Valentine’s Day: between resilience and optimism to get their businesses afloat in this campaign

the campaign of Valentine’s Day, like the heat of February, never goes unnoticed in Lima. Floral arrangements, heart balloons, stuffed animals that sing “I love you” to the rhythm of Franco de Vita, hostels that offer 2 for 1 and a heated Jacuzzi, appear in the panorama of a convulsed city that, at least for a few days, maintains pinkish tones. .

The Republic spoke with entrepreneurs who are trying to carry out their businesses despite the social and political crisis of recent days. Thus, the sale of flowers and chocolates, or attendance at hotels and restaurants expect to increase on this date. The Chamber of Commerce of Lima (CCL) estimates that the average spending of Peruvians on February 14 will be between S/100 and S/150. Although it is a lower figure than that registered in 2022, there will be 3% growth in companies in the retail sector.

Red roses for Valentine’s

The Flores del Rímac market, located in Acho, maintains a festive atmosphere: each stall seems to have a different personality, as for each type of lover, from the most timid to the most seasoned. Among the various stands you can find Hosanna Atelier Floral, a position that has been in the market for 15 years.

“It is a family business, we are four brothers. The eldest started it, then the others joined us. We have been gathering ideas, innovating products with new trends. Each one fulfills a function and contributes to advances for the florist”, mentions Rosa Angelica Yupanqui, the younger sister. For this campaign, she tells us, red roses are the ones that sell the most, followed by shades like pink and blue.

Hosanna Atelier Floral is a family business with 15 years in the market. Photo: Karina Garcia/Ig: mu_n_a_y

For this date they estimate to place between 150 and 200 delivery orders, but they will also attend store pick-up errands and spontaneous customers who purchase flowers on February 14, so they expect to sell up to 400 flower arrangements. Among the prices they handle, you can buy bouquets of flowers from S/50 to more elaborate products of more than S/300.

However, Rosa also tells us that this campaign is marked by the crisis that the country is going through.

“This 2023 we are uncertain due to the situation. So far, to be February 8, there are no flowers, we are waiting for the suppliers to enter the merchandise. We hope that everything is regulated these days because we are being affected by scarcity of some main varieties,” he adds.

Valentine’s Day: 60% of people buy their gifts at the last minute

Fall in love with memecakes

Another way to show affection on this date is through sweets. Melita Martinez is a communicator and, five years ago, she decided to carry out her venture Melita.Cakes for the sale of personalized cakes and cupcakes through social networks.

“I started studying pastry making as a hobby while I was studying Communications. It was my sister Talía who encouraged me to create my business,” says Melita, who, a year ago, decided to quit her job and dedicate herself 100% to her passion Now, with the help of her family, she has been able to acquire a warehouse where she can store her supplies and concentrate on preparing her products.

For this Valentine’s campaign, it is projected to make between 25 to 30 orders. In this context, he comments that what customers are most looking for are personalized cakes, themed snacks, fornite memecakes with phrases, and meme cakes. Likewise, its costs range from S/35 to S/150.

However, Melita indicates that all the ingredients have increased their prices compared to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The cakes are no longer worth the same as before the pandemic,” she says. “There are many things that have even doubled, for example, flour has risen 60% in relation to the pandemic; boxes rose 25 to 30%. Sugar, in the last rise, I would say it went up by up to 100%, both blonde and white, we have a rise among all products of at least 20% ”, she explains.

Despite this increase, she has opted not to increase her prices, but to better manage and organize her purchases, as well as find the most suitable suppliers. “My personalized cakes are not a basic necessity product, but a pleasure. Customers have to see the importance of your product both physically and in flavor so that they can add value and continue ordering beyond Valentine’s Day.” In the future, it is projected to continue growing and investigate the field of 3D cakes.

Santa Rosa flower market recovers

Last January 16, a fire consumed the Santa Rosa flower market. Pedro Enrique Flores, president of the association, estimates that the losses were greater than S/1 million. “The merchants have taken out loans and that is what is hurting the economy of the partners a lot. We are hand in hand with the mayor, we have the faith to recover on Valentine’s Day, ”he adds.

In total, 25 stalls out of 160 have not been able to open yet. “They don’t have the capital to continue working, we are thinking of organizing a flock for Valentine’s Day to support them, so that they are there for the Mother’s Day campaign,” Flores details.

For his part, Enrique Cruz, one of the vendors in the place, says that the entire market has been reactivating little by little. In his case, he had a loss of approximately S / 120,000. “We have had an irreparable loss, but with effort we are moving forward,” he emphasizes. For these dates, he mostly has between 100 and 120 orders per campaign and expects sales to increase in the following days.

A few steps further on is Miguel Santana, another merchant whose stall has been there for 30 years. “Right now the campaign is a bit slow because people are just seeing that the market is reactivating, setting up little by little, the table, the awnings, the chairs, it’s still slow,” he specifies. Along these lines, he explains that it does not favor them that the 14th fell on a Tuesday, since, when it is the weekend, more sales are projected.

“(I hope) to recover 50%, but 100% will not be able to, there was strong investment, it all depends on how people respond, we hope there will be the greatest possible sale,” he says.

In previous years, at a minimum he could sell up to 200 arrangements these days. “I hope I get even half of it, because sales have dropped a bit, before, for this date, I already had orders, now none,” said Santana, whose products range from S/30 to S/150.

In addition, it indicates that the current crisis and the strikes are also affecting the entry of merchandise. “Yes, there will be flowers, but the cost may be a little higher,” she concludes.

Miguel Santana seller of the Santa Rosa flower market. Photo: Karina Garcia/Ig: mu_n_a_y