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Startups Challenge Traditional Flower Delivery Services For Valentine's Day

(KPIX 5) -- Valentine's Day is right around the corner and there's a new crop of flower companies vying for your order. Each say they offer better service and better prices than the big online flower delivery companies by cutting out the middlemen.

But be warned: sending on or just before Valentine's Day is almost always more expensive than any other day.

Bloom That is a San Francisco startup that offers  a limited selection of bouquets, mostly sourced from local flower farms and based on what's in-season.

"We're reinventing the way people think about sending flowers,"  said Bloom That co-founder David Bladow.   "It was really modeled on if you went to the farmer's market," he added.

Flowers come wrapped in burlap and delivery is free to locations in the Bay Area or Los Angeles. Prices start at $35 for an everyday bouquet. The company's two Valentine's Day selections cost $55 and $75.  Bladow says the roses his company will be delivering on Valentine's Day are from South America.

Farm Girl Flowers is another San Francisco company that specializes in locally-grown blooms. It offers one daily arrangement most days and three selections on Valentine's Day. A Valentine's Day bouquet, including tax and delivery, starts at $60,  according to Farm Girl Flowers website.

Whole Foods is teaming up with Instacart to offer Valentine's Day flower deliveries for the first time. A dozen red roses cost $40.00. A dozen roses in other colors cost $30. The service is only available in areas where Instacart delivers.

Finally, for those ordering flowers for a faraway loved one, flower expert and shop owner Harold Hoogasian advises ordering directly from a local flower shop with a good reputation. "You'll get a better value, you'll have a chance to know what they have in stock," Hoogasian said.

For those wanting a little help finding a local florist,  BloomNation can lead the way. The company connects consumers to local flower shops across the country.  BloomNation says there are no service fees and florists will send you a photo of your gift,  prior to delivery,  so you can see what your loved one is getting.

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