This time of year, our stores are filled with boxes of chocolates, heart-shaped decorations and red roses. But it takes more than Cupid shooting his arrow to get all those products to our stores.

Our buyers and category managers prepare all year to support each holiday. Most customers head to the floral department for their main show of affection. From single stems to elaborate arrangements, everything’s coming up roses.

“Valentine’s Day is all about tradition, and nothing says love better than red roses,” said Category Manager Albert Gottuso. “We always look for the very best quality, and we even guarantee the blooms in our Publix Premium Bouquet to last a minimum of seven days.”

Knowing the intent of each occasion helps our buyers and category managers forecast what items to offer in our stores. Because Valentine’s Day is typically marketed toward adults, our buyers and category managers look for premium products.

“Our top candy sellers are the Russell Stover samplers,” said Buyer Ed Easom. “Customers like them because they represent something special while offering lots of variety.”

Despite the inclination for tradition, some new trends are emerging. Vases and flower wraps reflect more modern patterns, gift baskets that combine several items — like coffee mugs filled with candy — are gaining popularity, and suppliers are using popular movie titles and characters to attract kids’ attention.

Regardless of tradition or trend, it’s up to retail associates to effectively merchandise products to attract attention and maximize sales to make this the most successful Valentine’s Day for our customers and Publix. And what’s not to love about that?

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Fun facts about Publix’s Valentine’s Day items

Floral tips

• There are more than a dozen varieties of red roses, and the most popular is the Freedom. It’s a favorite because of its large blooms, vibrant red color and long-lasting quality.
• Publix buys a majority of its roses from Colombia. The day after they are picked from the fields, they are flown to Miami, and from there, they are distributed to various Publix distribution centers.
• The stems in our premium dozen rose bouquets are required to be 60 cm in length. Competitors offer the shorter 50 cm or even 40 cm, and although it seems small, it’s a noticeable difference.
• The floral department is offering two new bouquets in 2016.
  • The Masterpiece Rose Bouquet has 12 stems of premium roses in either light pink, hot pink or red, as well as multiple stems of mini hydrangea, Asiatic lilies, alstromeria, hypericum and premium filler.
  • The Simply Passion Bouquet features 10 stems of gerberas, alstromeria and mini roses in pink, red, purple, white, yellow or orange.
• Try adding ice to your vase to extend the life of your roses and tulips. Having a 50 percent mix of ice and water helps slow down the blooming process. And to ensure maximum flower life at home, re-trim the stems and change the water every three days.
• If you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day alternative to roses, tulips are becoming popular. Or, to avoid flowers altogether, Publix offers a variety of holiday balloons.

Other facts

• Most of our Valentine’s Day sales come just three days prior to the holiday because they want the freshest product available.
• If you’re looking to satisfy a sweet tooth with a twist, stop by the bakery for chocolate-covered strawberries or the produce department for gourmet chocolate caramel apples.
• Managers can select from 150 candy items to offer in their stores. Most are items that return each year, but new items are automatically charted to stores.
• Avoid the restaurant crowds and long wait times — impress your loved ones by making reservations for a quiet, home-cooked meal courtesy of Aprons Simple Meals. Aprons will feature Steaks with Chili Butter and Parmesan Hasselback Potatoes during the week of Valentine’s Day.