Cal Coast Orchids has you covered. The owners, Bas van Eijk and his wife Alison Glasco, work hard year round to supply the community with plants and flowers. Cal Coast Orchids specializes in orchid care for wholesale and retail customers. They strive to utilize sustainable growing initiatives, and use modern cultivation techniques for their growing practices. They mostly grow Phalainopsis, also known as the moth orchid.
History of Cal Coast Orchids
Bas and Alison are young, ambitious entrepreneurs who share a passion for growing plants. Bas was born and raised in the Netherlands. His father was involved in farming and gardening, which prompted Bas' interest in horticulture. Bas found his niche interest in the production of Phalaenopsis. After working for a greenhouse in New Zealand for a few years, it was time to venture out on his own. Bas moved to California, married Alison Glasco, and the two began their own business on the Central Coast.
The Mission
"To produce sustainably-grown, beautiful orchids of the highest quality for its customers"
The Cal Coast Orchid greenhouse is located right here on the Central Coast, in Los Osos. (MAP) They have an instagram and a facebook where you can keep up with specials and holiday deals. Their website provides more information on how Cal Coast Orchids originated, and goes into depth on the certain sustainability practices they implement on the facility.
Ok, so I know what you are thinking..."Where can I get one of these amazingly beautiful flowers?" The best bet is from Costco! Cal Coast Orchids ships hundreds of flowers to Costco around Valentines Day, which then are placed on an easily accessible display. There are multiple colors and varieties to chose from.
Once you buy your orchid, there are a few tips and tricks for caring for the plant. Bas shared a couple ways to ensure your orchid survives as long as possible.
First, place your orchid near a window seal that receives an adequate amount of sunlight, but not too much to where
Second, water your orchid according to the roots color.
Roots = Grey = Water Roots = Green = Do not water
New Media:
Cal Coast Orchids are a fairly new greenhouse, and exploring new ways to expose themselves. For example, they are using new media, like zoom, to attend trade shows that showcase clients their different products.
A couple of weeks ago, I drove to the facility to take photographs for them to use for their virtual slideshows. I took photographs of each type of orchid, along with the different colors that were available in that variety. I also took photos of the facility located in Los Osos. This was the first time they are attending a trade show in this format. The virtual trade show, and the way they are displaying their orchids/plants will be beneficial for their business.
Being a fairly new organization, they do not yet have an established marketing team. They have social media platforms, but do not spend much time engaging with their audience. This is one area in which there is room for improvement.
I chose Cal Coast Orchids to blog about because they are a fairly new ag-related organization, exploring ways in which they can advertise themselves and sell more product in the future. It will be interesting to follow them in the future, and note how they incorporate new media to grow theit business.
“I am so, so proud of what Ali and I have created. We truly want to make a difference–a difference in the quality of orchids in the U.S. market, and a difference in how people can be confident in caring for their plants. The best part is that we’re doing it together.”— Bas van Eijk, Co-Founder & Head Grower
Ellie Ann Vander Dussen
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