How is flower quality checked?

A pre-shipment inspection is one of the most effective ways to check flower quality. We generally engage independent quality-control providers whose inspectors spot-check boxes at the freight forwarder’s refrigerated warehouse.

Inspections are generally prioritized for:

• Flowers from farms that have not been inspected recently
• Orders for which the buyer requested quality control in advance
• Flowers from farms offering unusually large quantities of a particular variety
• Varieties offered at prices that are unusually low relative to the current market

Where a farm has a consistent record with 10–15 repeat buyers who remain satisfied, routine spot checks may be scheduled less frequently.

What should a pre-shipment flower inspection cover?

• Temperature inside the flower boxes when they are transferred from the truck to the freight forwarder’s cold-storage facility (recorded on the receiving document)
• Flower temperature in the freight forwarder’s refrigerated warehouse at the time of inspection
• Cut stage for roses, carnations, and alstroemeria, together with bloom size
• Stem thickness and straightness, checked by opening sample bunches
• Flower freshness and the condition and color of the foliage
• Botrytis (gray mold) or signs of decay
• Mechanical damage to boxes or blooms
• Packing quality, including how bunches are secured inside the box
• Moisture inside the flower boxes

What happens after the inspection?

• Boxes that do not meet the required specification are returned to the farm. Quality-control findings are documented and supported with photographs. If time remains before the final purchasing deadline, rejected items may be sourced from an alternative farm to complete the order.
• This pre-shipment inspection method is available only for farms in Ecuador. In Colombia, access restrictions apply in the airport’s pre-departure area, and farms transfer their boxes directly to the airlines rather than to freight forwarders’ cold rooms shortly before departure.
• A scheduled farm visit provides a different kind of review and may not reveal every routine issue because the farm can prepare in advance. Travel time also limits coverage to approximately two or three farms per day.
• At the buyer’s request, we can arrange a pre-flight flower inspection. The buyer receives a detailed photo inspection report for the box examined.

Our team understands that consistent quality is essential to every long-term customer relationship. The buyer’s specifications and interests remain central to the way we coordinate each order.