In This Issue
Sales drop after end of Lockdown 2
Over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards
Whistler Grills looks to recruit Retail Sales Manager
Plant sales below last year for first time in 27 weeks
Haskins to put team wellbeing first this Christmas  
Neudorff wins the German Sustainability Award 2021
Gardening grows Christmas cheer in tough times
Perrywood at Christmas 2020 - with correct photo gallery now...
Squires Badshot Lea - Christmas 2020
Federation webinar delivers crucial advice for UK exporters preparing for end of Brexit transition
Wyevale Nurseries donates new Mangave range to RHS Garden Wisley
Logistics firm Wincanton awarded new multi-channel contract by Dobbies
Compost supply deal for leading organic waste business
Perrywood Garden Centre raises over £10,000 for charity and ends the year with some Festive Cheer
GTN November issue now on-line
Special visitors are first to see Santa at Hillmount
Christmas product sales level out
Steady as you go for garden products
Floramedia continues to strengthen its Account Manager team
Still 30% up for growing media
The best of last week's
Is selling online the future for garden centres?
Alver Valley Garden Centre gets green light
Container issues continue to escalate at UK ports - watch ITV News Video featuring Steven Potter at Glencrest
Growing Media stars as November sees record total sales
elho demonstrates continued growth, innovation, and excellent customer support
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
British Garden Centres open their 58th centre at Thatcham
Barton Grange Christmas 2020 - Exclusive GTN Xtra Photo Tour
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
All the latest news from the world of pet products
Pet firm wins ‘product I can’t live without’ award
Natures Menu donates 1,000 meals to rehoming charity
Royal Canin and wellness expert team up to tackle pet obesity
Useful Links
Send to a Friend »
Subscribe »
Issue Archive »
Update your Profile »
Print All Articles »
Subscribe to RSS »
Visit Our Website »
Example of a Flyer »
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news.

Email trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 07973 504214

 

Sponsored by:


Sales drop after end of Lockdown 2

As many expected, garden centre sales volumes did drop after all other retail was able to re-open at the end of Lockdown 2. But they only dropped to the same levels for the same week last year after setting a new winter week record at the end of November...


 

As many expected, garden centre sales volumes did drop after all other retail was able to re-open at the end of Lockdown 2. But they only dropped to the same levels for the same week last year after setting a new winter week record at the end of November.

 

The drop was across the board in the Epos data analysed by GTN for the weekly Bestsellers chart. Growing media, however, was the only sector to report sales up on the same week last year.

 

If your teams haven’t yet made an entry into GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards, now’s the time to make sure photos are taken so that the entry can be sent to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk by December 31st.  

 

There’s over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won this year so it’s well worth making an entry. See full details in December’s issue of GTN and in GTN Xtra: www.gardentradenews.co.uk

 

 

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 49

  • Garden Products Top 50 – down 17%
  • Growing Media Top 50 – up 28%
  • Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 17%
  • Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 20%
  • Christmas Top 50 – down 17%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 49

  • All Plants with Barcode index – down 9%
  • All Items with Barcode index – static 0%

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

Over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards

They’re back, all be it in a virtual form.  GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards are back for 2020 to celebrate all that’s great about garden centres at Christmas through the pages of GTN and the GTN Xtra e-mail newsletter and now we can announce there's over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won:

  • The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team – Sponsored by Woodlodge - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team – Sponsored by GTN Bestsellers -subscriptions worth £580 for the winner
  • The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team – Sponsored by Garden Radio – 1 years’ service with bespoke messages, worth over £500 for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team – Sponsored by SOLEX - 2 x Hotel Rooms at SOLEX 2021 for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Pets Team – Sponsored by Smart Garden Products, Zöon -£500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Community/Charity Initiative – Sponsored by Kaemingk – A display from their UK showroom for the winner
  • The Greatest Social Media Christmas Marketing Idea – Sponsored by Glee – 2 x Hotel Rooms at Glee 2021 for the winner
  • The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video – Sponsored by Premier Decorations - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Winter Garden Care Sales Team – Sponsored by Elho - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Covid Safe Christmas Display Team – Sponsored by Global Journey - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Group Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by DCUK - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Ascalon - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by Kaemingk- A display from their UK showroom for the winner
  • The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team Sponsored by Festive - £500 stock for the winner

