The Auction
BC-grown plants and flowers via our Dutch Auction method for over 50 years.
How it works
A Dutch auction happens on "clocks", and is really an auction in reverse. Instead of the price starting low and rising, a Dutch auction starts high and the price drops until a buyer purchases the product. During our live floral auctions we have three or four auctions happening concurrently, represented by each of the active “clocks” selling product. Each clock sells its own category of product, divided between cut flowers, potted plants, and "virtual" product for next day delivery.
Watch our video on how the auction works:
Locally Grown
UFG is a Co-operative of BC plant and flower growers, and 90-95% of the products we sell are grown right here in BC.
Buying on the auction
We have two options for you to access the auction market, depending on what works best for you. Learn more below.
Remote Buyer
The majority of our customers access the auction market directly through our Remote Buyer program.
Remote Buyer is installed on a Windows-based computer of your choice, with the option to purchase on the auction from inside our gallery, or from anywhere there is a high-speed internet connection.
Remote Buyer is ideal for customers who:
- require a weekly supply of fresh cut flowers and/or potted plants for their retail or wholesale floral business,
- want to personally manage their product procurement and take advantage of deals that may come up during the auction,
- have access to a reliable high-speed internet connection.
New customers intending to use our Remote Buyer program attend a mandatory training session held at UFG on Wednesday mornings twice a month at 10:00am, where they learn how the auction works and how to use our Remote Buyer program.
Floral Market Place
Our online Floral Market Place gives our customers the option to access the auction market through our Commission Buyers.
Place your order through our website based on product that has been available over the past two weeks, and our Commission Buyers will purchase it on your behalf on the selected auction of your choice.
The Floral Market Place is ideal for customers who are:
- not comfortable participating directly on the floral auctions themselves,
- just getting started on the auction market and would like assistance navigating the available product,
- occasional purchasers on the auction market,
- wanting to purchase their product at a time that better fits their schedule.
There is no training required to purchase on our Floral Market Place, however it helps to understand how the auction works before getting started.
Is the auction for me?
The auction is a pre-wholesale market, and doesn't fit every floral purchasing need.
Auction Minimums
If you rely on a weekly or seasonal volume supply of fresh cut flowers and potted plants for your business and value easy access to a wide range of BC floriculture growers, then the auction may be for you.
To see if the auction is a fit for your business, have a look at product minimums you can expect when purchasing on the auction market.
Questions?
Email us
Cut Flowers
| Sample Product | Sold: | Minimum Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alstroemeria | per stem | 75 stems (mixed colours) |
| Chrysanthemum/Spraymums | per bunch | 10 bunches (5 stems/bunch, single or mixed colours) |
| Oriental lilies | per stem | 35-45 stems, (single colour) |
| Gerbera | per stem | 35-45 stems, (single or mixed colours) |
| Antirrhinum (Snapdragons) | per stem | 75 stems, (mixed colours) |
| Tulips | per stem | 75 stems (5-stem bunches, single colour) |
| Roses | per stem | 50-75 stems (25 stems/bunch, single or assorted colours) |
Potted Plants
| Sample Product | Sold: | Minimum Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 4" tropicals or flowering plants | per pot | 15 pots/flat, minimum 2 flats |
| 6" tropicals or flowering plants | per pot | 4-6 pots/flat, minimum 2 flats |
| 4" or 6" succulents or cactus | per pot | 6-15 pots/flat, minimum 1 flat |
| 4" Phalaenopsis orchids | per pot | 6-8 pots/flat, minimum 1 flat |
| 6" Phalaenopsis orchids | per pot | 4-6 pots/flat, minimum 1 flat |
| Hanging baskets (tropical or spring) | per basket | 2-6 basket minimum, depending on size (6" to 12") |
Getting started
Interested in being an auction buyer? Let's talk about next steps.
Intro to UFG
Watch the video below for a short intro to UFG and our customers.
Account Setup
In order to open an account with UFG, you need to hold a valid business license within the floral industry. UFG customers pay an annual Customer Commission of 3.3% of invoices totals up to $950CAD per year. When you open an account with us, the first $400CAD is charged up front.
Auction Training
Everyone who wants to purchase directly on the auction must attend a training session at UFG, held twice a month at UFG on Wednesday mornings at 10:00am.
If you live outside the Metro Vancouver area, we can work around that. Send us an email and we'll get the process started.
To find out about the next available training date:
Email us
More info
Training Booklet
Our "Getting Started on the Auction" booklet gives an overview of what we talk about during our auction training sessions.
If you want to learn more, download it below in PDF format and have a look. When you come for training we will also provide you a paper copy.
Download our Auction Training booklet:
Download (4.3MB)
Tutorial Videos
Learn more about how to purchase using our website and Remote Buyer program by watching our online tutorial videos.
Have a look
See what's selling
Interested in seeing what's currently selling on the auction market? Our Floral Market Place lets you explore what's been selling on the auction over the past two weeks, as well as historically over the past year.
Once your account is set up, you can log in to see pricing information and order through our Commission Buyers or direct from our growers.
See what's been selling on the auction:
Explore