GTN Xtra has just received this announcement:



The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, the world’s leading marketer of branded consumer lawn and garden products, today announced that its subsidiary, The Scotts Company (UK) Limited, has reached an agreement to acquire proprietary brands from Solus Garden and Leisure Limited (in Administration).

The acquisition includes, but is not limited to, the Yeoman, Joseph Bentley, ChapelWood, Botanico, Garden Nation and Bermuda brands. Prior to going into administration, Solus was a leading UK supplier of garden and leisure products, offering a diverse mix of quality brands for more than 25 years.

Mark Pearson, previously Chief Executive Officer of Solus, will join Scotts to lead the acquired brands, which will be operated as a “Scotts Solus Brands” internal division within The Scotts Company (UK) Limited.

“The acquired Solus brands are complementary to our existing gardens business in the UK and fill some gaps in our current product offering,” said Martin Breddy, Vice President and General Manager of The Scotts Company (UK) Limited. “We are excited to combine these brands with Scotts’ innovation, advertising and marketing and are confident this will help drive faster growth for the UK gardening market. “We welcome the Solus team into the Scotts family and are working towards a seamless transition,” added Breddy.

Tony Barrell, joint administrator and director of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, said: “I am pleased to announce the completion of the sale to Scotts, which secures the future of the Solus brands and business. I would like to thank the employees, key customers and suppliers for all their support over the last eight weeks. We will now be communicating with the suppliers of the third-party branded products, which were not sold as part of the deal.”

Terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.

As we reach the summer flattening of sales volumes, we must wait to see if the weather or the burgeoning economic confidence has any influence on visits to garden centres.  Sales volumes, year to date, are currently 1.9% up on 2012, up 15.2% on 2013 and now down 1% on 2011.

There was a particularly confident mood at SOLEX this week, suggesting that most centres are continuing to look positively at summer sales.  Most exhibitors reported increased orders for 2015 on furniture and BBQs.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year

• Garden Products – up 29%
• Veg 2 Gro – up 24%
• Growing Media – up 98%
• All items index – up 38%

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

My client is a large garden retailer who is currently looking for a plant area manager at one of their flagship sites.

 I am looking for a planteria manager with the skills to join the leadership team of one of the UK's top garden centres.

 You must be an excellent man manager and have the necessary retail skills and experience to take on this role.

Plant retail knowledge must be good but specific in depth knowledge is not required.

 This role will suit an individual that has ambition and is looking to progress to a site management role in the future.

I am currently recruiting for a chain retailer based in the garden industry.

I am looking for an ambitious individual to join a hardworking team based on the south coast.

You will preferably have a purchasing background, preferably at at least a buying administrator level and be looking to step up.

Preferably from a fashion background preferably with experience in accessories also.

Could suit a graduate with work experience.

Please call Brad Peck on 01780 480530, or apply with your CV quoting reference #6493 to info@morepeople.co.uk

Our client is a well established young plant supplier who supply the professional growing market with a large variety of plants. They are currently seeing a driven sales orientated individual who has both superb plant knowledge and an aptitude for sales or a professional sales person who has sold into the growing sector.

The SUCCESSFUL Candidate will be responsible for:-

• Managing key grower account
• Developing new business and managing existing accounts
• Provide technical advice to customers
• Represent the company at trade shows and exhibitions

For this role our client is ideally seeking:-

• A proven background in territory sales to the grower sector or an outstanding individual from the growing or retail sectors who has the drive to become a top sales person
• Be a target driven individual who has the ability to hit sales target and achieve growth within their sector
• A strong relationship builder who has excellent customer skills and can ensure customer satisfaction   

Please call Dianne Saunders on 07929 013910 or apply with your CV to info@morepeople.co.uk

Scotts Pathclear Gun (1 litre) is the highest re-entry in this week’s GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart.

Other returning products include: 

• Doff Slug Killer (800g plus 200g free).
• Stewart Flower Pot Saucer 8-inch Terracotta.
• Bayer Baby Bio Orchid Food (175 ml).
• Scotts Miracle Gro Pour & Feed (3 litres).

Meanwhile, Gardman Bamboo Canes 1.2m, pack of 20, is the highest climber.

Scotts Levington Tomorite (1 litre) retains top spot in front of Gardman Ice Orb Solar Light.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

The biggest movers in the GTN Bestsellers Veg-2-Gro chart are seeds with both Suttons and Thompson & Morgan seeing their products return to the Top 50.

• The highest climber, moving up 39 places to No 10, is Suttons Carrot Early Nantes 5.
• Thompson & Morgan Coriander is the highest returning line while the company’s Runner Bean Red Rum  is the highest new entry.
• Other newcomers are Unwins Carrot Early Nantes 2 and Suttons Brussels Sprouts Bedford  Fillbask.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Arthur Bowers have two Top Soil products in the GTN Bestsellers Growing Media chart Top 10, with their 25-litre bag being the highest climber.

• Arthur Bowers also have the highest re-entry with their Landscape Bark (100 litres).
• Their Mini Bark Chips (100 litres) have also returned to the chart after a doubling of sales.
• GEM Cambark Chunky Chip Bark (70 litres) has also seen a 50% increase in sales.

To subscribe to GTN Bestsellers email karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk

Every week GTN receives and analyses epos data from a number of UK garden centres to produce the GTN Bestsellers charts and weekly bestsellers sales tips.

The full charts which provide useful insight into product sales peaks, new trends and new link sales opportunities are published in the weekly GTN Xtra printed newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2012 as well as 2013 to allow your teams to see variations over a three year period.

Access is by subscription only.  For £145.00 per year you and your team can have access to the most upto date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 01733 775700, e-mail karen.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or buy on-line using this link.

Highlights of the GTN Garden Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro Products Bestsellers chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Growing Media Bestsellers chart for this week are here

WARNING the GTN Bestsellers Charts seriously improve the business of our subscribers.  Invest 15 minutes each week in improving your sales using the GTN Bestsellers charts and your turnover and customer satisfaction will improve too.