Catherine Metrycki, founder of Callia Flowers, appears during a taping of CBC’s Dragons’ Den. (CBC)
An online flower delivery service that blossomed out of a Winnipeg woman’s home three years ago is going big with an upcoming pitch on CBC’s “Dragons’ Den.”
Catherine Metrycki‘s Callia Flowers recently expanded to the Toronto market and is currently in 22 cities from Victoria to Halifax.
Now the start-up, which recently saw year-over-year growth of 609 percent, is hoping for a rosy outcome in front of some of Canada’s toughest investors.
“I’ve had to keep the outcome to myself for months,” says Metrycki, 29. “If I hadn’t been so busy opening in new markets, this would have driven me up the wall. I can’t wait for it to air.”
Dragons Jim Treliving, Michele Romanow and Vincenzo Guzzo hold bouquets from Callia Flowers. (CBC)
The online-only store has set itself apart from the competition by allowing customers to order fresh hand-tied seasonal bouquets within five clicks. Paired with an inviting brand and a streamlined supply chain, there doesn’t appear to be anything slowing down Callia Flowers on its pursuit to dominate additional markets and continue the company’s rapid growth.
“Having the technical and marketing skills to thrive in the floral industry’s disruption matters, absolutely,” Metrycki added. “But at the end of the day, people want exceptional customer experiences.”
The pitch airs during the Thursday, November 21 episode of “Dragons’ Den” on CBC at 8 p.m. CT.
