As the industry gears up for the return of Glee as an in-person event (14th-16th September, NEC Birmingham), there are a number of new brands which are getting ready to make their debut. Here we find out more about those companies never-before seen at the leading garden retail event.

This year Glee is set to welcome over 80 new brands, with even more expected to secure their space ahead of the September event. Made up of UK and international exhibitors, these companies represent a thriving newness that is helping to shape the future of garden retail. Featuring grass root product development and established brands that are looking to diversify and capture more garden centre customers, buying teams will want to make a beeline for these exhibitors as they may be able to source something new and unique to bolster their retail offering in 2022.

An overview: new brands to look out for

Poétic Garden is a 75-year-old family run company, based in the Lyon area of France that produces planters and accessories for indoor and outdoor use, with significant advantages such as minimum 90% recycled material, strong designs, cost-efficient production, and an effective logistical operation.

Established in 2019, Kin Ltd is a member of the Wilkinson Hardware Stores Ltd. family of businesses. The brand develops and designs sustainable products for the home and garden, taking a holistic approach to creativity, usability and commerciality; designing quality inventive products that are easy to use, effective and durable.

Biohort GmbH from Neufelden, is the European market leader for storage solutions made of metal. The product portfolio includes high-end garden sheds, handy storage boxes for the outdoor area and essentials for your garden such as raised vegetable beds. Biohort products are manufactured 100 % in Austria and provide best quality, longevity and freedom from maintenance.

Norwegian based O-Grill will showcase its portable gas grills for the first time at Glee. The company’s portable gas grills are designed to deliver maximum heat and grilling space whilst still being compact and safe to pack in your vehicle, wherever you are going.

Rouchette will be travelling from Le May Sur Evre in France to showcase its range of stylish ladies and men’s’ footwear, including garden, sailing, multi-use and casual design.

Leon Boots Co.will also be debuting at Glee with its range of ultra-lightweight wellington boots including the Garden Ankle Boot, Unisex Explorer and Ladies Montana styles. Weighing up to 65% less than traditional wellington boots and coupled with a much-lower price point, Leon Boots Co. hope to increase impulse and gifting sales potential within the footwear sector.

Dragon Den backed, Willsow, will be launching the first ever plantable children’s book at Glee 2021. Each book is made with special handmade paper embedded with real vegetable and herb seeds. When the paper is planted, vegetable and herbs will grow from the paper, making it a fun way to teach children about where our food comes from, whilst also giving the books a new lease of life.

Another new-to-Glee exhibitor will be BOOTPAC. Born during the first lockdown in 2020, the BOOTPAC was designed to make recycling easier by enabling the transport of wet or dirty items to the recycling centre to be a simpler and cleaner process.  The bag itself fits almost all cars - unlike most boot liners which are car specific - and is designed to last for years and not be part of our disposable culture.

So & Mo has chosen to launch at Glee because “of the size of the show and the attention we're going to be able to get as a new brand from retailers around the country and potentially further afield. The timing of the show gives us a perfect run up for 2022 and to start to really build some momentum to elevate the lawn care industry.” The brand wants to bring performance lawn care products to the domestic market and combine these with its 30-years of expertise to make everyone a lawn expert. The So & Mo team has developed three formulations focussed on complete plant health which we use over the 12 months for year-round performance.

Ergrownomics is a father-and-son team determined to break the mould of the gardening sector, offering quality, built-to-last products manufactured entirely within the UK. The Ergrownomics system is designed to make home-growing simple, comfortable, reliable & productive – requiring minimal maintenance and no prior gardening experience. The planters are all equipped with excellent functionality, including irrigation, filter-drainage and a patented plant-training system, and are available at a range of four possible heights, with a class-leading 10-year warranty.

PlantGrow – who playfully refer to themselves as “an eco-conscious bunch who have found a solution to many problems in today’s gardening world and horticultural trade” - is the first in the UK to produce natural plant foods and growing mediums through a patented renewable energy process. Buyers at Glee will be able to see for the first time the full range of PlantGrow products which are organic and made entirely from plants; whilst also being 100% free of peat, chemicals and animal waste. The entire range is also tested for pesticides and herbicides and is Soil Association approved.

Goodchaps will be making its debut within Glee’s dedicated pet section, PAW. The family run, eco-friendly brand specialises in dog products including healthy, high-quality treats and toys, all created whilst keeping the environmental impact as small as possible. This means all of Goodchaps’ fish-based treats are sustainably sourced from established and trusted fish merchants within the UK, whilst its toys are handmade using 100% unbleached cotton and all Goodchaps packaging is 100% plastic free and biodegradable, compostable or recyclable. The Goodchaps team don't just cater to our four-legged friends, they also offer a range of bespoke hand illustrated gifts and stationery by local artist Beth Goodwin, which also comes in 100% plastic free packaging.

Whilst long established, 2021 marks the first time that Venteo will be exhibiting at Glee. This year the company will be showcasing its retail video solutions and launching its new RootSlayer™ - an indispensable new garden tool which combines the functionality of a spade and a cutting device for ultimate control in a range of garden settings.

Concept Research based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, is a UK manufacturer of ultrasound animal deterrents. For over 25 years the business has built a reputation as a reliable supplier of quality products that deliver on their promises. With a range that includes Catwatch, the only cat deterrent tested & approved by The RSPB, Concept Research is excited to be making its debut at Glee later this year.

Other new companies set to debut at Glee 2021 will be Veritable, Urban Farm It, Tri-Star Packaging, Tripod Home, Hansa Design, Jadecliff Ltd, Loud & Clear Safety, GoodToBee, Anglo-Peruvian Trading, By Jo Crafts, NIAB, Playback Frames ltd, S&S Garden Designs Ltd, Apollo Gardening,  CJ Wildlife, Bedmax Ltd, Dansons Europe, Evercreatures, Allingham Games, The Stone & Garden Company, Teal International, Kingsley Designs Ltd, Lave-Lite, Carbon Gold Ltd, Collarways Ltd, Hornsey Hammocks, and George Rye & Sons Ltd.

Find out more

To keep up to date on the latest Glee news visit www.gleebirmingham.com.  To enquire about exhibiting at Glee 2020 call +44 (0)203 3545 9752.