Inside the Supply Chain of the Global Flower Industry
Fresh flowers are everywhere — at grocery stores, in wedding arrangements, and on doorsteps from online deliveries. They feel simple and timeless, but in reality, most cut flowers are part of a highly internationalized supply chain. By the time a bouquet reaches your hands, it has likely passed through breeders, propagators, growers, exporters, importers, wholesalers, and retailers. One flower illustrates this journey especially well: gypsophila, commonly known as baby’s breath. Once considered just filler, it’s now one of the most commercially important flowers in the world, and its story shows how complex — and global — the cut flower supply chain really is.
The journey begins with breeders, who develop new flower varieties with desirable traits like longer vase life, stronger stems, vibrant colors, and transport resilience. These varieties are patented, and breeders earn royalties each time they are licensed to growers. Israeli breeder Danziger, for example, transformed the baby’s breath market with its proprietary varieties such as ‘Million Star’ and ‘XLence’, which today dominate bouquets worldwide. From there, the flowers move to propagation farms, where breeder stock is multiplied into “starter plants.” These young plugs or cuttings are grown in regions with favorable climates and consistent production, such as Kenya, Guatemala, and Colombia. Danziger maintains propagation centers in each of these countries to meet global demand for its genetics.
The next stage is commercial growing. Large-scale farms in countries with the right climate and labor conditions cultivate these plants to maturity. Geography is key: Colombia supplies roughly 75% of all flowers imported into the U.S., while Ecuador is famous for its long-stemmed roses, and Kenya and Ethiopia are major suppliers to Europe. Farms such as Rosamina (Colombia) or Black Tulip (Kenya) produce millions of stems of baby’s breath annually, often under license from breeders like Danziger. For mid- to small-scale flower farmers, access to breeder genetics usually comes through plug suppliers — companies that specialize in producing rooted cuttings or starter plants. Farmer Bailey’s in the U.S. has become an important distributor of plugs to local flower farms, while Ball Horticultural, Plug Connection, and Gro ‘n Sell supply a wide range of patented varieties to growers across North America. These suppliers act as intermediaries between breeders and farmers, making it possible for smaller-scale operations to participate in the global cut flower economy.
Once flowers arrive at their destination, they pass through importers and wholesalers who manage customs clearance, inspections, and redistribution. In the U.S., companies like Esprit Miami and Mayesh supply both supermarkets and independent florists. In Europe, the Dutch auction redistributes flowers across the continent within hours. Again, while wholesalers rarely advertise the breeder behind their stock, many of the gypsophila bunches they handle are derived from Danziger-bred varieties. Finally, flowers land in the hands of retailers — supermarkets, florists, and online platforms. In the U.S., chains like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Costco, 1-800-Flowers, and UrbanStems all sell bouquets that frequently include baby’s breath. Given Danziger’s market dominance, it is very likely that at least one stem of baby’s breath in a grocery store bouquet originated with their genetics.
The story of baby’s breath is more than just a case study in logistics — it’s a reminder of how a single breeder can shape the entire global market. What began as a small family company in Israel has grown into a multinational player whose varieties dominate bouquets across continents. Most consumers have no idea that the baby’s breath in their grocery store bunches or wedding arrangements likely originated with this company, yet its influence is everywhere. It’s illustrative of how even one firm, through patents and licensing, can quietly shape what flowers we see and buy around the world.
