Albertsons' private branded flower power

In this season of giving, Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos. is using one of its private brands lines to make a difference. The retailer has started a new floral line to help those in need under its Debi Lilly Design floral and home décor store brand.
Now, when customers purchase one of the grocer's new Debi Lilly Design Extending Smiles floral designs at participating stores, $1 of the proceeds will be used to provide a pair of shoes, clean water or food to someone in need.

“We’re excited to share the joy and beauty of flowers in a way that can have a meaningful and incredible effect on people’s lives," said Chad Coester, senior vice president of Albertsons Cos.’ Own Brands. "That’s what we mean by Extending Smiles. The smile doesn’t end when you receive the flowers as a gift or use them to decorate a space. The benefit goes far beyond."

The retailer’s new own-brand floral program comes at a time when floral sales in retail are booming, up 3.9% in the past year, with sales of $5.2 billion, according to Chicago-based IRI. Flower arrangements specifically were up 13% this year. 

Each new bouquet will include a tag that identifies the category for which the donation will be used: water, food or shoes. The tag also has two codes to offer even greater detail: A QR code leads to the Extending Smiles website, providing a full perspective of the program, including a video detailing the global crisis of water-related diseases and hunger, while a unique alphanumeric code can be input on the website to pinpoint the specific communities and lives that will be touched. For example, a code could reveal, “Your bouquet purchase will go toward water treatment equipment for different schools in Flint, Mich.”

In addition to supporting the organization listed on each tag, Extending Smiles bouquets also support sustainable farming practices. The designs are certified by the New York-based Rainforest Alliance, which verifies that each flower and element of the bouquet was farmed in a way that conserves biodiversity and natural resources, and improves the livelihoods of growers and farm workers.

The Extending Smiles bouquets, which will be available year-round, are part of the retailer’s own-brand Debi Lilly Design collection of arrangements, vases, candles and other home décor items found exclusively in the floral department at Albertsons stores.

Albertsons Cos. operates stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia under 20 banners, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls and others.