They’re back, all be it in a virtual form.  GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards are back for 2020 to celebrate all that’s great about garden centres at Christmas through the pages of GTN and the GTN Xtra e-mail newsletter and now we can announce there's over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won:

  • The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team – Sponsored by Woodlodge - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team – Sponsored by GTN Bestsellers -subscriptions worth £580 for the winner
  • The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team – Sponsored by Garden Radio – 1 years’ service with bespoke messages, worth over £500 for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team – Sponsored by SOLEX - 2 x Hotel Rooms at SOLEX 2021 for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Pets Team – Sponsored by Smart Garden Products, Zöon -£500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Christmas Community/Charity Initiative – Sponsored by Kaemingk – A display from their UK showroom for the winner
  • The Greatest Social Media Christmas Marketing Idea – Sponsored by Glee – 2 x Hotel Rooms at Glee 2021 for the winner
  • The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video – Sponsored by Premier Decorations - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Winter Garden Care Sales Team – Sponsored by Elho - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Covid Safe Christmas Display Team – Sponsored by Global Journey - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Group Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by DCUK - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team - Sponsored by Ascalon - £500 stock for the winner
  • The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team – Sponsored by Kaemingk- A display from their UK showroom for the winner
  • The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team Sponsored by Festive - £500 stock for the winner

It's simple to take part, all you have to do is start taking photos of your displays and ideas now, remember to include a photo of the team, send an e-mail to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk, and we'll get back to you with more details.  We're also raising money for Greenfingers Charity to help create more gardens at Children's Hospices during 2021.

 

Here's more detail about the categories for GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards 2020

  • Very important – As GTN’s Greatest Awards are all about the great teams of people working in garden centres we do need a photo of the team involved in every entry!

    The Greatest Christmas Houseplant Team – Who has been “The Greatest” at maximising houseplant sales in the run up to Christmas 2020? What new houseplant merchandising ideas have you implemented this year?

    The Greatest Outdoor Plant and Christmas Tree Team – Which Outdoor Plant Sales team has been The Greatest at making the most of plant sales this Autumn and Winter?  Who has been the most creative in making real Christmas Tree purchases a great event despite the social distancing?

    The Greatest Festive Food Hall Team – As festive food sales in garden centres continue to grow, which garden centre team has been The Greatest at creating sumptuous Festive Food displays and maximising sales?

    The Greatest Christmas Sizzle Team – Who has made the most of the great opportunity to sell BBQ’s, firepits, canopies, outside heaters and garden furniture during this pandemic Christmas season?

    The Greatest Christmas Pets Team – We all love to spoil our pets at Christmas, so which garden centre Pets team have been The Greatest at merchandising pet products and services for Christmas 2020?

    The Greatest Christmas Community or Charity Initiative – Christmas is a time for giving, so this Award is for the garden centre team who have executed The Greatest Christy fundraising activity or local initiative that gives back to the community.

    The Greatest Social Media Christmas Marketing Idea – This year more than ever, Social Media has played such an important part in every garden centres marketing activity.  But who has created and executed The Greatest Christmas Social Media campaign?

    The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Video – The Christmas Video headlines may go to John Lewis but which garden centre has been super great in creating their very own Christmas video as part of their marketing activity?

    The Greatest Winter Garden Care Sales Team – With an estimated 3 million new gardeners this year there has never been a better time to merchandise gardening products as Christmas gifts.  Which garden centre Garden Care team has put their ‘Christmas jumpers’ on and really sold gardening to customers through the festive period?

    The Greatest Covid Safe Christmas Team – Being able to trade through Lockdown 2 meant every garden centre had to be at the top of its game for creating and maintaining a Covid safe retailing environment.  This special award will go to the team that went that extra mile to make customers and staff feel really safe.

