The Business of Rotten Flowers
Do you have a loving partner—a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, or significant other?
Or perhaps you’re navigating a recent breakup or a rough patch in your love life? If so, today’s newsletter might pique your interest.
Why? Because we’re diving into a fascinating niche industry: the business of rotten and damaged flowers.
The Perishability Problem
Flowers are inherently perishable. They bloom, get picked, and then have a shelf life of roughly a week before they start to wither.
The entire floral industry operates around this tight timeline, striving to sell flowers within that short window.
But not every flower gets sold in time. Some inevitably rot.
Turning Rot into Opportunity
What happens to those unsold, wilted flowers? Enter a unique type of business that has found a creative use for them.
Imagine this:
You’re frustrated or angry with someone, and you want to send them a message—a “gift” that’s more about expressing your disdain than your love.
That’s where these businesses come in. They send rotten flowers on your behalf.
For example, check out this website, which specializes in just that.
It’s Not as Crazy as It Sounds
While it may seem like a bizarre idea, the underlying concept isn’t so different from other industries.
Take the grocery sector, for instance. Like flowers, food is perishable, and businesses have emerged around selling soon-to-expire or expired food at discounted prices. These products serve a purpose—providing affordable options to those in need while reducing waste.
The Thrift Store Parallel
The thrift store industry operates on a similar principle. Instead of discarding used clothing, thrift stores give second-hand items a new lease on life.
Interestingly, the popularity of thrift stores has been steadily climbing, as seen in the rising search trends for “thrift store” on Google.
Just as thrift stores repurpose unwanted clothes, businesses dealing with rotten flowers or expired food repurpose products that might otherwise go to waste.
How to Build a Business Around This Concept
If this idea intrigues you, here’s a simple framework to think about:
Step 1: Identify a Product with Residual Value
Find an industry or product that still holds value even when it’s nearing expiration, expired, or used. Examples include:
- Second-hand clothes (thrift stores)
- Rotten flowers (unique gifts)
- Soon-to-expire food (affordable groceries)
Step 2: Highlight the Value Proposition
Figure out how the product can still provide value:
- Second-hand clothes promote sustainability.
- Rotten flowers serve as “gag gifts” or expressions of discontent.
- Soon-to-expire food helps reduce waste and supports people in need.
Step 3: Build a Business Around It
Use the insights from Steps 1 and 2 to create a viable business model.
While unconventional, these businesses often serve a specific niche or solve a unique problem, making them worth exploring despite being more challenging to start than traditional ventures.
Whether it’s thrift stores, soon-to-expire groceries, or wilted flowers, these businesses prove there’s opportunity even in the overlooked and expired.