The Fresh Market Romances the Store

The Fresh Market wants shoppers to know that a supermarket can be the perfect destination for high-quality floral and food this Valentine’s Day.

Promoting its long-standing relationship with a premier grower who is also The Official Rose of the Rose Bowl Game, the Tony Awards and the Miss America Competition, Greensboro, N.C.-based Fresh Market is featuring fresh bouquets and a gourmet dinner for two to make sharing the love a simple proposition this year.

The Fresh Market said its roses are grown in South America and kept cool through transport to the grocer’s stores in temperature-controlled trucks equipped to inhibit the production of ethylene—a plant hormone that accelerates the aging of flowers. By preventing the buildup of ethylene during transport, it extends the freshness of the flowers by up to 300%, according to The Fresh Market.

“Valentine’s Day is the biggest day of the year for us in floral sales. We will sell over 1 million rose stems this holiday season,” Joann Whitley, director of floral and gift for The Fresh Market, said in a statement. “Just as our guests trust the quality and freshness of our food, the same holds true for our floral selection.”

The Fresh Market’s roses come in an assortment of stem lengths and colors, so guests can express their love in a variety of ways. The grocer also educates shoppers in the meaning of different rose colors: red for love, pink for admiration, yellow for friendship, orange for passion, and so on.

For value-conscious and convenience-seeking shoppers, The Fresh Market’s Valentine’s Day Meal Deal With Roses features an elegant meal for two and a dozen roses for $49.99.

Guests can choose any two entree combinations from a menu that includes a 9-ounce Premium Choice Chateaubriand Filet Mignon, 2- to 4-ounce Ultimate Lump Crab Cakes, or a 7-ounce Chilean Sea Bass portion. The meal also boasts a side dish of choice and chocolate-dipped strawberries.