The Fresh Bunch

Send us Fan Mail As we gear up for the release of our 200th episode (Releasing on Jan 15, 2026), we thought it would be fun to go back in time to 2024 and re-play our 100th celebration episode. A lot has changed in these past 100 episodes, and we're extremely grateful you're still listening. WE hope you enjoy this blast from the past, and look forward to sharing our 200th episode next we...

Send us Fan Mail Happy New Year, Freshies!!!  On this special 2026 New Year's episode of The Fresh Bunch, Jimi the Tulip, Mimi, and Ryan ring in the New Year with the help of a few of our favorite Freshies. Starting with Holly Haverman of Kennedy Flowers, on her 2nd year designing at the Rose Bowl Parade. Then we called in the big guns for some 2026 fresh perspective from Lori Wilson of the F...

Send us Fan Mail Merry Fresh-mas! 🎄 This week on the Fresh Bunch Podcast, we’re joined by the marvelous Jet Fresh Growers Marketing team—our very own Emilia Coloma and Diana Flores. Emi and Diana dive into what marketing looks like at the farm level, how it differs across industry segments and regions, and how each Jet Fresh marketing team member brings unique strengths to the table—from creative...

Send us Fan Mail While Mike is off playing Santa in Ecuador, the Fresh Bunch goes delightfully off the rails in this laugh-out-loud filler episode. From the biggest (and quirkiest) flower trends of 2025 to the words that defined the year, we recap the moments, events, and conversations that kept popping up all year long—yes, including how many times we somehow circled back to tariffs. We also dive...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Fresh Bunch , we dive into the remarkable journey of the Sassen family—whose story began on a small carnation farm in the Netherlands in the 1960s and blossomed into one of the world’s most renowned floral brands. Marc Sassen, destined to be a grower from childhood, reflects on working alongside his mother and siblings and how those early days shaped the fam...

Send us Fan Mail A Wrapped Episode This week, the Fresh Bunch sits down for our own year-end “Wrapped,” unboxing a full lineup of stories and highlights. We dive into all things Miami Art Week , reminisce about our own Artful Fresh Fest , and even rate the tradeshows that shaped our year. We also celebrate a huge milestone—our best Toys for Tots drive ever , filling 8 boxes (and counting!) . Cabin...

Send us Fan Mail This week, The Fresh Bunch brings you an episode overflowing with New York energy and floral heart as we welcome the one and only Robert Luebcke of J. Van Vliet NY . Robert shares how his uncle first pulled him into the floral world—and how a life-changing trip to Holland sealed his floral destiny. We dive into the legendary days of 28th Street , the bold decision to establish J....

Send us Fan Mail Extra, extra — Freshies HEAR all about it! We’ve got BIG news on the Fresh Bunch Podcast! Lane DeVries’ brand-new book, The Pursuit of Purpose , officially has a launch date.  On November 24th, the book is available on Amazon, and Lane sits down with the Fresh Bunch to spill everything . Lane shares how a visit from Mike, Casey, and Ryan sparked the idea for the book, and how—sinc...

Send us Fan Mail The Fresh Bunch is back and bringing the laughs — even though we are missing Mike! This week, we’re hanging out with Jordan Prosser of Salters Evergreen, the Alabama Smilax Specialist .  Jordan gives us the lowdown on Smilax, his Next Gen family roots in the industry, and promises (again) — no snakes in the boxes! Things get festive as we talk Christmas decorations, the Wedding MB...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Fresh Bunch Podcast, we’re going Texas-sized with a true industry legend — Joe Don Zetzsche of Rocking Bar Z. With a 35-year career leading the floral revolution at H-E-B, Joe helped transform everyday flower shopping into the beloved BLOOMS Flower Shops by H-E-B experience. He’s a top floral industry consultant, board member of That Flower Feeling, and a strategi...

Send us Fan Mail The Halloween Hangout: Welcome to our spontaneous Halloween Hangout, recorded right in the Jet Fresh Customer Living Room! We've got Lil Tulip (CJ) joining the crew, plus a few fresh faces popping in. Jimi's joins us with a few scary jokes, we dive into the season: chatting about autumn color palettes, our favorite spooky movies, and the best Halloween candy. But the rea...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Fresh Bunch Podcast, we’re catching up with the Cash & Carry Crew all about customers, flower picks and costumes.   We welcome a couple of very special guests from Rosaprima — Nicholas Chang, VP of Sales & Marketing, and Roberto Maqueo, the new Sales Manager. Fresh off a tour of the brand-new Jet Fresh Facility, Mike brings Rosaprima in for a lively chat f...

