“We expect to ship 200,000 blooms next week for Valentine’s Day, and more than 20 million stems of earth-friendly roses and flowers in 2007,” according to Gerald Prolman, founder and CEO of OrganicBouquet.com. “We are racing to keep up with demand.”

Valentine’s Day ranks as the top flower-selling holiday for florists, capturing 34% of annual sales, according to AboutFlowers.com, created by the Society of American Florists.

Prolman, whose entrepreneurial efforts recently landed him on the cover of Fortune Small Business magazine for introducing the more than five-foot high World’s Tallest Roses, believes that the $20 billion U.S. floral market is ripe for change.

Organic Bouquet, founded in 2001, offers flowers grown under certified sustainable farming practices, including Organic and Veriflora(TM) — a new certification for the fresh cut flower trade that verifies the environmental practices as well as the social and ecological aspects of growing flowers.

OrganicBouquet.com is selling one dozen Veriflora certified Deluxe Red Roses for $64.95, plus tax and shipping. A second dozen can be added for $20 more.

“Americans are spending $230 billion each year on environmentally considerate purchases,” said Prolman. “Conscious consumerism isn’t a passing fad, but a serious consideration at all levels of the economy.”

Organic flowers are the fastest growing sector of the non-food organic market, growing 50% in 2005 to $16 million in sales. Overall, the U.S. organic market is estimated to be worth $14.6 billion in annual sales, growing at approximately 17% per year.

About Organic Bouquet:

Established in 2001, Organic Bouquet (www.OrganicBouquet.com) has pioneered the organic flower market. The company is at the forefront of a profound and rapid transformation of the $20 billion floral market, driving an industry shift towards socially and environmentally responsible farm management practices.

source : www.flowerbase.com