Smithers-Oasis Launches OASIS^® Floral Foam Maxlife

KENT, Ohio – What keeps florists up at night?  Will that centerpiece last through the holiday? Will the petals brown prematurely?  Florists know that beautiful, lasting flowers can make or break their reputation. Now they have a powerful new weapon in their arsenal – new OASIS® Floral Foam Maxlife, from Smithers-Oasis, the company that first invented floral foam more than 50 years ago.

Quelling florist anxieties about flower life, OASIS® Floral Foam Maxlife is scientifically proven to provide longer life for flowers – up to 50 percent longer – than any previous floral foam.  And, for the first time, it is the only floral foam proven to provide flower life as long, or longer, than a vase of water. It achieves this for a variety of flowers, including roses and traditionally problematic flowers such as gerberas.

This major product release comes directly in the wake of newly released data indicating that top concern of consumers purchasing from a florist is flower life, according to the Prince & Prince market research company.  While this has been the top concern of flower-buying customers for years, the newly released 2010 data notes a 10 percent increase in this sentiment, indicating that consumers increasingly demand more from florists, particularly longer flower life.

“This is the best time Smithers-Oasis Company could have improved our floral foam so drastically to respond to the consumer needs,” said Bob Williams, vice president of Smithers-Oasis North America. “To be successful with today’s savvy consumer, florists must provide noticeable value and flower life is the number one request.  OASIS® Floral Foam Maxlife extends the life of fresh cut flowers preventing premature browning, petal drop, bent-neck and more.”

“There is a noticeable increase in the flower life of my arrangements,” said flower shop owner and Smithers-Oasis design director Neville MacKay.  “All florists occasionally get a returned arrangement because the customer wasn’t satisfied with how long it lived. With OASIS® Floral Foam Maxlife, I truly think that is a worry of the past.”

“I was always able to design ahead of time for weddings and other events thanks to OASIS® Floral Products,” said freelance designer and Smithers-Oasis design director Frank Feysa, AIFD. “But now with OASIS® Floral Foam Maxlife I don’t see even the slightest wilting, browning, or premature opening of roses and hydrangeas and gerberas in foam last just as long, if not longer than a hand-tied bouquet.”

• Prevents premature petal burn, wilting and petal drop.
• Prevents premature browning of petals.
• Stops premature bent neck in flowers with soft stems.
• Stops leaves from premature yellowing, browning and falling off stems.
• Prevents stem burn.
• Arrangements made with floral foam should be watered daily; however, if a consumer forgets to water, flowers in OASIS® Floral Foam Maxlife will keep fresher, longer than unwatered arrangements in floral foam.

New OASIS® Floral Foam Maxlife is in all OASIS® Floral Foam products including bricks, bouquet holders, Mache Shapes, and all designer shapes.

Smithers-Oasis will continue to post the results of its flower testing on its website (www.oasisfloral.com) and facebook page (www.oasisfloral.com/facebook). Time lapse video of OASIS® Floral Foam Maxlife can be viewed on www.oasisfloral.com/IDEAChannel. The company is also encouraging florists to try this new floral foam and share their successes in their facebook community.

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