    The Greatest Group Garden Centre Christmas Team – Who are The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Team overall from a garden centre that is part of a group of 10 or more centres?  The judges will be looking at your photo tour or video to see how you’ve made the most of Christmas as part of your garden centre group.

    The Greatest Small Garden Centre Christmas Team – In many ways small garden centres can have the real creative edge at Christmas so this award is for the team who made Christmas extra special for their customers in a small garden centre.  Send your photo tour now, plus a photo of the team of course!

    The Greatest Mid-Sized Garden Centre Christmas Team – Probably the most competitive category in The Greatest Christmas Awards, which mid-sized garden centre team has made the most of Christmas and maximised sales despite all the social distancing requirements?

    The Greatest Large Garden Centre Christmas Team – Which of the large garden centres teams are The Greatest at Christmas in 2020.  Send us your photo tour and make sure you include all your Christmas areas and the teams as the judges will be looking at overall Christmas merchandising, not just your Christmas displays.

    The Greatest Christmas Supplier – This is an award that every garden centre who makes an entry in one of the categories above will have a chance to vote for.  It’s simply for the Christmas supplier they feel has been The Greatest for their business in this unique year.

We all love to see other centres displays and ideas, especially at Christmas, and as Lockdown 2 and travel restrictions make that difficult what better way to provide a solution for everyone than inviting garden centres to submit their own photos and videos as part of GTN’s Greatest Christmas Awards.

  • Launch date:  GTN Xtra 16th November and GTN’s November print issue
  • Publication of photo’s and videos as they come in during December in GTN Xtra and GTN’s December issue.  Closing date for entries will be Thursday December 31st. 
  • Results announced:  GTN Xtra 24th January 2021 and as part of GTN’s January issue which includes our first ever Christmas Products Directory.

We’ve created a list of categories which we feel reflect Christmas trading for 2020 and we have a team of expert judges on standby to plough through all of the entries and hold video meetings with short listed teams before making their final decisions about the winners.

 

There are opportunities for suppliers to also be involved in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards by offering stock for Christmas 2021 as prizes for the winners.  Please contact alan@pottingshedpress.co.uk for more details.

 

So, what are you waiting for, get snapping and send an e-mail today to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk to get your entry registered.

 

As you'll see below in GTN Xtra we've already had one photo tour to publish, from Barton Grange, and here's an early entry we received from the team at the Old Railway Line Garden Centre

 

 

 
Whistler Grills looks to recruit Retail Sales Manager
GTN Xtra Promotion

After a fantastic Summer, Whistler Grills is now expanding its sales team to cover the Garden Centre channel and various other retailers, and as a result is looking to recruit a Retail Sales Manager...

 


 

RETAIL SALES MANAGER  

 

The company 

Whistler Grills is a relatively new business selling premium stainless steel gas barbecues and outdoor kitchen units here in the UK. After a fantastic Summer Whistler Grills is now expanding their sales team to cover the Garden Centre channel and various other retailers. 

 

The role

We’re looking for an experienced sales person who has a proven track record in a sales environment. Someone who is active in the market place and preferably already has contacts in the retail arena, though this is not essential.  

 

You will be working within a small highly motivated team who are contributing to the exciting development of the Whistler brand. We operate remotely, so the role will be based at home though you will be expected to work predominantly out in the field.  

 

Package

An initial 3-month trial basis, £25k base salary with a negotiable commission rate on top. You will require your own telephone, laptop and vehicle, though company expenses can be claimed.  

 

Please email your CV, cover letter and contact details to our Marketing Manager at megan@whistlergrills.com. Deadline for Applications 24th December 2020.

Plant sales below last year for first time in 27 weeks

Plant sales dropped last week to below last year levels for the first time since garden centres re-opened in May. Did the fog deter people from venturing outside or was it just that people were catching up with other Christmas shopping?


 

Plant sales dropped last week to below last year levels for the first time since garden centres re-opened in May. Did the fog deter people from venturing outside or was it just that people were catching up with other Christmas shopping?

