Meet the President: Robert Shibata

Mt Eden Floral Co, LLC

What moved you to serve on the WF&FSA board of directors and eventually as President?

Mt Eden has always been a WF&FSA supporter starting with my father, Yoshimi Shibata, who served as WF&FSA president from 1972-74.  My sister, Naomi, served on the board in the early 90’s.  My volunteer service in WF&FSA started when President Dave Garcia asked me to be on the Education Committee in 2007.  I wanted to support Dave and thought I could be a contributor, so I accepted.

I served on the Education Committee for about 4 years, then as the Committee Chair for two years until President Nick Fronduto asked me to join the board in 2013.  In 2014 I became 1^st VP and am honored to serve as President for the 2015 – 2016 term. 

When the nomination for President came from Pat Dahlson, I accepted for several reasons.  1) It was a great opportunity to work with leaders in the floral industry.  2) The timing worked for my business.  3) I wanted to give something back to the industry that had been so good to our family for 110 years.

Tell us about your company

Mt Eden Floral Co started as a grower in 1906.  My grandfather sold his flowers on the streets of San Francisco before the SF Flower Market existed.  He was a founding member when the SF Flower Market was established.  The business was nearly lost on several occasions during the Great Depression, WWII Japanese internment, and loss of my grandfather shortly after the war.

My father took the reigns of the company at the age of 31 and grew the business.  He started shipping roses nationally in the late 1940’s. Mt Eden became a recognized national brand of roses in the 50’s.  The company pioneered carnation and rose production in the Salinas valley in the 60’s.

In the 70’s Mt Eden vertically integrated into the wholesale business in California as Colombian rose production eroded our east coast customer base.  The company expanded its wholesale business to Los Angeles and entered the floral supply business in the 70’s and 80’s.

In the 90’s, the three Shibata families agreed to divide the Mt Eden group of companies into three separate entities.  This enabled each family to pursue their own business goals.  Our family retained the Mt Eden name.

Our challenge was to develop a wholesale floral formula that would carry the company forward as the floral industry went through a sea of change.

Today we operate 4 wholesale locations in three cities.  We sell domestic and imported flowers and floral supplies.  We service traditional and non-traditional channels of distribution.  And the fourth generation of Shibatas has entered the business.  We look forward to playing a role in this ever changing business we call the floral industry.

What was the most interesting thing that happened to you in your business?

I think the most interesting thing that happened in my business career occurred before I worked for Mt Eden.  I started a medical device manufacturing company from scratch and succeeded.  It is still operating today as a national company with over 200 employees.

Jokingly, I tell people that I earned my MBA in the School of Hard Knocks.  As a start up, my partner and I did everything ourselves and learned to run a business on the fly.  I had to sell, manufacture, track cash flow, collect money, and deal with vendors.  We almost went broke…twice.  I developed a love affair with our mailbox, waiting each day to see how many checks would come in so we could pay our bills.  To borrow from football parlance, everyday was a “broken play”.  After 3 years, I sold my interest in that company so I could return to the family business.  My training from the start up experience later served me well at Mt Eden.

What value does being WF&FSA President bring you?

As many have said before me, I receive more than I give as an association volunteer.  I get to hear opposing points of view.  Debate the priorities for the wholesale channel and the industry at large.  Learn about alternate ways of solving problems from industry leaders.  It is a tremendous experience.

Serving as WF&FSA President is a great reminder that none of our companies operate in a vacuum.  All of our companies are part of an international industry with many channels and many variables that ultimately affect our individual businesses.  If we, as an association can accurately observe and perceive industry changes then, hopefully, our members can benefit from that information.

Describe the value or benefit that WF&FSA membership brings to your company.

The greatest benefit Mt Eden derives from our WF&FSA membership is education for my managers.  That education that comes in two forms.  It comes from networking at WF&FSA events such as the Floral Distribution Conference and the Management Institute.  It also comes from the practical educational programs offered at those meetings.

What is the number one thing you want to accomplish as WF&FSA President?

Actually, I have several priorities. 

1) Have a successful Floral Distribution Conference at the new venue which is the MACC (Miami Airport Convention Center).  The MACC has more meeting and exhibit space than the previous venue.  We will have more vendors exhibiting in the table top area.  For the first time we will have breeders (Breeders Showcase) showing their latest varieties.  The vendor hospitality suites will return with all of them conveniently located together next to the meeting space.  There will be a themed opening reception that will be fun, fun, fun. 

2) Improve the communication between WF&FSA and its members.  This has already started with the introduction of the WF&FSA blog and more relevant newsletter content.

3) Focus on the ELs (Emerging Leaders).  The ELs have their own Facebook page to communicate.  We are doing a pilot Mentoring program and creating EL Road Trips for EL’s to experience the floral industry with each other in different cities.  The first EL Road Trip will be the day before Management Institute in Chicago this August. 

How did you get into the wholesale floral industry?

Many of us grew up in the industry because our families were in the flower business.  In my youth, I worked summers for Mt Eden in our shipping operation sweeping the floor, sleeving pompoms, dyeing majestic daisies, and occasionally crashing the forklift into the warehouse wall.

Although I was being groomed to take over our company, in my senior year of college I decided I would not join the family business.  I spent the next ten years working in the restaurant business, obtaining a teaching credential, became a licensed medical technologist, and started my own medical device manufacturing company. 

At that time, my mom was running the floral supply part of the business when she fell and broke her knee.  Her injury got me thinking about returning to the business to help my parents, who were in their 60’s.  The experience of running my own business taught me that I liked business and had an aptitude for it. 

Those two factors caused me to decide to sell my interest in my company and join the family business.

What is your favorite part of the WF&FSA Floral Distribution Conference?

Seeing old friends and making new ones.

Robert Shibata
Mt Eden Floral Co, LLC
Email rjshibata@mteden.com
President Oct 2015 to Oct 2016
First Vice President Oct 2014 – Oct 2015
Board member Oct 2013 – Oct 2014
Education Committee 2007 - 2013