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WELCOME TO EPISODE 200 OF THE FRESH BUNCH PODCAST!

This is a massive milestone for us, and just like our 100th episode, we’re celebrating with a special video podcast you can finally watch on YouTube!

Episode 200 is all about the rebrand, the listeners, and the incredible flower community that has supported The Fresh Bunch this year. This episode is dedicated to YOU — our Freshies

Join Mike, Ryan, Mimi, Joel, Jimi, and Sid as we sit around the table for laughs, chaos, and pure celebration. We invited a few Freshies to come through and Roast the Hosts (definitely NOT PG), tested everyone with Podcast Trivia, shared our podcast stats, and—of course—ragged on Jimi’s horrible dad jokes.  

However you tune in, don’t miss this special episode marking 200 episodes of The Fresh Bunch Podcast.

Let us know in the comments or email: 
 • What was your favorite moment?
 • Who won the roast? 

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for our one listener in Bonair, we appreciate you!

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As we gear up for the release of our 200th episode (Releasing on Jan 15, 2026), we thought it would be fun to go back in time to 2024 and re-play our 100th celebration episode.

A lot has changed in these past 100 episodes, and we're extremely grateful you're still listening. WE hope you enjoy this blast from the past, and look forward to sharing our 200th episode next week!

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Happy New Year, Freshies!!!  On this special 2026 New Year's episode of The Fresh Bunch, Jimi the Tulip, Mimi, and Ryan ring in the New Year with the help of a few of our favorite Freshies. Starting with Holly Haverman of Kennedy Flowers, on her 2nd year designing at the Rose Bowl Parade. Then we called in the big guns for some 2026 fresh perspective from Lori Wilson of the Flower Clique, and author and motivational speaker, Barry "The Goat" Gottlieb.  Plus, wisdom from Cameron "Positive Pappy" Papas of Norton's Florist, and a brief 2026 trends report from Juliana Bustilo of Ora Agency. We wind the episode down with Jet Fresh's top 10 products and rose varieties of 2026, and a final farewell to 2025 with Mike.

Enjoy and Happy New Year!

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Merry Fresh-mas! 🎄
This week on the Fresh Bunch Podcast, we’re joined by the marvelous Jet Fresh Growers Marketing team—our very own Emilia Coloma and Diana Flores.

Emi and Diana dive into what marketing looks like at the farm level, how it differs across industry segments and regions, and how each Jet Fresh marketing team member brings unique strengths to the table—from creative vision to data-driven strategy.

As we get to know Diana and Emi a little better, we share plenty of laughs (including some very strong food opinions—because it wouldn’t be a Fresh Bunch episode without food talk). We also recap both Jet Fresh holiday parties and explore holiday traditions in Ecuador and on the Jet Fresh farm.

To wrap it all up, we talk about goals for 2026—or as Mike likes to call them, Revolutions. It’s festive, insightful, and full of Fresh-mas cheer! 

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While Mike is off playing Santa in Ecuador, the Fresh Bunch goes delightfully off the rails in this laugh-out-loud filler episode. From the biggest (and quirkiest) flower trends of 2025 to the words that defined the year, we recap the moments, events, and conversations that kept popping up all year long—yes, including how many times we somehow circled back to tariffs. We also dive into our creative 3D-printed holiday gift ideas, talk about the rise of small flower farms, and explore sustainability in floristry, all while embracing plenty of totally off-topic moments. It’s light, it’s fun, and it’s guaranteed to keep you smiling from start to finish. 

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In this episode of The Fresh Bunch, we dive into the remarkable journey of the Sassen family—whose story began on a small carnation farm in the Netherlands in the 1960s and blossomed into one of the world’s most renowned floral brands.

Marc Sassen, destined to be a grower from childhood, reflects on working alongside his mother and siblings and how those early days shaped the family’s boutique, art-driven approach to flowers. Though the brand has far outgrown the original farm, the Sassens continue to operate with the same hands-on craftsmanship and creative passion that set them apart.

We unpack the origins of the VIP name, the evolution of the brand, and the deep family history behind it. Marc also shares how the next generation of Sassens is stepping in to carry the legacy forward.

Plus, we explore the powerful partnership with Jet Fresh Growers—from the exclusive VIP Choco Roses to new innovations in VIP breeding. This episode is filled with insights on positivity, patience, creativity, and what it truly takes to bring something special to the floral world.

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A Wrapped Episode
This week, the Fresh Bunch sits down for our own year-end “Wrapped,” unboxing a full lineup of stories and highlights. We dive into all things Miami Art Week, reminisce about our own Artful Fresh Fest, and even rate the tradeshows that shaped our year.

We also celebrate a huge milestone—our best Toys for Tots drive ever, filling 8 boxes (and counting!). Cabin Mike checks in from the lake house, and we share some unfortunate news about hail damage on the farm.

As we head into the holidays, we’re gearing up for something special: our 200th episode video celebration. Send in your thoughts, suggestions and shot out to: [email protected]

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This week, The Fresh Bunch brings you an episode overflowing with New York energy and floral heart as we welcome the one and only Robert Luebcke of J. Van Vliet NY. Robert shares how his uncle first pulled him into the floral world—and how a life-changing trip to Holland sealed his floral destiny.

We dive into the legendary days of 28th Street, the bold decision to establish J. Van Vliet in Queens more than 25 years ago, and why everyone thought they were crazy… until it became revolutionary.

A devoted student of Dale Carnegie, Robert lives by a simple philosophy: give first, be unselfish, speak good, and good will come to you. We talk about the future of the floral industry, flowers as powerful stress reducers, and the importance of relationship building with an extraordinary team.

This episode bursts with the energy of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade—filled with New York characters, flower passion, and contagious laughter. We even play a rapid-fire True NY This or That, and we dare you not to smile the entire time.

Robert also opens up about his growing social-media presence and his mission to educate, inspire, and help creatives truly stand out.

Vibrant, funny, heartfelt, and overflowing with flower love—this episode is pure New York charm. Grab a seat, hit play, and enjoy the ride from start to finish.

https://www.instagram.com/vanvlietny/?hl=en

 https://www.instagram.com/robertluebcke/?igsh=MTlhZjYzZHM0cjI5bQ%3D%3D#

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Extra, extra — Freshies HEAR all about it! We’ve got BIG news on the Fresh Bunch Podcast! Lane DeVries’ brand-new book, The Pursuit of Purpose, officially has a launch date.  On November 24th, the book is available on Amazon, and Lane sits down with the Fresh Bunch to spill everything.

Lane shares how a visit from Mike, Casey, and Ryan sparked the idea for the book, and how—since last October—he’s been putting pen to paper to bring this book to life. Part personal story, part business guide, and 100% motivational, The Pursuit of Purpose captures Lane’s four-decade journey in the flower world, his principles, his purpose, and the lessons that shaped Sun Valley.

We discuss the writing process, the behind-the-scenes stories, and of course…the Fresh Bunch review!

Lane’s hope for readers? Stick with your purpose. Stick to your principles. And never give up.

https://lanedevries.com/%F0%9F%8C%B7the-pursuit-of-purpose-a-40-year-journey-of-a-dutch-flower-farmer-in-america/

PLUS — Jet Fresh is giving away 10 free copies to the first 10 Fresh Bunch listeners who email Mimi. Don’t sleep on this one!

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The Fresh Bunch is back and bringing the laughs — even though we are missing Mike! This week, we’re hanging out with Jordan Prosser of Salters Evergreen, the Alabama Smilax Specialist.  Jordan gives us the lowdown on Smilax, his Next Gen family roots in the industry, and promises (again) — no snakes in the boxes!

Things get festive as we talk Christmas decorations, the Wedding MBA show, and try to keep a straight face while Ryan and Joel play with a voice-altering gadget that Connor found on TikTok. Let’s just say at one point, everyone sounded like they were auditioning to be the movie trailer guy: “In a world... where Smilax reigns supreme…”

Meanwhile, Jason gets down to business with some cool talk about Jet Fresh Refrigerated Services and cross-docking.

It’s a holly-jolly, deep-voiced, Smilax-filled episode of The Fresh Bunch — you don’t want to miss this one!