How to Price Flowers for Florists: A Wholesale Guide for Small Farms

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Quick answer: Small farms usually sell to florists by the 10-stem bunch, priced below retail but above cost. Published farm wholesale lists show examples like $9 a bunch for zinnias and $10 to $20 a bunch for dahlias, with a minimum order (often around $100) and delivery charged separately. Wholesale trades a lower price for volume and less of your time per stem.

Why florists pay less

Florists buy in volume, take flowers in simple bunches instead of finished designs, and handle the arranging themselves. You skip bouquet-making, sleeves, and market-day hours. That saved time is what makes a lower per-stem price work.

A sample wholesale price list

One Pennsylvania farm’s published list:

Flower Price per 10-stem bunch Per stem
Dahlias, double or fancy $20 $2.00
Dahlias, single or open-centered $10 $1.00
Sunflowers $10 $1.00
Zinnias $9 $0.90
Plume celosia $9 $0.90

Terms: $100 minimum, $15 delivery fee, set pickup and delivery days.

How to set your own wholesale prices

  1. Start from cost per stem. Wholesale is the channel where underpricing hurts most, because the margin is already thinner.
  2. Price by the bunch. Florists think in bunches, and it keeps your invoicing simple.
  3. Set a minimum order. It keeps small orders from eating a delivery trip.
  4. Charge for delivery or offer set pickup days.
  5. Publish an availability list weekly. Florists buy what they know you have.

What works here is treating wholesale as a way to move volume on your most productive crops, not as a place to dump everything at a discount.

Frequently asked questions

How much lower than retail should wholesale be?
There is no single rule. Compare your wholesale bunch price to what those stems earn in a market bouquet after your time, and make sure wholesale still clears your cost per stem with room to spare.

Do florists expect consistent stem length and quality?
Yes. Grade your stems and only send wholesale-grade flowers. Seconds can go into market bunches.

Should I sell to grocery stores the same way?
Grocery and large buyers usually want lower prices and higher volume. Price those separately.

Know your floor before you quote

The Flower Farm Pricing Toolkit ($27) calculates cost per stem for 35 varieties, so you can see your wholesale floor before you send a price list.

More pricing guides: Flower Farm Pricing Hub · Dahlia and Zinnia Prices Per Stem

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