About us

About us

Great Lakes Floral is a wholesale distributor of quality plants.

Located in the fertile Niagara Region of Ontario, our modern expansive, growing and shipping facilities provide our clients with exceptional products, service and delivery from the Mid-West to Eastern USA and Canada.

Established in 2003, Great Lakes Floral remains a family business, passed down from a generation of pride & experience. Our affiliation with Schenck Farms and Greenhouses allows us to provide our customers with high quality potted plants year round; specializing in Kalanchoes, Calandivas & Rieger Begonias but with the ability to source most indoor plants you may be looking for.

History

Since Louis Schenck established Schenck Farms and Greenhouses Co. in 1891, it has consistently remained a key contributor to the floral industry and the Niagara region. Louis began growing and packaging fruits and vegetables earning status from his unique labelling: “…equaled by few and surpassed by none”. In the late 1920s, the farm gradually shifted away from vegetable production to developing exceptional floral products

Today

This reputation has carried over through five generations to what Schenck Farms & Greenhouses and Great Lakes Floral are today. The first glass greenhouses were erected in 1920, replacing several hothouses. Today, the site is populated with an impressive cluster of greenhouses. It holds 410,000 square feet of greenhouse space and a massive 38 acres of irrigated outdoor fields. Great Lakes Floral was established in 2003 to provide customers in Canada and the North East of the USA with the most complete product offering in the most cost effective way.

Facts & Figures

Schenck
Affiliation

  • 5 generations of growing
  • Family owned and operated since 1891
  • 38 acres of outdoors and 10 acres of indoors production

Great Lakes
Floral

  • Founded in 2003
  • Sourcing from over 50 Ontario based growers
  • Daily shipping

what we
stand for

  • Integrity
  • Responsiveness
  • Collaboration

Our team

Alicia Mattia

Sales and Administrative Assistant

alicia@greatlakesfloral.com

Chris Petendra

Warehouse Manager, shipping and receiving

chris@greatlakesfloral.com

Richard Lobert

Sales Account Manager

richard@greatlakesfloral.com

Colleen Schenck

Sales Support & Schenck Liaison

colleen@greatlakesfloral.com

Anita Whetton

Customs-documentation and Administration

anita@greatlakesfloral.com

Our values

Who we are and what we strive for

Integrity

We are trustworthy, honest, and transparent in al our interactions:
within our team, with our customers and with our suppliers.

Responsiveness

We aim to be responsive so that you are informed with helpful answers to your inquiries, in a timely manner, without having to wait or second guess.

Collaboration

Within our organization we work together as a team, not as individuals; We work together with our suppliers to come to solutions and the best product offerings;
We work together with our customers on win-win situations; We only succeed when employees, suppliers and customers succeed!

1/3

Fun Facts

Did you know this about The Great Lakes?

Read all the way to the last fact, number 16!

Facts