When I first began to write this blog, I stated that the story was more than just selling flowers. After listening to Juan Carlos tell his story, especially hearing his passion and appreciation for his employees, I wanted to personally visit the rose farm high up in the Ecuadorian mountains. Juan Carlos’s son Joaquin arranged a trip to the flower farm so that I could see firsthand how their company functions on a daily basis.

Greenhouses cover the mountain top

Initially, I was surprised by the sheer size of the greenhouses. The rows and rows of the greenhouses stretched for what must have been a hundred yards. It is important to take into account that roses are grown in greenhouses to control the ideal climate for long and voluminous stems. The flowers are very susceptible to powdery mildew, which is a white powder that is highly contagious. This occurs when there is too much moisture or when the climate changes radically. Preventing and, above all, controlling it is essential because powdery mildew on roses reduces the photosynthetic capacity of the plant and consequently, reduces the beauty and longevity of the roses. 

The stalks on many of the rose bushes were almost an inch in diameter. Some of the roses grew to a height of eight feet. So tall, that one employee’s job was to walk each corridor while on stilts, so that he could remove the secondary buds and therefore preserve one perfect rose to be harvested. For decades the farm has focused on having its surroundings immaculately clean,  to fulfill the cycle where nothing is wasted. At each pruning, the stalks or discarded buds are sent to the chopper to make a natural compost. After 3 months of meticulous processing, this nutrient-filled soil is delivered to the rose beds to nourish the future stems.

I was eager to speak with a few key employees to learn firsthand how their lives have been changed by full time employment at the flower farm.

Mayra served as our tour guide and shared much with our group along the way. So, I decided to make her my first interview in this beautiful place.

Due to life circumstances, Mayra lost her father at a young age. In her family her mother was left alone with 7 mouths to feed. Seeing this, Mayra, along with her older sister Irma, looked for jobs to help them support their family. They started working at Ecuador Direct Roses, learning little by little the whole process of growing roses. They began by clearing the rose beds of weeds. Over a short period of time they worked their way up to handling the plants. The company recognized their potential and soon they became supervisors of a few greenhouses. Today Mayra is the supervisor of the entire cultivation process. These two girls were very smart and attentive in all the jobs they were asked to perform. They quickly grasped the process and ended up being promoted above all their colleagues who had been in their positions the longest. With their charisma and strength, both Mayra and Irma escalated to the highest positions in the plantation.  Today Mayra is the general cultivation supervisor for the entire farm, and Irma became second in command to the farm's general manager.

In the process, the two of them supported their four siblings so that they could grow up in a healthy home without fear of lacking the basics. They also managed to encourage their siblings to graduate from high school while they themselves had only finished primary school. Today Mayra is making a concerted effort to excel. Even with her full time position at the rose farm, she will now graduate from high school, after succeeding in helping all her siblings with the same educational goals.

Mayra has worked at the farm for more than 17 years. In the early history of the farm, she would travel by bus, furnished by the farm, to work in the morning and then home in the evening. Now Mayra is responsible for more than 60 workers.  No longer needing daily bus transportation, she commutes to work in her own car.

The company continues to be very grateful that Mayra is with them to this day. With her knowledge and leadership aptitude, she has been able to assist with the management of the company's collaborators and help lead the farm to be one of the best producers of roses in the region. Today Ecuador Direct Roses has earned the prestigious certificate for the highest quality and at the same time their exemplary practices for employee relations. This was verified when the company received the certificate, Flor del Ecuador, which confirms they comply with 100% of the standards for the flower industry. The honor bestowed upon Ecuador Direct Roses analyzed more than 190 select industry standards, from superior management of plants, handling of waste, exemplary practices with their employees and environmental sustainability.  Not content to remain stagnant, Ecuador Direct Roses is implementing new systems to further improve the processes and, above all, become 100% sustainable with the environment. Their goal is to eliminate all chemicals from the cultivation of the flowers and replace them with microorganisms that benefit the soil. 

Behold the Beauty

Getting ready to ship more than one million roses per month

Handled with care

When the worldwide pandemic ravaged businesses far and near, Juan Carlos and Rosana were confronted with a monumental decision. What would become of their employees, their “family”, during these uncharted times? They realized their family of employees needed security. With new government regulations now in place, their employees were homebound, and not able to return to their jobs at the farm. However, their wages continued, being paid by Juan Carlos and Rosana out of their personal savings. I see this as an amazing act of love, preserving the loyalty of their employees that had been cultivated since the first rose bush was planted.

I hope you can now see why “the Story” is so much more than selling flowers. In subsequent posts, we'll examine the process necessary for shipping more than one million roses per month. As a reader of this blog, we invite you to share this story with friends, especially those in the floral industry that may not be familiar with the amazing history of Ecuador Direct Roses.