Flower vending machine blooms at Hawke’s Bay Airport

Peonies picked at Peony x co’s facility in Takapau and the company's flower vending machine at Hawke's Bay Airport. Photo / Composite Image.

Now there’s really no excuse for returning from a trip empty-handed.

Peony x co, a new Takapau-based flower company, has claimed to have opened New Zealand’s first flower vending machine at Hawke’s Bay Airport.

The machine features 10 lockers, each containing a bouquet of peonies freshly grown and cut at the Takapau site.

Owner and CEO Jeanine Hepworth launched the company this week after importing 16,000 peony roots and tubers from the Netherlands several years ago.

“You have to grow them for three years before you can pick, so this season is the first picking season,” she said.

While travelling through Russia, Hepworth saw flower vending machines in airports, sparking the idea for the pop-up celebrating the company’s launch.

The vending machine will be at the Napier terminal until Sunday.

Since the peony season only runs from October to January, Hepworth is unable to fill the machine year-round, but is open to hiring it out to other florists or businesses.

Hepworth also sells her peonies on Snee Rd in Takapau.

She said the company grows 17 different peony varieties sustainably, using an independent water supply and no pesticides.

“All organic and beautiful. Ours are just fresh and will last for a few weeks at least – I’ve had some last for over a month, which is pretty good.”

Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.