How can we make it easier for our customers to find the products they need while preserving the personal service and shopping experience they know and love at Green Mountain Floral Supply (GMFSI)? That question was at the heart of what staff members Emma and Morgan brought home from Atlanta this summer.
The two attended DevX 2026 (Development Experience), an annual, hands-on professional development and networking event organized by the Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association (WFFSA) for floral industry professionals. Held July 28-31, the event was a first opportunity for both and brought together nearly 70 participants to explore new approaches to floral distribution, learn from other businesses, and discover practical ways to improve operations.
For Emma, who grew up in the family business and helps manage GMFSI’s premade fresh flower bouquet program, and Morgan, who works in the Flower Department fulfilling fresh flower orders and assisting customers, the experience offered a closer look at how other businesses manage inventory, share product information, and serve their customers.
Through behind-the-scenes visits to four Atlanta-area floral businesses, an interactive AI Workshop & Buildathon, and conversations with industry peers, they returned with fresh ideas – and a clearer view of how new tools and more efficient processes might support the personal, relationship-driven service that remains central to the company.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
For Emma, DevX was an opportunity to compare GMFSI’s operations with those of other wholesalers, growers, and retailers. For Morgan, it was an introduction to parts of the floral industry she hadn’t experienced before.
Both found themselves thinking about business processes at GMFSI and how they might be improved.
“I think it was also interesting to challenge some of my views in terms of what we’ve done here forever,” Emma said. “There are other things out there, and it would be interesting to see if that is a new way of making our lives easier here.”
Visits to other floral operations offered practical examples. At one location, orders were organized by customer and pickup or delivery day, helping distinguish reserved products from what remained available to shoppers. An online inventory system also gave customers a clearer view of available products and quantities. And at still another site visit, historical sales information and organized workflows supported advanced planning for a high volume of daily deliveries. Seeing these approaches prompted ideas for how better inventory organization and more accessible product information could make shopping and ordering easier at GMFSI.
The visits also reinforced what makes GMFSI special: our broad selection of flowers and supplies, the opportunity for customers to browse and compare products in person, and the relationships that connect employees with customers and their orders across departments.
Morgan came away with a new appreciation for the work happening right here at home.
“It gave me a greater appreciation for how much work goes into Green Mountain,” she said. “The Flower Department is quite incredible – the amount we accomplish, the volume we handle, and the quality and care that go into it.”
– Morgan
Bringing Ideas Home
DevX wasn’t just about observing how other businesses operate. Attendees were encouraged to explore ideas they could bring back to their own companies, ultimately benefitting customers.
Live inventory systems caught Emma and Morgan’s attention, as did different approaches to flower processing, order fulfillment, organization, and planning. The goal isn’t to change everything overnight, but to consider where a different process or tool might help the team work more efficiently and give our customers a clearer, easier experience.
The AI Workshop & Buildathon offered another perspective. Morgan went in skeptical about artificial intelligence but came away seeing practical applications for the workplace.
During the Buildathon, she and Emma teamed up with other participants to create a concept for a sustainability-focused app for the floral supply chain they named “GreenLens” that compared growers using criteria such as transportation, sustainability practices, and working conditions.
For Emma, the exercise showed how quickly an idea could take shape.
“What surprised me was how easy it was to turn an idea into a working product,” she said.
She has since been using AI more intentionally to explore improvements to everyday operations at GMFSI, including the company’s order forms. The aim is to make forms clearer and more consistent. New supply and flower order forms are currently being tested in-house for future customer implementation. Emma has also been organizing company reference materials to help support projects such as signage and other communications.
These are practical applications of what she learned at DevX: using new tools to make routine tasks easier, improve communication, streamline processes, and give the team more time to focus on customers.
A Broader View of the Work We Do
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from DevX wasn’t one particular technology, process, or business idea. It was perspective.
For two first-time DevX attendees, the trip was an opportunity to learn, exchange ideas, and look at familiar processes with fresh eyes. As Emma reflected, the experience was inspiring – a chance to discover different ways of doing things while gaining a greater appreciation for what GMFSI already does well.
DevX 2027 will head to Chicago, Illinois, where WFFSA members will once again experience an engaging blend of hands-on learning, behind-the-scenes industry access, and meaningful connections. Additional details will be announced in the coming months.
