For years the standard practice of banquet & party venues has been to refer client/guest requests for floral products to local vendors. This practice has been the only option for venues that did not have an in-house florist.
Desert Floral Importers wants to change that business model to the advantage of venues throughout the Coachella Valley. We want to be the ultimate invisible in-house florist. Whether a venue needs floral centerpieces, display pieces, or guest amenity flowers, Desert Floral Importers is prepared to fill those needs at wholesale prices, and even provide sales tools to at no charge. Venues are then free to charge clients an appropriate retail price and receive a reasonable net on the sale. The venues decide what products to offer and what to charge for them. They have only to place the wholesale order with us and be prepared to receive it on the requested date & time.
As an importer of floral products from North & South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, Desert Floral Importers can obtain the highest quality products available. We can produce arrangements at all price points, from corsages & boutonnieres all the way to major display pieces for large-scale events. Our lead designer, David Rohr, has produced floral displays for such prestigious clients as The Wolftrap Foundation and The Smithsonian Institution, and has created opening displays for major events, including the famed Chelsea Flower Show in London.
Our standard centerpiece and display piece catalog is currently in print, and a wholesale pricelist is available for qualified buyers. For your high-end clientele needing custom work, a qualified floral designer is available to consult by telephone or in person.
Venues can now stop handing away retail sales, and can retain control of the client relationship and increase their bottom line by utilizing Desert Floral Importers.
Desert Floral Importers is a privately-held corporation based in Rancho Mirage, California, with production facilities in Cathedral City, California. Its predecessor, Shadow Chaser, LLC, began business in 2000, operating Lamorinda Florist, a boutique florist in Lafayette, California.
Our mission is to become the premiere provider of high-quality premade floral arrangements to the hospitality industry in the Coachella Valley area of Southern California.
A secondary mission is to provide high quality imported floral products to event florists.
Through our contacts in the worldwide floral markets and the extensive experience of our principals, we strive to anticipate the needs of and provide good support to our customers, always mindful of the fact that that good service and fair dealings are the underpinnings of any long and mutually profitable business relationship.
Our principal broker is David R. Rohr. With 30 years' experience in the retail floral trade, and a former co-owner of Herndon Florist in Herndon, Virginia and Lamorina Florist in Lafayette, California. In addition to normal retail operations, Dave has extensive experience with major event work, including events at the Smithsonian Institution. Dave has also created the opening displays for London's famed Chelsea Flower Show. Dave is intimately familiar with the challenges of both large and small retail florist operations, and major event work.
Dave is a 4th generation florist who understands floral products and their care. He insists upon dealing only with growers of consistently high quality. He is also capable understanding and working from a customer's buying guidelines, seeking product and pricing opportunities which might otherwise be lost.
Joey Riso is our operations manager. Joey's 20+ years' experience in business process technology ensures you that your orders are handled accurately and professionally, that deliveries are made in a timely manner, and that you will be able to communicate easily and clearly with Desert Floral Importers whether you prefer to use the internet, telephone, or facsimile.
Desert Floral Importers is a member in good standing of the following organizations:
Here are some of the questions asked most often to our designer, principal broker & our operations manager. If you require a more detailed explanation, please do not hesitate to contact either of them by email.
A: In most cases, yes, we can. If, for example, mixed arrangements are requested, but your client would prefer not to have cushion daisy chrysanthemums, we can make changes to the mix. Bear in mind that this may have a slight effect on the wholesale cost.
A: If your client needs a specific variety, we will need more notice, and the wholesale price may change. We would also appreciate a 2nd choice, should growers not have the specified variety in sufficient quantity on the date needed. Specifying varieties can have unintended effects on the wholesale price, as different varieties may have different head sizes or different opening characteristics. Specific variety orders must be prepaid at least 1 week prior to delivery.
A: When you place an order with us for brokered product, we in turn canvass our grower resources for date & product availability. When we locate what you wish, we in turn enter into a purchase contract with that grower. While we are all at the mercy of common carrier transportation and the whims of the weather, we deal by preference with growers who have established reputations for reliable shipment of product.
A: We cannot offer fixed-price standing orders at this time, because the market varies from season to season. Red roses, for example, are known to peak at Valentine's Day & Mother's Day. If your standing order includes pricing limits, we will notify you if the market reaches or exceeds your standing order limit price. If you give us alternative products for substitution, we will notify you that we are ordering the substitute product for pricing reasons.
A: Premade arrangements are delivered at the date and time you specify - although we request a 2-hour window so all our clients may be accommodated. We generally provide bulk wholesale product deliveries on Monday, Wednesday & Friday, following receipt and inspection of your product. Other delivery dates for bulk wholesale product may be available by special arrangement.
A: Fill in the Application for Non-Taxable Purchases by clicking HERE. The application form will display in a new window. If you have the Adobe Acrobat plug-in for your browser, it will be displayed and editable in your browser. If not, you may download it to your computer where it may either be filled in on computer, printed & signed, or you may print out the form and fill it in manually. In either case, once signed you may mail or fax it to us. See the instructions on the first page of the form.
Note: To obtain the latest version of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, click 
.
A: We prefer payment by Company Check. We offer VISA and MasterCard to those who require it. Cash is accepted in the correct amount only. Our drivers cannot make change. If you have other requirements, please do not hesitate to call.
A: If you are a new customer, 25% deposits are required for all accepted orders over $350 wholesale. The balance is due & payable upon delivery. Established customers may pay from invoices tendered at delivery, and deposits may be waived at the sole discretion of Desert Floral Importers. Persons conducting business from their residences who do not have established relationships with us may be required to prepay in full 72 hours prior to delivery. We regret that we are not in a position to extend credit or offer extended payment terms.
Our premade arrangements are semi-custom, and are predominantly traditional in design. They may be ordered in various colors and color combinations, and with various containers. A PDF version of our illustrated brochure may be viewed or downloaded by clicking the thumbnail below:
Wholesale pricing, suggested retail pricing and detailed ordering options are available to qualified wholesale purchasers. To obtain this information, please complete our registration packet. The registration packet, in PDF format, is available by clicking this link:
Desert Floral Importers Registration Packet.
Desert Floral Importers participates in 3 international auctions and has established relationships with several California growers & distributors, enabling us to obtain for you high quality bulk flowers at reasonable pricing.
For a small fee we can also hydrate and condition bulk product for you, helping to insure good product performance for your clients.
To obtain wholesale pricing, you must be a DFI-registered buyer. The registration packet, in PDF format, is available by clicking this link:
Desert Floral Importers Registration Packet
Desert Floral Importers provides the following services:
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So we may give you our undivided attention, please contact us for an appointment. Address68733 Perez Road #C6 Telephone NumbersMain Number: (760) 321-6359 General Inquiries: sales@desertfloralimporters.com |
Desert Floral Importers is located in the Perez Business Park in Cathedral City. We are located on the south side of the street between Cathedral Canyon and Date Palm Boulevard. Click on the map below to open an interactive map in a new window. |
Desert Floral Importers recommends to you the following vendors with complete confidence: