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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! 

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This week on The Fresh Bunch Podcast, we’re going Texas-sized with a true industry legend — Joe Don Zetzsche of Rocking Bar Z.

With a 35-year career leading the floral revolution at H-E-B, Joe helped transform everyday flower shopping into the beloved BLOOMS Flower Shops by H-E-B experience. He’s a top floral industry consultant, board member of That Flower Feeling, and a strategic leader who knows how to grow more than just beautiful bouquets — he grows people, brands, and results.

We dig deep into how Joe’s guiding principles of faith, leadership, and innovation continue to shape his work today — from retail stories with Mike, Colombian Chrysanthemums, to exploring the future of AI. With his signature Texas charm and unwavering optimism, Joe shares insights on staying fresh, leading with purpose, and keeping pace with the rapid changes in our industry.

https://www.rockingbarz.com/

linkedin.com/in/joedonz

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The Halloween Hangout: Welcome to our spontaneous Halloween Hangout, recorded right in the Jet Fresh Customer Living Room! We've got Lil Tulip (CJ) joining the crew, plus a few fresh faces popping in. Jimi's joins us with a few scary jokes, we dive into the season: chatting about autumn color palettes, our favorite spooky movies, and the best Halloween candy.

But the real treats are our guests! Hear from a couple running multiple businesses , and get into the spirit with a wedding florist who has a passion for blood red roses. It’s a fun, unscripted chat with the whole Fresh Bunch—messages and walk-ins included!

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This week on The Fresh Bunch Podcast, we’re catching up with the Cash & Carry Crew all about customers, flower picks and costumes.   We welcome a couple of very special guests from Rosaprima — Nicholas Chang, VP of Sales & Marketing, and Roberto Maqueo, the new Sales Manager. Fresh off a tour of the brand-new Jet Fresh Facility, Mike brings Rosaprima in for a lively chat full of laughs, insight, and flower talk.

Roberto shares how his first days at Rosaprima gave him a whole new perspective on the floral business, while Nicholas sheds light on the company’s expanding product assortment — and the challenges of maintaining Rosaprima’s signature brand integrity with the Floraprima sister brand.   We also dive into the strikes and political tensions in Ecuador, possible tariffs in Colombia, the importance of communication with customers, and the respect owed to Justicia Indígena and the indigenous communities.

Of course, it’s not all serious — we mix in jokes with Jimi, chat about concerts and travel plans, debate Halloween costumes, and even get nerdy about Levante Anemones(say that in your Harry Potter voice), Poppies, and floral processing tips.

It’s an episode packed with flowers, fun, and a little fresh perspective.  

https://www.instagram.com/rosaprimaroses

https://www.instagram.com/floraprimaofficial/