Blooming Technology
BY KERRY ANDERSON
When Sarah Rose Bloom helped reinvent her mother’s farm comprising 1,000 rose plants in 2004, no-one in the cut flower industry could have foreseen just how much this new business would change and bloom.
In what was initially perceived as a problem Sarah saw an opportunity.
Spurred on by her inability to get a job with a career focus upon returning to her hometown of Swan Hill, Sarah put her science degree and entrepreneurial spirit to good use researching alternatives to a struggling cut-flower industry. ‘At this time traditional confetti started being frowned upon at wedding venues because it caused staining and was not biodegradable,’ explains Sarah. ‘We saw an opportunity and went for it.’
Simply Rose Petals was subsequently launched on an unsuspecting public by this dynamic mother–daughter duo. And when I say launched, I mean it in every possible way, including confetti cannons that shoot the petals up to four metres high and the product being featured on popular Australian television shows such as The Bachelor, X Factor, Dancing With The Stars, The Bachelorette and Big Brother!
Sarah has constantly utilised technology to keep Simply Rose Petals ahead of the following pack. Specialised technology allows their rose petals to be freeze-dried, packaged and shipped to 15 countries around the world. Such has been the demand that they have expanded their number of rose plants from 1000 to 6000.
From her rural office surrounded by roses on the banks of the mighty Murray River, Sarah spends thousands of hours online each year researching ideas to ensure the business progresses. Social media has played a major factor. Scholarships and awards have also been useful tools. In 2006 she received a Churchill Fellowship to travel to 11 countries exploring effective processing, packaging and storage techniques, and the latest mechanisation trends in the flower industry. With harvesting of rose petals the most labour-intensive activity, Sarah had hoped to discover a way of mechanising this process during her Fellowship.
‘Unfortunately, I was unable to discover a machine capable of removing the petals without damaging or bruising them,’ she says. She was, however, able to analyse the latest in air-drying versus freeze-drying technology. She continued to search for more knowledge. Through a Nuffield Scholarship in 2014 Sarah explored further uses for rose petals, including edible and organic rose petals in a growing ‘foodie’ culture, spurred on by cooking shows such as MasterChef. ‘Despite food certification challenges in Australia, the Nuffield tour convinced me that rose petals can be successfully produced organically and there is plenty of scope for creating specialty foods and nutritional supplements derived from rose petals,’ says Sarah.
With an insatiable curiosity and boundless enthusiasm driving her to improve the business, it is no surprise that Sarah has been recognised as a finalist through the Telstra Businesswomen’s Awards and, in 2015, received the Veuve Clicquot New Generation Award for female Australian entrepreneur under 40.
In 2018 co-owners Sarah Rose Bloom and Jan Slater were named in the Top 50 Small Business Leaders in Australia, won the National Bridal Industry Award for Unique Services, and the Victorian Regional and Communities Award for Agricultural Innovation. In 2019 Simply Rose Petals was inducted into Australian Bridal Industry Hall of Fame.
Make no mistake. Constantly exploring opportunities to introduce new products, methods and technologies has been an integral part of this enterprising rural businesswoman’s journey. It has also helped the business to survive during the coronavirus restrictions and their impact on weddings. After the flurry of Valentine’s Day, Sarah has focused marketing on their edible rose petals. Instagram photos show off a range of beautiful cakes and dishes.
Simply Rose Petals is still blooming on the banks of the mighty Murray!
Sarah’s top business tips:
1. Every business requires a determination and persistence that can only be fuelled by passion and hard work. Make sure you are in it for the long haul and not the short financial gain.
2. Innovation is achievable for everyone. It can be as simple as reinventing what's already out there or creating new packaging for your product that makes it easier for your customers to use.
3. You can't expect your business to be healthy if you don't take care of yourself first. The health, fitness and mental wellbeing of the entrepreneur is crucial.
KERRY ANDERSON: A businesswoman, author, and community advocate from Central Victoria, Kerry is passionate about rural and regional Australia. She works with small businesses and rural communities to help them embrace new opportunities. READ MORE
Simply Roses is just one of 50 authentic stories included in Kerry’s latest book: Australian Rural Entrepreneurs