Almost 300,000 Day of the Dead flowers are sold in just 3 days by a single family in Mexico. Here's how they made a successful business out of the festivities.

Nov 2, 2019, 02:49 IST

The Day of the Dead is a Mexican celebration for those who have passed on.

It's a tradition that has been going on for nearly 3,000 years.

In Mexico, a particular flower plays a big role in the celebrations.

The flowers are called cempasúchiles.

Over hundreds of thousands of cempasúchiles are sold this time of year.

Cempasúchiles are placed on altars and tombstones.

Female dancers, often dressed as the skeleton la catrina, also sometimes wear crowns made from cempasúchitles.

The flowers are meant to guide the spirits back to their homes to be reunited with their loved ones.

For the past 30 years, the Telésforo family has grown and cultivated these flowers in Mexico City.

The family business has seen a spike in flower sales recently, as the Day of the Dead has transformed from a religious holiday to a popular worldly celebration.

This holiday's celebrations start at the end of October and continue through the first week of November.

During this time, the streets are filled with music and ornate costumes...

...and the markets are flooded with flowers.

The Telésforo family starts preparing two months before the holiday begins.

Preparation involves planting over 150,000 seeds.

Less than 15 employees spend about eight hours a day watering the land.

It's a job that involves the entire family.

"On a normal day the sun rays wake us up," Rodolfo Telésforo told Business Insider. "We come, then we sow, we work, we water…"

"...and the sun itself tells us when we should go to rest at home," he said.

The Telésforo family has tried to increase their production by around 20% every year.

"Year after year we exceed expectations, the production is increasing. Every year we sow a little more," Martin Telésforo said.

Last year, the family sold over 230,000 flowers.

This year, the Telésforo hopes to sell more than 300,000.

Over 72,000 tons of cempasúchiles were produced in 2018, which is an increase of 380% from the previous year.

Experts say that sales of the flower have increased as migration shifted from rural areas towards more metropolitan areas.

Locally, the flowers in Mexico City's flower markets sell for around $1.31 (25 pesos).

But in Ciudad Juarez, a city just south of El Paso, Texas, the flowers are $5 (50 pesos).

The government estimated in 2016 that Mexicans spent more than $47 (900 pesos) on the Day of the Dead decorations.

In addition to cempasúchiles, people celebrating the Day of the Dead also buy pecked paper, sugar skulls, tequila, and the traditional pan de muertos, which is a traditional sweet bread.

The celebration of the Day of the Dead allowed the Telésforo family to turn their small farm into a profitable business.

"What makes me the proudest is that I've been able to elevate my family into a more affluent way of life,” Telésforo told Business Insider.

In addition to profit, it's also a source of pride for the family that Mexicans around the country will honor their loved ones with the flowers they grew.

And they hope the next generation follows in their footsteps.

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Almost 300,000 Day of the Dead flowers are sold in just 3 days by a single family in Mexico. Here's how they made a successful business out of the festivities.

The Day of the Dead is a Mexican celebration for those who have passed on.

It's a tradition that has been going on for nearly 3,000 years.

In Mexico, a particular flower plays a big role in the celebrations.

The flowers are called cempasúchiles.

Over hundreds of thousands of cempasúchiles are sold this time of year.

Cempasúchiles are placed on altars and tombstones.

Female dancers, often dressed as the skeleton la catrina, also sometimes wear crowns made from cempasúchitles.

The flowers are meant to guide the spirits back to their homes to be reunited with their loved ones.

For the past 30 years, the Telésforo family has grown and cultivated these flowers in Mexico City.

The family business has seen a spike in flower sales recently, as the Day of the Dead has transformed from a religious holiday to a popular worldly celebration.

This holiday's celebrations start at the end of October and continue through the first week of November.

During this time, the streets are filled with music and ornate costumes...

...and the markets are flooded with flowers.

The Telésforo family starts preparing two months before the holiday begins.

Preparation involves planting over 150,000 seeds.

Less than 15 employees spend about eight hours a day watering the land.

It's a job that involves the entire family.

"On a normal day the sun rays wake us up," Rodolfo Telésforo told Business Insider. "We come, then we sow, we work, we water…"

"...and the sun itself tells us when we should go to rest at home," he said.

The Telésforo family has tried to increase their production by around 20% every year.

"Year after year we exceed expectations, the production is increasing. Every year we sow a little more," Martin Telésforo said.

Last year, the family sold over 230,000 flowers.

This year, the Telésforo hopes to sell more than 300,000.

Over 72,000 tons of cempasúchiles were produced in 2018, which is an increase of 380% from the previous year.

Experts say that sales of the flower have increased as migration shifted from rural areas towards more metropolitan areas.

Locally, the flowers in Mexico City's flower markets sell for around $1.31 (25 pesos).

But in Ciudad Juarez, a city just south of El Paso, Texas, the flowers are $5 (50 pesos).

The government estimated in 2016 that Mexicans spent more than $47 (900 pesos) on the Day of the Dead decorations.

In addition to cempasúchiles, people celebrating the Day of the Dead also buy pecked paper, sugar skulls, tequila, and the traditional pan de muertos, which is a traditional sweet bread.

The celebration of the Day of the Dead allowed the Telésforo family to turn their small farm into a profitable business.

"What makes me the proudest is that I've been able to elevate my family into a more affluent way of life,” Telésforo told Business Insider.

In addition to profit, it's also a source of pride for the family that Mexicans around the country will honor their loved ones with the flowers they grew.

And they hope the next generation follows in their footsteps.