A Trusted Partner Since 1941
Albert J. and Evangeline Wannow Made the Perfect Team
AJ was a hard-working man of the soil, and Vannie was a natural in the office. She excelled at keeping the books and selling the flowers that AJ loved to grow. When dedicated people like Vannie and AJ start a business, it’s hard to imagine the success they hope will carry on long after they’re gone. Valley Wholesale Floral, Inc. is their legacy.
When Arkansas Valley Gardens was formed in 1941, Wichita needed a floral wholesale house that invested its time and effort in pleasing its customers. The business took off immediately and grew steadily, day in and day out, thanks to the hard work of the Wannows and their long-time employee Joe Baldwin.
Our pride and joy were the Gladiolas, as Mr. Wannow raised them by the thousands during our local growing season. He also had a deep love for the Iris and liked to experiment with crossbreeding. He hybridized two variants of irises and named this variety the “Evangeline” after his true love.
Our Brand Evolution
In the Early Days of Valley Floral…
Cold storage was unheard of, and flowers were normally only available by season. Carnations weren’t available during the summer (which explains why so many come from Colorado), as well as mums, asters, and roses until greenhouses became air-conditioned or the weather naturally became cooler. Valley Floral’s first “cooler” was an underground cave!
When the gladiolas were cut and made ready for Vannie to take to the flower shops, they were put in the “storm cave” to be kept cool so they wouldn’t open too fast. They soon upgraded to a grocery store refrigerator, until finally they could build their own building with a walk-in refrigerator. The “new cooler” was only 10’ x 10’, but everyone was so proud of their new facility. That space is now the location of the office, surrounded by state-of-the-art facilities. Flowers are refrigerated from the farm to Valley’s cold storage warehouse, then refrigerated during transport to our clients’ shops. This process gives our flowers the longest life possible. We call this method “Valley Cold Chain”, and you can only find it at Valley Floral.
Cold storage was unheard of, and flowers were normally only available by season. Carnations weren’t available during the summer (which explains why so many come from Colorado), as well as mums, asters, and roses until greenhouses became air conditioned or the weather naturally became cooler. Valley Floral’s first “cooler” was an underground cave!
When the gladiolas were cut and made ready for Vannie to take to the flower shops, they were put in the “storm cave” to be kept cool so they wouldn’t open too fast. They soon upgraded to a grocery store refrigerator, until finally they could build their own building with a walk-in refrigerator. The “new cooler” was only 10’ x 10’, but everyone was so proud of their new facility.
That space is now the location of the office, surrounded by state-of-the-art facilities. Flowers are refrigerated from the farm to Valley’s cold storage warehouse, then refrigerated during transport to our clients’ shops. This process gives our flowers the longest life possible. We call this method “Valley Cold Chain”, and you can only find it at Valley Floral.
Valley Floral Today
Nearly a decade ago, Jerry and Kelley Yocum handed over the reins of Valley Floral to Carlos Ramos. They continue to collaborate as Carlos leads operations at the 50,000-square-foot warehouse, greenhouse, and distribution center. Carlos maintains the goal of advancing the legacy of Valley Floral for years to come.
Our warehouse and distribution centers are on the same 10 acres where Arkansas Valley Wholesale Floral first began more than 80 years ago. Our greenhouse division, located in nearby Kechi, Kansas has 40,000 square feet and offers everything from 3” foliage to 30’ interior and landscape plants.
We specialize in high-end and unique plants, designing and growing custom combination patio planters and blooming baskets, Valley’s own “Bountiful Fall Harvest” mums, award-winning poinsettias, and year-round production of azaleas.
All of our plants are acclimated to the Midwest environment and fertilized before delivering to our florists to ensure the longevity and health of the plants.
From humble beginnings in the “storm cave” to refrigerated delivery using the latest technology, Valley Floral continues to set the standard for the highest quality in floral wholesale delivery for our retail partners and their customers.