PETALING JAYA: There will be less love in the air this Valentine’s Day, especially for those who cater to the whims and fancies of lovers the world over.
Florists have reported fewer orders for bouquets, chocolates are no longer flying off the shelves and less wine will flow come Sunday.
This is the first Valentine’s Day to be held in the middle of a nationwide lockdown, and celebrations are expected to be significantly muted.
For florist Md Shohanur Rahman, conditions are dire. His two-and-a-half-year-old business is on the brink of collapse.
Md Shohanur, who sells flowers through his online platform belconi.com.my, said he has received fewer than 10 orders this year. “We were able to get 50 to 100 orders in previous Valentine’s Day celebrations,” he told theSun.
“I have tried to draw customers by advertising on social media but it is still very difficult to get new customers,” he said.
To make matters worse, the cost of imported flowers has also risen, from between RM20 and RM28 for a bouquet previously to RM42 now.
“While the cost of running an online business is lower, I still have to pay my 12 employees their salaries. I don’t plan to let them go, so we’ll just have to manage.”
Another florist, Jen Koo, 37, who owns Floresta Floral and Gift, said she has received barely five orders this year. “Last year, I sold 20 to 30 bouquets on Valentine’s Day,” she told theSun.
Koo attributed the drop to the fact that more people are working from home. “Usually, people would send flowers to the offices of their partners to show their appreciation for their loved ones,” she said.
Sreetharan Ramasamy, who manages the liquor business of Shiraz Market Link (M) Sdn Bhd, said that with most entertainment places closed, the demand for wines has also plunged.
“Matters have been made worse by the delay in the shipment of imported wines caused by the movement control order (MCO),” he told theSun.
He said it had been difficult to ensure a regular supply of wine during the MCO period.
Fortunately, for those who want to continue with the Valentine’s Day tradition, dining-in will be allowed at restaurants, subject to only two patrons a table, which is adequate for the occasion.
But for those who prefer to spend time at home with their loved ones, some hotels and fine-dining restaurants are offering special dining packages that promise “experiential home dining”.
Malaysian Association of Hotels chief executive officer Yap Lip Seng told theSun that one such package is a takeaway fine-dining meal.
“It comes with a guide to show you how to prepare the meal the way it is done at fine-dining restaurants. That gives diners the real experience without having to step into the restaurant,” he said.
Yap expects to see a high demand for these packages, which come with pre-mixed cocktails.
The surge in interest in cooking and baking prompted the Alila Bangsar Hotel to offer a similar package last year, according to Tay Hui Ying, a director at Marketing Platform Hospitality Group.
But with Covid-19 still raging, most celebrations will be muted.
Emily Wong, the assistant manager of Beauty Bouquet Florist ’n’ Gifts, said she had received more orders for funeral wreaths than Valentine’s Day flowers, a sad but true reflection of the current situation.
