Flores Noemí, in Torrero, faces the Ofrenda de Flores with 120 confirmed orders and aims to reach 200 bouquets. Each composition takes between 15 and 20 minutes and sells for €20-25.
The florist Flores Noemí, located in the Zaragoza neighbourhood of Torrero, is currently racing against time to fulfil bouquet orders for the Ofrenda de Flores during the Pilar festivities. The family business, now in its fourth generation, has filled its schedule in advance after receiving around 120 orders, as reported by elespanol.com.
The goal is to approach 200 bouquets, a figure they nearly reached last year and hope to achieve this time. Each composition requires between 15 and 20 minutes of work, a time that extends when orders pile up.
Leading the workshop are Noemí and Yolanda Vielba, along with Laura Garralaga, the daughter of the former. "One of the best weeks of the year," summarises Laura about this busy period.
The 80% of the bouquets they prepare are red, in line with the colour of the Virgin of Pilar's mantle. The rest consists of white compositions, assorted flowers, daisies, and carnations in various colours. Prices range from €20 to €25 per bouquet.
Demand has continued to grow. Laura explains that they also cater to last-minute customers: "Some come at the last minute to pick up a bouquet."
Social media has been key in this increase in orders. "With the promotional videos, we've had a huge number of orders," notes Laura. These new customers join the regulars, loyal to a business with several generations of history.
Although the florist has been working with flowers for decades, its presence in the Ofrenda as it is understood today began to grow significantly in 2022. Until then, making bouquets for the Pilar was a sporadic activity, as the peak season has always been for All Saints. The first year they started with orders from friends and family, without social media. Then came the promotional videos, and that’s when "the boom" happened.
The business has its roots in selling flowers at the Mercado del Carmen, from where the family later moved to Zurita Street. Decades later, the activity moved to the vicinity of the Torrero cemetery. As Laura recounts, it was her great-grandparents, Joaquín and Pilar, who set up next to the cemetery, in an area that then had barely four kiosks, near what is now the entrance to the Giner Sports Centre. Their daughter, Laura's grandmother, continued running the kiosk for 50 years, from the ages of 33 to 83.
Currently, Noemí and Yolanda Vielba, along with Laura Garralaga, keep the business adapted to new consumption patterns. The Ofrenda de Flores takes place on October 12 in the Plaza del Pilar in Zaragoza.
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