From one flower vending machine to a family business
When we first thought about Floway, the idea was very simple: one flower vending machine at Riga Airport and a little extra income alongside our day jobs. That is how Floway founder Kārlis Ozoliņš described the idea on Latvian Radio 1’s morning programme “Labrīt”.
Kārlis Ozoliņš beside a Floway flower vending machine. Photo: Daina Zalamane / Latvian Radio.
Customer interest changed our original plan
The response from customers showed us that people really do need the option to buy fresh flowers at a time that suits them. Since our first machine, our aim has stayed the same: a beautiful bouquet should be within reach even when the florist is closed or out of the way.
By March 2026, we had built a network of 13 flower vending machines and invested €300,000 in developing the business. The Floway flower studio had also opened in Piņķi, where our florists create bouquets for the machines. You can always find current machine locations and the bouquets available in them in the Floway shop.
What happens behind the machine’s doors?
From a customer’s point of view, it is simple: choose a bouquet, pay and collect the flowers. Behind that simplicity are our florists’ work, careful stock planning and a remotely managed system that helps us track purchases and refill the machines in time. The bouquets sit in water reservoirs inside the machines, so they are ready to take with you straight away.
A family business with a personal reason behind it
For us, Floway is more than a business. It is a chance to show our children, through our own example, that an idea can become real work and that it is possible to create something of your own right here in Latvia.
“Why did we start all this? We have two boys growing up, and we wanted to show them that there are other ways to earn a living,” says Kārlis.
He wants his children to feel confident that they can create their own work and should not be afraid to try something new. Alongside the machines, bouquets and everyday running of the business, that idea has become an important part of Floway’s story.
Looking ahead and adapting
Conditions in business keep changing, and we have to change with them. For Kārlis, what matters most is spotting opportunities, using the technology available and making work more efficient. Find out more about Floway’s beginnings and everyday life in the LSM report about Floway.
See which bouquets are currently available in your nearest Floway machine.
Browse bouquets