From Chocolate to Lingerie it's a Lucrative Season for Business
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 6 - Valentine's Day is big business in Canada, with consumers spending an estimated $20 million on flowers and $144 million on confectionaries such as chocolates*. With a significant portion of purchases being completed at the last minute, consumers and businesses run the risk of feeling jilted by a partner who didn't deliver. However, for business it goes beyond emotion and places them on the financial brink.
"While consumers celebrate the emotion of Valentine's Day, the business side is complex and potentially lucrative for companies that can take advantage of it," says Glenn Rice, president of UPS Canada. "For many Canadian companies, February 14 is an opportunity to increase sales following the quiet post-Christmas period. Getting product to market, in a cost effective and timely manner, allows companies to stay competitive. By working with UPS, our clients are assured their customers will 'feel the love' on Valentine's Day."
The power of flowers this time of year is undeniable. Cupid relies on UPS helpers to work behind the scenes to get millions of roses and other flowers from countries such as Colombia and Ecuador to romantics across North America in time for Valentine's Day.
To accommodate the extra Valentine's Day volume of flower shipments, UPS is adding an additional 28 flights in the two weeks prior to February 14.
In just a 24-hour period, flower stems are cut, packed and loaded onto a temperature controlled UPS aircraft heading to Miami. There, they clear customs and are distributed to florists and consumers everywhere.
How does UPS support its customers on Valentine's Day?
Lingerie
Lingerie is the definitive clothing associated with Valentine's Day. For a fast growing Canadian company such as Coconut Grove Pads, Inc., the demand for its line-up of bras and other products continues to grow.
In 2005, Valentine's Day represented 15 per cent of this Markham, Ontario based company's annual sales. More than any other time during the year, it is imperative that Coconut Grove products reach its customers on time.
"With Christmas just behind us, we see another sales spike in the weeks prior to Valentine's Day, specifically to retailers throughout the United States," says David Marco, owner of Coconut Grove Pads, Inc. "To compete with U.S. domestic manufacturers, our orders must appear seamless and without any border hassles. UPS allows us to easily do business with our U.S.-based customers by providing a cost-effective solution to export small packages."
Chocolate
It's no secret that most Canadians are chocoholics and giving sweets to your sweetie on Valentine's Day has become a tradition. Canadians love their chocolate so much that they consume an average of 5,410 grams annually**. That's the equivalent of everybody eating a chocolate bar every three days. For deluxe chocolate manufacturer Hagensborg Foods Ltd., consumer demand for chocolate is good for business. This Vancouver-based company sees a dramatic increase in product demand during the weeks prior to Valentine's Day, with orders increasing by 35 per cent.
"The weeks between Christmas and Valentine's Day are an incredibly busy time for us, as we ship our products to major grocery chains, department stores and gift-basket companies in Canada and the United States," says Robin Relph, president of Hagensborg Foods Ltd. "Our challenge is meeting this demand and keeping track of our shipments to customers. Knowing that our clients will receive shipments in a cost efficient and timely manner is paramount to our success and gaining repeat customers."
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About UPS
UPS is the world's largest express carrier and package delivery company. Employing more than 7,435 people in Canada and 407,200 worldwide, UPS delivers to every address in Canada and the United States, and operates in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS is also a leading provider of specialized transportation, logistics, capital and e-commerce services. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com.
* Moneris Solutions
** The International Cocoa Organization-1996
Contacts:
Cristina Torelli
UPS Public Relations
mediarelations@ups.com
905-676-1708
Jeff Myrick
Apex Public Relations
jmyrick@apex.com
416-924-4442 ext. 240
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