Simply Rose Petals in the News

Local business in running for award
The Guardian, Friday 25 May 2007, Page 9

Local internet rose petal business, Simply Rose Petals, will be honoured at the Australian Bridal Industry Awards (ABIA) of Victoria next Tuesday, May 29.

Announced as a Finalist in the Special Services category, Simply Rose Petals face stiff competition from the others in their category; David Jones Department Store, and the Myer Bridal Gift Registry.

Owned and operated by local mother and daughter team, Jan Slater and Sarah Benjamin; Simply Rose Petals will celebrate two years of supplying the wedding industry with premium dried rose petals this week.

Ms Benjamin said that "being selected as a finalist against such high calibre suppliers is recognition of our commitment to customer service and supplying top quality products".

After the awards are announced, Ms Benjamin will be departing on the Peter Mitchell Churchill Fellowship for horticulture.  Ms Benjamin will travel for three months overseas researching the rose petal industry, water recycling in commercial rose farms, and online marketing. 

Visiting farms in Israel, USA, UK, Netherlands, Dubai, New Zealand, China and Germany, Ms Benjamin expects the trip “will be an adventure of a lifetime but a lot of hard work”.

Simply Rose Petals have seen their business grow rapidly since the introduction of an online shopping cart, www.SimplyRosePetals.com and extending their colour range of petals to 35.  Their unique rose petal cannons have captured the world’s attention and are now exported to four countries.

The Chairman of the ABIA, Mr John O' Meara congratulated the Swan Hill business on becoming a finalist saying that Simply Rose Petals should be extremely proud of their achievement especially when one considers that 1,184 wedding suppliers were nominated for the 2007 Victorian ABIA Awards. 

Mr O' Meara went onto say that it was businesses like Simply Rose Petals which complimented and elevated the wedding industry with their attention to detail and the pride, passion and professional manner in which they delivered their wedding product to the customer.

The ABIA's are a much sought-after Award for Australian wedding suppliers as they are determined by the votes of past brides.

Each year the ABIA distributes over 60,000 nomination forms through dedicated wedding suppliers who in turn send them to their past customers enabling them to cast their votes for their most outstanding wedding suppliers.

Simply Rose Petals was nominated for an ABIA based on the quality of product, quality of service, value for money and the attitude of the staff who serviced the bride’s needs, before, during and after their wedding day.

Caption to photograph
ROSES GALORE: Jan Slater (LEFT) and Sarah Benjamin are hoping for an award for their rose petal business.