  • Poinsettia sales grew by 12% to move up to No 2 in the GTN chart.
  • Big houseplants are selling well. Areca were the highest re-entry last week at No 29.
  • Roses as gift purchases may have been the driver to a 70% increase, moving up 14 places to No 16.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

 
Haskins to put team wellbeing first this Christmas  

Haskins Garden Centres has confirmed it will close its centres on Boxing Day this year, to provide staff with extended time with their families this holiday season...


 

Haskins Garden Centres has confirmed it will close its centres on Boxing Day this year, to provide staff with extended time with their families this holiday season.

 

Julian Winfield, Chief Executive at Haskins Garden Centres, explained: “Throughout what has been a challenging year for us all, our commitment has remained to the health, safety and wellbeing of our team.

 

“The pandemic has caused so much disruption to multiple industries including our own, but it has also prevented our staff from seeing their families. Therefore, this festive season, we have made the decision that our centres will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day to allow our valued team to spend more time celebrating with their loved ones.

 

“Our team has shown resilience and dedication to delivering the highest level of customer service under exceptional pressure. We hope this extended leave provision helps demonstrate our gratitude to the entire team, and gives our employees the opportunity to make the most of this well-earned break.”

 

Haskins has centres in Ferndown (Dorset), West End (Southampton), Roundstone and Snowhill (West Sussex). Haskins Snowhill reopened earlier this year following a £15million redevelopment at the Crawley-based centre. Haskins also recently acquired Forest Lodge Garden Centre and Birdworld in Farnham, Surrey.

 

The centre’s restaurants have reopened following the lifting of the recent lockdown restrictions.

 

For the current opening times and updates on what facilities are available at this time, visit www.haskins.co.uk for further information.

Neudorff wins the German Sustainability Award 2021

The German Sustainability Award 2021 in the category ‘Transformation Resources’ has been awarded to Neudorff, the leading manufacturer of environmentally friendly products for plant care and natural gardening...


 

The German Sustainability Award 2021 in the category ‘Transformation Resources’ has been awarded to Neudorff, the leading manufacturer of environmentally friendly products for plant care and natural gardening.

 

The medium-sized company triumphed over reputable competitors due to its holistic approach to environmentally friendly product ranges and resource-conserving production.

 

Hans-Martin Lohmann, Managing Director of Neudorff, received the prestigious award at the live event on 4 December, which took place digitally this year.

 

He said: “This award is a high-level appreciation of our efforts in recent years and an incentive to operate even more sustainably in as many areas of the company as possible in the future. I am particularly pleased for our employees, without whom this would not have been possible. It is an incentive for us to continue in this direction.”

 

The German Sustainability Award is the most comprehensive accolade of its kind in Europe. For the thirteenth time, business enterprises were called upon to enter the competition, demonstrating their effective contributions to transformation in the important areas of climate, resources, biodiversity and society.

 

Neudorff has already implemented numerous resource-saving processes, produces its own electricity using hydropower and photovoltaics and channels substantial investment into sustainable production processes and sustainable packaging.

 

Neudorff's medium-term goals are to reduce the company's carbon footprint even further, to draw up additional carbon-reduction plans for products, and to find even more resource-saving solutions in all areas of its operations. Neudorff is planning to expand its decentralised power supply and further increase the energy efficiency of its production facilities.

 

Pictured: Hans-Martin Lohmann, Managing Director of W. Neudorff GmbH KG, at the digital award ceremony of the German Sustainability Award.

Copyright: Christian Koester

 
Gardening grows Christmas cheer in tough times
HTA Market Update for December

Almost three million new people took up gardening during 2020 and as their enthusiasm to continue with their new-found hobby shows no signs of slowing, garden centres are seeing this interest translate into sales says the Horticultural Trades Association...


 

The positive relationship people built with gardening as they navigated lockdown continues to flourish as temperatures drop.   

 

Almost three million new people took up gardening during 2020 and as their enthusiasm to continue with their new-found hobby shows no signs of slowing, garden centres are seeing this interest translate into sales says the Horticultural Trades Association.  

 

In its Market Update for December, the trade body for the UK garden industry, found garden centre sales in November were 11% up on November 2019. This was driven by exceptional garden/gardening category sales that finished the month 60% up on November of last year. Non-garden/gardening ranges also showed good signs of recovery despite the closure of cafes and restaurants, helping calendar year to end of November comparisons finish -10% down on the same period of 2019. 

