Floriexpo, Floral Marketing Fund Partner to Advance Industry Innovation and Research
March 19, 2026 Floriexpo and the Floral Marketing Fund (FMF), which supports floral industry consumer research and marketing efforts, have announced a formal promotional partnership for the upcoming Floriexpo 2026, which takes place May 27-29 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The collaboration unites one of the industry’s premier mass-market events with one of its most vital research organizations. The partnership is designed to bridge the gap between academic research, consumer insights, and real-world retail application, ensuring that mass-market floral buyers and suppliers are equipped with the data necessary to thrive in an evolving marketplace.
A cornerstone of the agreement is a high-profile keynote presentation during the Floriexpo Floral Bootcamp. FMF, in partnership with the American Floral Endowment (AFE), will present its groundbreaking study, “Catering to Gen Z Consumers: Identifying Key Traits and Wellbeing Benefits in Floral Products.” This data-rich session will provide attendees with actionable strategies to capture the loyalty of the next generation of floral consumers.
“At Floriexpo, our mission is to provide the platform where the entire floral ecosystem comes together to drive growth,” says Bob Callahan, CEO of Floriexpo. “By officially partnering with FMF, we are ensuring that our community has direct access to the most rigorous, data-driven research available today. This isn’t just about networking; it’s about empowering our attendees with the intelligence they need to navigate the shifts in consumer behavior and lead the industry forward.”
The agreement focuses on leveraging the unique digital reach of both organizations. Floriexpo will feature FMF’s mission and initiatives throughout its pre-show marketing campaigns, including dedicated social media features and email promotion to its global database of floral professionals. In return, FMF and AFE will promote Floriexpo 2026 to its extensive network of researchers, educators, industry leaders across all segments, and the next generation, highlighting the event as a critical hub for industry advancement.
“FMF’s mission is to develop, support, and promote collaborative research and marketing efforts to increase flower sales,” says Debi Chedester, CAE, Executive Director of FMF and AFE. “Partnering with Floriexpo helps us to further share our impactful consumer insights and resources with the industry’s most influential retailers and high-volume buyers. We are excited to share our latest consumer findings on the Floriexpo stage and continue to welcome partnerships with other organizations supporting our industry.”
Floriexpo is one of the largest business-to-business floral shows in North America, catering specifically to the mass-market floral industry. The event brings together vendors and floral buyers from supermarkets, mass-market retailers, and large-scale outlets for sourcing, networking, and industry-leading education.
The Floral Marketing Fund represents a community of floral industry organizations and leaders collaboratively supporting and funding floral marketing efforts, consumer research, and promoting the emotional wellness and health benefits to increase consumer consumption of flowers and plants. The Fund utilizes funds and expertise from industry sources to provide both financial support and human capital to projects that will benefit the entire floriculture industry – connecting marketers and researchers directly with industry leaders to directly support increased flower sales.
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