"It's through challenging experiences that organizations often discover new strengths and opportunities for growth," states Steve Rosenbluth, Vice President at La Gaitana Farms and Charme Flowers, Miami. La Gaitana Farms is a family-owned independent Colombian carnation grower and bouquet manufacturer with 43 hectares of cropping area. The company consists of three farms: Guasca Farm, Cota Farm, and Subachoque Farm which are all located in areas of the Sabana de Bogotá, Colombia.
La Gaitana Farms has been an exporter of flowers, they sell their flowers to 22 different international destinations including the US, The Netherlands, and the UK. This year, La Gaitana Farms celebrates its 40th anniversary. Throughout the years, the company has experienced moments of growth but also a series of challenges. In this article, Rosenbluth and CEO Camilo Bleier tell us how La Gaitana Farms evolved into the company that it is today.
La Gaitana Farms team at Proflora 2023
The path to growth
La Gaitana Farms was established in 1984 by four partners with 4 hectares of greenhouse production. They started to produce roses, carnations, and spray carnations. In 1986 the Bleier family bought a larger stake and took over management. "Back then it wasn't a flourishing business. We didn't have a proper water source, and we had to deal with fusarium disease. In addition, the sales were concentrated on a single customer who bought on a consignment basis. Nevertheless, we gradually increased the growing area tenfold," comments Bleier.
He elaborates on how the company started to grow and expand from this moment onwards. "Between 1993 and 2003 La Gaitana Farms underwent significant development, not only in terms of physical space but also in the company's market presence. Later in 2005, we established a state-of-the-art post-harvesting warehouse with coolers, covering an impressive 2,300 square meters. The warehouse is equipped with insulated panels for temperature control, maintaining a consistent 3 degrees Celsius year-round. As we evolved, we made a strategic decision, in 2007, to specialize exclusively in the cultivation of carnations and spray carnations, areas where our expertise excels." Further expansions of growing areas and post harvesting facilities took place in 2012, 2017 and 2020.
Carnations being grown at one of the company's farms
"It hasn't been an easy path," emphasizes Bleier when he reflects on the development of the company. "In the past 40 years we have faced all kinds of hurdles, even natural ones. A few years ago, a hailstorm once destroyed 8 hectares of our greenhouses, and hurricanes on the east coast of the US have also affected our operation. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic tested our ability and flexibility to keep the company and its workers safe. In retrospect, we believe that our commitment, vision, and the dedication of our team have been key to overcoming these challenges."
Further development
Aside from the expansion in hectares, the company has also made efforts to further develop their products and services. "Over the years, our commitment to providing exceptional service, superior quality, and a wide variety of flowers has been the driving force behind our continuous growth and success. In 2019 and 2023 we won multiple quality awards at Proflora. And we are proud that the carnation breeders Dümmen Orange, Santamaria and Danziger have chosen our farm as the trial location and showroom for existing and new carnation varieties" Bleier says. 
The team of La Gaitana Farms with their awards at Proflora, Bogota in 2023.
"Similarly, we invested in our facilities and quality control processes. In 2019, we have optimized our cold storage rooms and loading docks, enabling the loading of sea containers directly on the farm. Further, we have made efforts to use sustainable production methods such as integrated pest management, recycling, composting, and reforestation programs, as well as the use of biodegradable refrigerant gases, and rice husks substrate."
The company has also tried different transport methods. "In 2008, La Gaitana Farms initiated an experiment with transporting flowers via sea containers. Since 2008 shipments of 40' reefers filled with carnations and mini carnations are sent to Rotterdam and Miami on a regular basis. This endeavor exceeded our expectations as the vase life of the flowers proved outstanding."
A 'growth mindset'
When asked what he expects for the future, Rosenbluth says the following: "We still have that growth mindset, and we still have land available for further expansion. Yet, the past 40 years we have overcome many challenges that have made us a resilient, adaptable organization that learns from its own history."
"There are customers who are looking for a superior quality product and who want to be taken care of with special attention year round as well as during the flower holidays. The independent growers are there to fill those needs. We proudly still stand as one of them. We are excited about our 40 years of growth, and look forward to many more."
For more information:
La Gaitana Farms
www.lagaitanafarms.com