Choice Marketing, which buys centrally and runs marketing promotions for 33 UK independent garden centres, has pulled out of its contract with Solus for supplies of the its Chapelwood wild birdcare products.

The group has switched to Gardman and Westland for wild bird foods and to Gardman and Tom Chambers for bird feeders and other wild bird accessories.

The decision was announced at the Choice group’s two-day marketing conference at Daventry earlier this week. The event was attended  by the CEOs of both Gardman and Westland.

Michelle de Lavis-Trafford told GTN Xtra, "we had over 100 people attend our annual conference, a mixture of Choice Members and our key suppliers.  The conference started off on the Tuesday with a members’ only session discussing industry issues and where Choice Marketing is heading in 2015 & beyond.  The afternoon then featured a mini-trade show with our key suppliers exhibiting to Choice Members.  A great afternoon followed with plenty of chat and networking. 

Ben Cryer from Decco said "it was a very successful afternoon and proved a good opportunity to meet all the members again”.  Tim from Ronseal said “we thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the members and being able to talk in a relaxed environment, certainly builds on existing relationships”.

The conference also included a poresentation from David Arnold about the GIMB’s initiative for 2015 and concluded with a session on Visual Merchandising from Karl McKeever as seen on BBC TV in the Fixer with Alex Polizzi.

For over 12 years now Choice Marketing has had an annual get together with its members that has grown over the years and the 2014 event was the biggest to date.  Choice is preparing to welcome some new members into the Group very shortly and 2 potential new members attended the event. 

Choice Marketing Chairman Sam Bosworth said "feedback from the members has been brilliant and Choice is in a strong and united position as a Group."