When COVID-19 has changed the way greetings are extended from a ‘safe distance’, why not make it an organised business? The idea of extending safe and healthy ‘New Year’ wishes germinated perhaps at this point.
Here is a novel concept of gifting bouquets and fruit baskets with face masks and hand sanitisers, which makes the gift not only relevant in the contemporary pandemic situation, but also means how one cares for the other. Blue Petals, the Tirupati-based florist who regularly introduces novel products into the market, has come up with an array of gifting options where the floral decoration gets a value addition in the form of N95 face masks, hand sanitisers, pulse oximeter and surface wiping tissues.
“By gifting our products, one can convey that he/she cares for the health of the other,” says its managing director C.B.V. Saikumar Reddy. By all means, the bouquets will now have an increased shelf life.
Designer masks
Eyeing a huge market in the form of women buyers, the firm has also introduced the concept of ‘designer masks’ this year to suit the sari colour and design pattern, which of course can be prepared on advance notice. Similarly, exotic flowers from Bengaluru, Ooty and other locations from the country and abroad are brought ahead of the New Year’s eve. With the concept of indoor gardening picking up, bonsai plants and table-top bamboo plants are made available to encourage greenery promotion.
Though the input cost has skyrocketed due to the lockdown situation, the buck seems to stop here. “We have incurred a huge expenditure in procuring the flowers this year, but will not pass on the cost to consumers,” Mr. Reddy says.
As the flowers are sanitised ahead of making the bouquet and the delivery is contactless, people can exchange pleasantries without any fear.
