First organization in North America to achieve MPS Florimark TraceCert certificate

Kalamazoo Flower Group LLC (KFG) of Galesburg, Mich., is the first organization in North America to achieve the MPS Florimark TraceCert certificate. This certificate requires that the organization fulfill checkpoints regarding freshness of product, inspections, and best practices regarding inventory management, storage, distribution and traceability of purchased flowers and plants in the supply chain. KFC joins a list of floral companies from Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Italy with the Florimark Certificate.

Florimark TraceCert was developed for wholesalers and other traders. KFG is a wholesale bedding plant annual supplier servicing a large number of independent garden centers and big box store customers that span a wide geographic area. It was originally the Flower Marketing Division of the Kalamazoo Valley Plant Grower Co-operative and became its own company in 2007. Spring bedding plants and potted annuals make up the largest share of business, but it also grows items for all seasons such as fall pansies, garden mums, perennials and other potted holiday crops from over 150 acres of greenhouses.

The major greenhouse operations charged with managing the KFG, Sportel Greenhouses, Westrate Greenhouses and Wenke Greenhouses began the MPS-ABC environmental certification program. All have received their initial MPS certification for their environmentally friendly growing practices.

For more information, visit www.my-mps.com. For more information about Kalamazoo Flower Group, visit www.kalamazooflowergroup.com.