Mandevilla Sundaville Double Blush Pink scoops up FleuroStar Award

Fleuroselect, the international organisation for the ornamental plants industry, has announced that the FleuroStar Award 2023-2024 goes to Mandevilla Sundaville Double Blush Pink from MNP/Suntory. Klaas Droog, sales & license manager, Francesca Lanzillotta, marketing & communications manager, Erwin Giezen, head marketing, communications & trade and colleagues accepted the prize from Fleuroselect president Karol Pawlak and secretary general Ann Jennen.

Mandeville Sundaville Double Blush Pink from MNP / Suntory was competing against Capsicum annuum Purple Sunset F1 from Prudac, Fuchsia Ballerina Arabesque from Dümmen Orange, Impatiens walleriana Glimmer Appleblossom from Florensis, Lantana camara Playa Sun Juana from Selecta one and Pelargonium zonale Solfaro Lisboa from Brandkamp.

Sundaville® is arguably the most well-know brand in the Mandevilla industry, and this new variety adds to its reputation. Double Blush Pink displays bright, deep cream-pink flowers that contrast with the emerald green leaves and will bloom from early summer until autumn.

The award winning variety has the same cultivation characteristics of the Sundaville® classic range.

In total, over 40 professionals in breeding, production, trade and retail evaluate each entry on point of sale attractiveness and commercial potential. Each jury member has seen the plants in close proximity at one of the eight locations that exhibit FleuroStar entries during FlowerTrials® in The Netherlands. Scorching heat inside the greenhouses impacted the nominees’product quality, making the judging a challenging task.

Heike Gronemann, Chairman of the FleuroStar Jury: “We are very proud of the fact that high-level players in the market such as Blume 2000, Intratuin, Jardiland, Waterdrinker, Royal Lemkes, Gärtner Poetschke, Royal FloraHolland and Emsflower are willing to assess our candidates. We are particularly pleased that also the Newey Group and GASA have agreed to join our panel this year. FleuroStar’s success and credibility is due to the diversity and expertise of our jury.”

The FleuroStar awards ceremony took place on 15th June at the Breeders Avenue FlowerTrials location in Kudelstaart (NL). Approximately 120 guests from a cross-section of the international industry enjoyed a networking dinner, learned more about all participating varieties and attended the announcement of the new winner first-hand.

The new FleuroStar winner will receive considerable marketing support to turn its market introduction into a success. Next to conducting an international press campaign, Fleuroselect promotes the new winner at trade fairs and industry events. Waterdrinker, major Dutch wholesaler selling to international garden centers and florists, will offer premium product placement during 3-4 weeks at its Green Trade Center next season.

Pull Position, a marketing agency specialised in retail promotion, offers a tailor made marketing project whereas DeschPlantpak dedicates a full spread in its next lifestyle brochure to the new winner.