge.
"Modernize internal systems," John says. "Systems like Seso are key to making businesses more efficient, but also for everyone to have a higher quality of life. Innovating internal systems is going to save you money in the long term, lead to less turnover, more consistency in processes and information."
When it comes to suppliers, Brian emphasizes the importance of staying creative, nimble, and in lockstep with your partners.
"Plan, communicate with your customers, do everything you can to make it work. And then in this industry, you have to fill in the gaps because it doesn't always work. Align with the right vendors who can react fast and fix issues as soon as they arise."
As Bloomaker continues to grow, the team is focused on building systems that allow them to focus on what matters: developing innovative products for retailers and consumers around the world. To support that, John is implementing a new agriculture-specific ERP alongside Seso's HR and H-2A software and services, working toward a vision where just two integrated systems can support all back-office operations.
“Getting payroll right, getting it efficient, lets us focus on strategic, higher-level stuff,” reflects John. “Where do we go to grow the company? Where can we improve? What is the future for Bloomaker?"
For a company built on fresh innovation, that future likely holds more patents, new products, and more ways to bring beautiful blooms to homes across America and the world.
Photos courtesy of Bloomaker.
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