A Valentine’s floral program for Feb. 14, 2027, takes shape over the next few months, and the 2026 season gives supermarket buyers a baseline for volumes, freight and duties. Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday next year.
Colombia and Ecuador supply much of the U.S. rose and bouquet volume for the holiday. Their 2026 numbers, along with a year of changing tariff rules, point to the questions buyers should settle with suppliers before the end of the year.
What the 2026 Colombian season showed
About 65,000 tons of Colombian flowers had shipped to the United States by early February 2026, up 13% from 2025, ColombiaOne reported, citing figures it attributed to BizRepublic. The shipping window ran from Jan. 15 to Feb. 9.
The same ColombiaOne report put the season at roughly 900 million stems, per Asocolflores, with about 1,400 flights and sea routes. Roses made up about 33% of Colombian flower exports.
Ecuador: more tons, less revenue expected
Alejandro Martinez, executive president of Expoflores, expected Ecuador’s Valentine’s volume to rise to about 39,000 tons from 37,000 tons in 2025, according to The Latin American Post. Revenue was projected at $274 million to $276 million, below the $282 million recorded in 2025.
The report said Valentine’s accounts for about 30% of Ecuadorian flower sales for the year and described a 15% U.S. tariff added to a 6.8% rate already applied.
The duty picture then changed. Ecuador y sus Flores reported in February that a reciprocal trade agreement would lift the 15% surcharge on about half of Ecuador’s non-oil exports once ratified, though it said the product list was not final. By July, The Cuenca Dispatch reported that a 10% Section 301 surcharge took effect July 24 and that roses and other fresh flowers were exempt.
That sequence is the reason to confirm duty status in writing. A Valentine’s floral program built on one rate can look very different after a policy change. SuperFloral has also covered how tariff risk is reaching North American supply.
Freight remains firm
WorldACD’s report for week 39 showed average air cargo pricing from Central and South America up 1% from the prior week and 7% from a year earlier, while global capacity was unchanged for a third week, according to WorldACD. Those are all-commodity averages, not flower-specific rates.
For context on cost pressure across origins, see SuperFloral’s coverage of rising freight costs in the global flower supply chain.
Takeaways: building your Valentine’s floral program
- Ask suppliers for volume commitments by pack type and delivery week. In 2026 the Colombian peak window ran Jan. 15 to Feb. 9.
- Decide who carries duty changes before pricing is set, and get each importer’s current duty status by origin in writing.
- Request current freight quotes by origin and departure date, with surcharges and handling shown separately.
- Confirm store delivery days and ad dates with distribution, since Feb. 14, 2027, is a Sunday.
- Review last year’s shrink and sell-through by pack before committing to a Valentine’s floral program mix.
Sources: ColombiaOne; The Latin American Post; Ecuador y sus Flores; The Cuenca Dispatch; WorldACD.
The SuperFloral Team brings you news, trends and practical ideas for supermarket and mass-market floral professionals. Our editors gather and curate the stories that matter most to floral teams in grocery and retail, from industry news and events to merchandising inspiration and business advice. Have a story idea or news tip? Write to us at editorial@superfloral.com.