 

Average transaction values were up 51% (excluding catering) compared with November 2019 showing consumers may be spending more when they shop to avoid leaving the house more times than necessary. Hardy plants, shrubs and trees, and plant care products have performed particularly well. 

 

Christmas sales were up 47% on November 2019 levels suggesting people may have been turning to garden centres to begin their Christmas shopping, and the festive mood is continuing into December following the Government’s announcement that garden centres can hold Christmas grottos in England so long as robust COVID-19 procedures are in place and are prescribed in Scotland according to the tier system.  

 

Catering typically makes up 21% of turnover in November amongst garden centres with a catering offer; so, with cafes and restaurants forced to close once again, overall catering sales have been hit, and were down -83% on November 2019 levels following closure part way through the month of November. 

 

David Denny, HTA Futures and Sustainability Manager, comments: “Our members across the supply chain have made huge efforts to recover from the depths of lockdown in March, to support their customers and deliver sales growth across every month since May. Garden centres have invested in and provided first-class safe retailing environments for customers, who have been inspired to get into their gardens.  

 

 "It is hugely encouraging with now over 25m gardeners in the UK there seems to be no let-up in their interest in gardening. We shouldn’t underestimate the difficulties a 10% year to date fall in sales compared with 2019 brings to the sector.

 

"However sustained consumer interest in gardening helps to provide a strong basis for the sector to build on and be an economic driver for the UK economy. We recognise the responsibility we have in being able to trade when others cannot and how this continues to be a difficult time for the wider retail industry and society in these constrained times.

 

"With consumer confidence at a historic low we are pleased our sector can bring some joy at Christmas during these tough times and help consumers to celebrate and feel good going into 2021.” 

 

HTA Market Update is available free for members to download from the HTA website, by logging in and visiting the Market Update page. 

 

Perrywood at Christmas 2020 - with correct photo gallery now...
Sneak preview of Perrywoods Greatest Christmas Awards entry


See Perrywoods Christmas Awards Entry Photo Tour here

 

Here's a sneak preview of Perrywoods photo tour entry in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards for 2020, including the vital ingredient for all entries, team photos. See the gallery of photos below.  Apologies for the wrong photos being included in yesterdays edition.

 

There's over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards so get snapping and enter today.  Full details can be found here.

 

Squires Badshot Lea - Christmas 2020
Sneak preview of Squires Badshot Lea Greatest Christmas Awards entry


See Squires Bashot Lea's Christmas Awards entry photo tour here

 

Here's a sneak preview of the photo tour submitted by Squires at Badshot Lea as part of their entry in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020.

 

There's over £7,000 worth of prizes to be won in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020 so get snapping and enter your garden centre team today!

 

Full details are here.

 

 
Federation webinar delivers crucial advice for UK exporters preparing for end of Brexit transition

UK exporting companies gained an invaluable insight into how they should be preparing for the end of the Brexit transition period during a special webinar organised by Gardenex, PetQuip and the Commercial Horticultural Association...


UK exporting companies gained an invaluable insight into how they should be preparing for the end of the Brexit transition period during a special webinar organised by Gardenex, PetQuip and the Commercial Horticultural Association.

 

The webinar gave companies the chance to hear all the latest information on the steps that exporters need to take before 1 January 2021.

 

With so much uncertainty surrounding future trading regulations, those firms taking part in the webinar agreed that it had proved to be a very productive event.

 

Here’s a selection of what some of them had to say:

  • “Very useful, thank you all so much. I feel that I am learning something each time.” 
  • “We found the webinar very interesting and well presented.”
  • “Many thanks for this webinar, very interesting and helpful.”
  • “We found it very helpful and liked how it was presented in one package.”
  • “It was very insightful.”

Tailored for the gardening, leisure, pet and commercial horticultural industries, the webinar was hosted by Strong & Herd LLP, experts in export training advice and information.