Send us Fan Mail This week, kindness is in full bloom as we celebrate Petal It Forward — the annual goodwill initiative now in its 11th year, with nearly 500 participants spreading smiles a few stems at a time. We’re joined by our partners and friends from across the nation to share stories, laughter, and the joy of giving. Mimi dusts off her news reporter jacket and hits the streets to interview...

Send us Fan Mail This week, The Fresh Bunch goes off the rails (in the best way possible) as Jimi the Tulip hijacks the show with a full bouquet of dad jokes —cringe-worthy and hilarious in equal measure. With Mike out, Ryan, Mimi and Joel hold down the floral fort bringing you laughs, facts, and a few unexpected detours. 🌼 Ryan dives into the Guinness World Records of the flower world—some may s...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Fresh Bunch , we reconnect with Sahid Nahim, President of New Bloom Solutions and host of The Bloom Show . Fresh off receiving the Society of American Florists’ Rising Star Award, Sahid reflects on his journey of building connections, reinventing his business, and shaping the floral industry through creativity, innovation, and community. We chat about his recent t...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Fresh Bunch , we sit down with the inspiring mother-and-son grower duo, Janet and John Louie of Green Valley Floral—a proud third-generation Japanese American flower farm in Salinas, CA, cultivating beauty since 1973. From an 8-year hiatus in the Outstanding Varieties Competition to coming back strong with multiple ribbons—and the coveted People’s Choice Award for...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Fresh Bunch , we're giving Jimi another shot at guest hosting — and he’s not holding back. We kick things off with a quick recap of the Petal Grand Opening event (yes, Mimi got the tattoo!) before diving into a conversation with the incredibly talented Varito Rodrigo Vasquez. Varito, a renowned floral and event designer with deep roots in Costa Rica’s wedding...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Fresh Bunch Podcast , guest host Jimi the Tulip steps in and brings the flower power with his longtime friend and fellow floral phenom Danielle Curry of Oliflor in Miami. Danielle runs one of the most exciting sustainable and immersive floral event companies in the game—and she’s on a mission to prove you can create jaw-dropping, large-scale installations without...

Send us Fan Mail The Fresh Bunch is back in session! This week, Mike, Ryan, and Joel return to the mic as we say goodbye to summer and hello topromising autumn. With school back and vacation winding down, the floral market is picking up steam—but there’s a chill in the air, and it’s not just the weather. Christine Boldt joins us to break down the BIG “T” — Tariffs. She gives us the real story on:...

Send us Fan Mail Buckle up, podcast pals! This week on The Fresh Bunch, Dali and Mimi are in their floral Thelma and Louise era. Join us for a high-speed (well, maybe just a very scenic) quickly recapping their adventures, from hitting up wholesalers to reuniting with old floral friends. Inviting guest and covering everything from the bittersweet end of summer to the surprisingly early arrival of...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Fresh Bunch Podcast , we’re joined by David Mitchell, President of Mitchell’s Florist & Flower Delivery — a family-owned shop that’s been blooming in Chicago’s southwest suburbs for more than 50 years. From humble beginnings in a converted farmhouse to becoming a floral staple in Orland Park and Hinsdale, Mitchell’s story is one of tradition, resilience, and r...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Fresh Bunch , we’re joined by the one and only Susan McLeary —visionary floral artist, educator, and boundary-pusher behind Passion Flower Sue . Known for her exquisite living artwork , Susan creates everything from surreal headpieces to full-body floral wearables, and her work continues to redefine what flowers can do. We dive deep into Susan’s world of floral ar...

Send us Fan Mail This week, The Fresh Bunch is joined by the ever-inspiring Sukii Qi — the Lifestyle Alchemist and Floral Artist behind Say Sukii . Sukii takes us on a deeply personal journey that began in the floral department at Whole Foods and blossomed into the creation of her own creative sanctuary. Through grief, she found healing in flowers and followed a dream of freedom — what she calls t...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of The Fresh Bunch, Mike, Mimi and Ryan are joined by 2 of the freshest members to the Jet Fresh team, Connor and Ty Black.  Connor is the youngest of Mike's sons, who just about 1 year ago today started working full time at Jet Fresh. Ty, our dynamic sales assistant and budding influencer, is also Connor's wife.  Listen in as we eventually get to...

Send us Fan Mail The Fresh Bunch kicks off its rebrand with a fresh dose of inspiration from Juliana Bustillo, Founder and Creative Director of Ora the Floral Agency —"the first" floral-exclusive design agency built to help traditional brands and farms enter the new age. From humble beginnings to partnering with MasterCard and being featured on Domestika, Juliana has grown Ora into a mul...