So says florist Denise Lauff, whose team from Forster’s Rosita Florist was rewarded with Interflora’s National Pursuit of Excellence award on Saturday during a presentation in Perth. Denise’s family has been arranging and selling flowers for what seems like ‘forever’, and the national award came as a surprise off the back of winning the NSW and ACT district division.

The business only just had its 40^th anniversary earlier this month, celebrating its acquisition by Denise’s parents Brenda and Arthur Mitchell who retained the existing name. Married to a local oyster farmer, Denise put her hand up to work in the shop in the late 1990s when the hepatitis scare hit the local oyster industry. Her small and dedicated team  includes sister Wendy Sargent and Tina Gogerly.

“There’s been a lot of sweat and tears over time,” laughed Tina.

With approximately 900 members nationally, Interflora’s annual award recognises customer service, presentation and quality and involves a test visit by assessors incognito, mystery customer service phone calls and orders. 

Denise said the best way to learn was by observation. Until her TAFE course in 2000, “it was best tool I had.”

Facing challenges posed by online competition and the regional discrepancies of supply and demand – “you don’t want to throw it in the bin at the end of the day” – she said teamwork and a quality supplier (they’ve used the same one for 28 years) is incredibly important.

“It’s all a joy, I have a passion for it,” she said.

Denise will receive a $6000 Interflora marketing grant for the national award.