Dümmen Orange creates flowers that inspire, much like Yellowstone National Park has done for generations. When the company created the Yellowstone Petunia – a bright, vivid, attention-grabbing flower – they wanted it to inspire more than just sales. Their partnership with Yellowstone Forever has bloomed into connections between growers, buyers, and customers while expanding their community along the way. Subsequently, Dümmen Orange is hoping to expand their Yellowstone Forever products, continue growing with sustainable offerings, and drive connection between the planet’s beauty and it’s people.

 

The Partnership

A part of the Dümmen Orange mission is to get people connected with natural beauty. Whether that takes place in a backyard garden, an urban planter, or on a hike in Yellowstone, it all achieves the same goal.

“Yellowstone is known around the world, from Wyoming to the Netherlands. The brand – and the idea of conservation – breaks through any language barrier, and calls upon all of us to serve its mission.” – Marta Maria Garcia, Head of Marketing and Retail NA at Dümmen Orange

The Yellowstone Petunia was born from a cutting, but quickly caught the eye of people throughout the organization. After forming their partnership, 10 cents from the sale of every cutting goes directly to protect Yellowstone, reaching almost $100,000 in 2021 alone. Aside from the vibrant colors, the plant generates a ‘halo effect’, feeding positivity into it’s supply chain journey, all the way to customers at their local garden center. It’s not often there’s a garden plant that generates such an important impact – making it a unique, exciting purchase for customers.

As word of the partnership spreads throughout Dümmen Orange’s community, they are looking for ways to expand the impact. New flowers are on the way, such as the Old Faithful Mix (includes verbena), building off the connection that people feel to extraordinary places like Yellowstone.

 

How it fits

The partnership fits into Dümmen Orange’s purpose, and specifically with their sustainability mission – to be a global leader in positive environmental impact. They view their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives as the way they want to impact the world, creating a world they want to live in. The Yellowstone Forever partnership fits into their overall CSR strategy, combining sustainability efforts and social impacts to create a better world. They inspire new customers through their product and their values, promote fair-trade certified flowers, and
create confidence through trust. They view flowers as a form of art, and that connection can be found anywhere, from the backcountry of Yellowstone to the local community garden. Flowers can bridge the connection between people and planet.

“We are the beginning of the supply chain. If we can get it started on the right foot, it will carry on all the way to the customer. Everyone who touches this plant becomes a part of the story.” – Marta Maria Garcia, Head of Marketing and Retail NA at Dümmen Orange

Dümmen Orange is a leader in the industry, and is deeply connected to supply chain sustainability. They are able to promote this partnership with every level of their suppliers. There are a lot of plant options on the market, and this provides them a story to add to their product.

Dümmen Orange has even found the Yellowstone Petunia making cameos in other company’s CSR reports, leveraging the partnership for their own stories, and bringing in Dümmen Orange along the way.

 

Employee Engagement

Dümmen Orange has a large employee network spanning across the globe. While the idea itself was conceived by an employee, the leadership dove into the concept, and it has rippled into every corner of the business. It continues to inspire employees to find ways to leave the world a better place, as well as growth opportunities and individual connection to work.

Their breeders create thousands of plants every year, but this one stood out. From breeders to growers to buyers, this plant grabbed people’s attention, and still does. Within the company, leaders can see the performance of the Yellowstone Petunia, and watch as purchases go up each year. There are many reasons why this partnership supports their goals, but it’s also enjoyable to see the sales numbers rise, and the excitement that builds throughout the supply chain.

 

Working with Yellowstone Forever

Dümmen Orange takes care in their partnership choices. They expressed that a one-off agreement or a sponsorship is nice, but it doesn’t build the trust, excitement, and on-going impact as a true partnership. “When we started with Yellowstone Forever, it felt like doors just kept swinging open,” said Marta Maria Garcia. They’ve continued to express joy, passion, and engagement each year.

Dümmen Orange has expressed the human connection of the partnership as much as the impact on wildlife. When they launched the partnership, Yellowstone Forever leadership flew out to Ohio for an industry event to support the partnership. Meeting with suppliers and growers meant a lot to Dümmen Orange’s team, and continues to generate goodwill throughout the partnership.

“When we look for a partnership, it has to be a two-way street. We look for groups that are engaged, care about the same issues as we do, and who are willing to be equally creative, hard-working, and genuine. We found that with the Yellowstone Forever team.” – Marta Maria Garcia, Head of Marketing and Retail NA at Dümmen Orange

 

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This case study was written and prepared by Miles Starr Radin, in collaboration with Yellowstone Forever, Toyota North America and Yale School of the Environment. Miles Starr Radin is an environmental advocate, national park visitor, and graduate of the Yale School of the Environment (MEM ’22). He started his career as a naturalist in Yosemite National Park, has worked at a variety of urban conservation programs (John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Chestnut Hill Conservancy), and worked to integrate business to further our planet’s challenging sustainability goals at Subaru of America, Inc. Miles is currently Sustainability Manager at PwC.

For more information on corporate partnerships with Yellowstone Forever, contact:

Whitney Brunner
Manager, Corporate Partnerships
[email protected]
406-848-2837