Maui County seeking vendors for Philadelphia flower show

WAILUKU, MAUI – The Maui County Office of Economic Development (OED) has announced that it has purchased ten booths at the Philadelphia International Flower Show, held from March 4 to 11, 2012.  The theme of the flower show this year is “Hawai`i, Islands of Aloha.”

The show is the largest fresh flower & products show in North America, with approximately 300,000 people attending the nine-day event.  The flower show organizers have offered vendors from all counties in Hawai`i a “Hawai`i Market Place” which will be designed to showcase local Hawai`i made products and cultural crafts.  Hawai`i Tourism Authority and the Maui Visitor’s Bureau will also be participating in the show to promote Hawai`i and Maui County.

Maui County is now soliciting local vendors who want to participate in this opportunity and sell their products at this show.  In addition to the booth space, the Office of Economic Development will be offering each company who qualifies an assistance package to help defray costs. 

Products that are eligible are Maui County made food products, cultural crafts, Hawaiian music CD’s, fresh flowers or packaged nursery products, value added soaps & lotions, fresh fruit, packaged coffee etc.  The county will pick a diverse group of vendors that have a large quantity of product that will be ready to ship to Philadelphia in March.  The requirements are that 51% of the value of the product must have been derived within Maui County, and the company must have a website with an active shopping cart. 

“The purpose of promoting our companies to these new mainland buyers is to entice them to re-order from our companies’ shopping carts in the future,” said Teena Rasmussen, OED Coordinator.  “Without the shopping cart requirement, there would be no mechanism to gain future business from this endeavor.”

A special informational meeting is scheduled on Sept. 7, 2010 at 8 a.m.  in the Mayor’s Lounge on the 9th floor of the County building.  Interested companies are urged to attend this meeting as the County vendor list of participants must be completed by October 1st.

For further information or for interested companies from Lanai and Molokai, interested parties can call the Maui County Office of Economic Development at 270-7710.