Online plant retailer Crocus has announced that it is expanding its portfolio with the acquisition of the subscription box Mind, Body & Soil and the plant identification app SmartPlant. The move will help to position Crocus as a brand that appeals to a fast growing, wellbeing focussed younger demographic whilst also expanding the business into subscription services. 

As plants and nature become the antidote to the stress we feel from being so connected to screens, the demand for more indoor plants among city dwellers has soared. This acquisition will see Crocus’ Iris app integrate the functionality of the SmartPlant app and the expansion of Mind, Body & Soil wellbeing boxes, helping to create new, innovative revenue streams.  The merging of  SmartPlant's data and users within the Iris app will create an unrivaled plant identification and care platform and enhance the user experience. 

Mark Fane, CEO of Crocus said “Crocus are really excited to have Mind, Body & Soil and George as part of the business. We strive to be best in the market and ensure that we are keeping at the vanguard of trends. This acquisition ensures we are doing just that and will generate new revenue streams, a new audience for Crocus and our new app, Iris.”

In recent years, houseplants have enjoyed a massive boom in popularity, particularly with Millennials and Gen Z. Sales of houseplants at garden centers across the UK were up 81% in July (2020) and increased by nearly 30 percent on a year-on-year basis in 2021.

George Williams, the creator of SmartPlant said: "I am thrilled to be joining Crocus, they are passionate about plants and have a keen focus on sustainability and is a company I have always admired. I am really proud of what we have built over the years and I am looking forward to the next chapter of the journey with the team at Crocus."

Some of the biggest gardens at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show explored the theme of mental health including that of multiple “Best in Show” winner Andy Sturgeon. Gardens have been a refuge for Andy during difficult periods in his own life, so in partnership with Crocus, for The Mind Garden, he created a place where others can connect, share experiences and find comfort together. 

Alan Titchmarsh once adroitly remarked that: ‘Crocus offer the ordinary gardener the same choice of plants as the professional’. 31 Gold medals later, Crocus’s collaboration with over 20 of the best designers at the Chelsea Flower Show has allowed them to constantly evolve their plant palate in line with the latest trends.

Crocus’s huge range of over 4,000 plants together with the tools that make it easy for gardeners of all levels to choose, has made them first port of call for anyone shopping online and brought them a turnover of £29m in Financial Year 2021. 

The award winning SmartPlant app, the plant care and identification app, was founded in 2014, and since then it has garnered over 800,000 downloads and partnered with over 50 growers and retailers in the Home & Garden sectors. The business launched Mind, Body & Soil during the pandemic to capitalise on the consumer desire for plants and wellbeing. Mind, Body & Soil delivers self-care through plant care and have worked with Pasta Evangelists, Yogi Bare, Timeout & Alice Vincent to name a few. Each month customers receive a plant, pot and selection of products to match the wellbeing or sustainability theme.