Petal power this valentines for Waitrose
This Valentine’s, Waitrose is offering bouquets sourced entirely from its Waitrose Foundation farms in Kenya, supporting over 8,000 workers.
For the first time, all of Waitrose’s Valentine’s Day bouquets will feature flowers grown and supplied through Waitrose Foundation farms. With shoppers seeking more thoughtful purchasing options, this offering allows customers to give a bouquet that gives back.
Waitrose Foundation flower farms have operated since 2009, currently supporting 8,000 workers across five farms in Kenya and Tanzania. Each year, flowers including roses, spray carnations, and lisianthus generate around £700k towards the Foundation. These funds have delivered over 115 projects in Kenya, mainly focused on education, healthcare, and microloans to promote economic empowerment.
In addition to daily necessities like solar lamps and gas stoves—which help save on costs and improve health—the Foundation implements climate resilience programmes. Some initiatives are delivered in partnership with the FCDO’s Work and Opportunities for Women (WOW) programme. The programme aims to help farmers adapt to climate change, diversify incomes, improve water security, and boost women’s leadership in climate-smart agriculture.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Charlotte Di Cello, Waitrose Commercial Director and Chair of the Waitrose Foundation Global Board, commented:
“No other UK supermarket can boast a dedicated initiative like the Waitrose Foundation—it’s a unique, sector-leading way of giving back to the vital people who supply some of our everyday groceries.
“By investing a percentage of every sale back into the communities where we source our fruit, vegetables, and flowers, we support essential projects like maternity clinics, childcare facilities, and schools. We’ve seen firsthand the incredible impact these initiatives have in creating brighter futures for families.”
When customers buy any Waitrose Foundation-labelled product, a percentage of the sale is reinvested into the community where it was grown, picked, and packed. The funds help improve livelihoods through projects chosen by the workers themselves.
The Waitrose Foundation celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Since its inception, over £22m has been generated through customer purchases, enabling the completion of more than 2,000 community-led projects across 10 African countries and one farm in Costa Rica. In 2023 alone, the Foundation’s projects benefited over 166,000 farmers, workers, and community members.
