Westerlay Orchids Innovation
What problem does Westerlay Orchids solve?
Science suggests that Orchids are in a class of houseplants that can offer a variety of positive mental benefits, including an uplifted mood, sharpened focus, and more restful sleep. Westerlay Orchid’s has built a solid reputation for producing some of the Pacific Coast’s most beautiful and unique flowers, cultivated right in the heart of Carpinteria, with effortless at-home care and environmental impact in mind.
Adding plants to just one room of your home or office can work wonders for:
- Uplifts moods
- Relax The Mind
- Lower The Heart Rate
- Sharpen Focus
- Boost Memory
- Helps Creativity
- Restful Sleep
- Improves Air Quality
- Natural Humidifier
- Removes airborne Molds & Bacteria
- Reduces seasonal Allergies & Asthma
How can this transform the world or our day-to-day lives?
In many ways, orchids have the power to alter our surroundings and daily lives. They are not only lovely plants, but they can also give us resources like food and medicine. They are even employed for spiritual purposes in some civilizations. Orchids can also be used to produce goods like cosmetics, essential oils, and perfumes. By using orchids to their full potential, we can usher in a new era of sustainability and health. Orchids can contribute significantly to the improvement of agricultural methods and renewable energy sources.
Founder Entrepreneur
What is the “Founder story”? How did you come up with the idea?
The team at Westerlay Orchids has a simple mission: to grow the most stunning and highest-quality orchids. Westerlay’s path to producing some of the finest orchids available stretches back generations of horticulturists to the greenhouses of Holland. Company founder Joop “Joe” Overgaag had been a greenhouse farmer in the Netherlands before immigrating to Carpinteria, California (along with his wife and four children) in 1978. Joop built his first greenhouses by hand, salvaging oil pipes from the local industry for the frames, and would soon open Westerlay Roses, named after the Westerlee vegetable auction in Holland. The sweat equity paid off, and Westerlay Roses soon found a foothold in the domestic rose market.
“My dad was this dedicated, hands-on, and down-to-earth guy. He was always open to adaptation and cared so much for the people he worked with and the product he made.”
Fast forward 20 years and Westerlay Roses had grown to 800,000 square feet on several coastal Santa Barbara properties. The brand was synonymous with the most vibrantly colored flowers on the rose market and distributed millions of cut flowers annually for weddings and table settings all over the country. Joop recalls Midwest rose merchants in the 1990s demanding his Cardinal Roses, a brilliant red variety unique to the domestic market, but he couldn’t fill the orders quickly enough to take on new customers.
Still, a growing headwind against the domestic rose market imposed by increasing international competition was forming. Toine, after earning his Master’s Degree in business administration and having worked in business consulting, rejoined the Westerlay team and, together with Joop, formed a plan. Something had to change. They studied everything “orchid” and forged ahead with a five-year transition into orchids culminating in their first crop of cymbidiums in 2003. Westerlay Roses became Westerlay Orchids.
In 2009, Joop handed the reins of the company to Toine, and a second generation began to leave its mark. Westerlay has grown, eventually doubling our size to 21 acres and producing over 3.5 million orchids annually. Through it all, the tradition of the company continues, constantly refining our sustainable growing practices to ensure the highest quality orchids are produced. Westerlay has recently completed initiatives to recapture and reuse irrigation water, and we continue to build relationships with markets large and small all over the Western U.S. We strive to create the best working environment and to empower over 130 proud members.
Westerlay Reviews
What do customers love most about the product? What are they saying?
The quality and presentation of each orchid. Our Phalaenopsis Orchids are easy to care for. We select the best genetics and grow them locally using premium materials and a sustainable production process. By following our care instructions, consumers are enjoying our plants in bloom for months at a time. Not only that, but the sustainable side of Westerlay Orchids makes an impact. Westerlay Orchids is proud to embrace both tradition and innovation as we seek to grow the finest orchids on the West Coast.
Where can people get this product?
At Westerlay Orchids retail shop in Carpinteria along with online at Westerlay.com. Please find the shipping locations below:
Single Orchids
- We ship our single orchids anywhere in the 48 contiguous United States. At this time, we are not able to ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or any of the U. S. Territories.
Box of Orchids
- We ship our large boxes of orchids to California, Oregon, and the following metropolitan areas in Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, and Utah.
- Washington – Select Areas in Washington
- Nevada – Metropolitan Areas of Reno and Las Vegas
- Arizona – Metropolitan Areas of Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff
- Idaho – Metropolitan Area of Boise
- Utah – Metropolitan Area of Salt Lake City
Major Grocery Store chains throughout the west coast, inner mountain, and southwest desert markets.
About Westerlay Orchids: Based in beautiful Carpinteria, California, Westerlay Orchids is proud to serve as Southern California’s largest commercial orchid grower. The company annually distributes over 4 million orchids directly to customers and local and national supermarket chains, as well as florists and designers. Westerlay Orchids is a pioneer in environmental and sustainability practices and regularly contributes to local schools, nonprofit organizations, and many other community causes.
Visit www.Westerlay.com to learn more about the third-generation, family-run company.
By Toine Overgaag – Founder of Westerlay Orchids
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