On February 14, the Kenyan capital of Nairobi was experiencing scorching heat but that did not stop a large crowd of people from visiting Ann Mungai’s flower shop which was emanating the aroma of fresh red roses.
Despite the heat, this didn’t deter Ann Mungai and her young assistants from tending to customers who were interested in buying elaborately arranged bouquets of red roses as part of the Valentine’s Day craze.
Ann Mungai told Xinhua that it was a busy day and both offline and online sales of red roses had hit record highs. People of all ages were determined to treat their loved ones extravagantly.
In Kenya, Valentine’s Day is popular and celebrated by treating loved ones with flowers, exotic wines, cuisine, and jewelry.
Business establishments in Nairobi’s central district, including open-air markets, restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores, and supermarkets, were poised for a profitable day as Valentine’s Day approached.
Verah Bosibori, a college student in her early 20s, expressed that Valentine’s Day meant more than just spoiling your lover with gifts. She wanted to treat all the special people in her life by purchasing red roses and chocolates.
Flower vendors in Nairobi’s open-air market were anticipating a profitable day as demand for red roses surged during Valentine’s Day.
According to Peninah Nduku, a vendor at the City Market, a single stem of red roses sold for 100 Kenyan shillings, while a bouquet with a teddy bear and a bottle of wine sold for 32.5 dollars.
Nduku noted that online sales of flowers were higher this Valentine’s Day, while older customers preferred to visit her stall in person to view and purchase the red roses.
In order to attract younger clients, Nduku wrapped bouquets of red roses in attractive Manila paper and subsidized the cost of teddy bears, cups, and ornaments.
Despite inflationary pressures, Kenyans still bought large quantities of red roses, showing their strong attachment to Valentine’s Day despite its foreign origins, observed James Kimani, a middle-aged flower vendor.
As the flower vendors adorned Nairobi’s main streets and open-air markets with red, the city’s retail chains and upscale restaurants prepared for brisk business on Valentine’s Day.
According to Beatrice Njoroge, a real estate investment consultant, this year’s Valentine’s Day has regained its luster after a pandemic-related hiatus, as evidenced by brisk sales of flowers and other luxury gifts.
Njoroge also noted that higher disposable incomes among the middle class, along with glitzy marketing and innovative packaging of luxury items by retailers, have combined to create an exciting Valentine’s Day for urban Kenyans.