 

The session looked at some of the key issues facing exporters, especially in the run-up to the end of the transition period from the EU on 1 January 2021.

 

For interested companies who missed the webinar, it is still available to access. All personnel within members of Gardenex, PetQuip and the CHA can view the content via a link available by emailing info@gardenex.com

 

Companies who are not yet members of the associations can join at a special rate before 14 December, and subscription to any of the three associations will include access to the full webinar link and presentation slides, as well as use of the Federation’s export e-helpline, access to regular Brexit transition business bulletins, tailored export advice and exclusive international sales leads among many other business benefits.

 

Amanda Sizer Barrett, Director General of Gardenex and PetQuip, says: “The webinar is part of a suite of invaluable information, providing companies with insights and support to help them protect and expand their international sales in a profitable manner during and following the UK’s exit from the EU.

 

“Exporting companies have told us the webinar proved very useful as they prepare for the end of the Brexit transition period, so we have made it available to those members who missed it. We will also welcome new member companies that want to benefit from our specialist advice on exiting the EU at this crucial time.”

 

Please contact Gardenex, PetQuip and the CHA if you would like to benefit from membership of the association or require any further advice and assistance on: 

Email: info@gardenex.cominfo@petquip.cominfo@cha-hort.com

Websites: www.gardenex.comwww.petquip.comwww.cha-hort.com

Wyevale Nurseries donates new Mangave range to RHS Garden Wisley

Wyevale Nurseries has donated a collection of new Mangave succulents to the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Garden Wisley in partnership with Plantipp B.V...


Mark Tuson, team leader at RHS Garden Wisley, excited to assess the 'Mad about Mangave'.

 

Wyevale Nurseries has donated a collection of new Mangave succulents to the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Garden Wisley in partnership with Plantipp B.V.

 

The ‘Mad About Mangave’ range has been assessed by Wyevale Nurseries, managed by Plantipp B.V, for the past few years and the donation will help extend plant research.

 

Wyevale Nurseries’ Production Manager Kyle Ross explained: “In cooperation with Plantipp, we agreed to donate a selection of the new succulents to RHS Garden Wisley. The plants will be displayed in both indoor and outdoor beds, where further winter hardiness evaluation will continue.

 

“These very impressive plants are now sitting in 10 litre pots and are looking absolutely monstrous!”

 

Above left: Whale tale. Above right: Bad hair day.

 

Mark Tuson, Team Leader Welcome & Riverside at RHS Garden Wisley, was thrilled with the delivery of Mangaves he received from Wyevale Nurseries last month.

 

He said: “We’re very excited to be assessing the Mad about Mangave range. We’ll be checking on their hardiness, using winter protection, in the sandy, free draining soil around the sun trap of the Stone Pine Café at RHS Garden Wisley. We’d like lots of people to come along and see the madness of the Mangave in person this and next year!”

 

Peter van Rijssen from Plantipp B.V. hopes that by having the succulents on show in the garden the visiting general public will also have a chance to learn about the Mangaves and the trial.

 

He said: “I’m very proud of our plants being on show at RHS Garden Wisley and with Wyevale Nurseries for making this donation of our revolutionary collection of Mad about Mangaves. They are wonderful to see and I think they will be a great talking point for RHS staff and visitors.”

 

Above left: Lavender lady. Above right: Ink blot.

 

Wyevale Nurseries is one of the UK’s leading commercial nurseries

 

Its product selection is envied across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.

 

Its main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.

 

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk

 
Logistics firm Wincanton awarded new multi-channel contract by Dobbies

Leading British logistics firm Wincanton has been awarded an initial three-year contract with Dobbies to provide eFulfilment, store replenishment and final mile home delivery services...


 

Leading British logistics firm Wincanton has been awarded an initial three-year contract with Dobbies to provide eFulfilment, store replenishment and final mile home delivery services.

 

The Dobbies contract win reflects Wincanton’s reputation for high-quality services for multi-channel retailers, particularly in the home and gardens market. The agreement is also the latest evidence of Wincanton’s expanding role in the eCommerce marketplace, which is an important part of the Group’s focus on strategic growth markets.

 

Wincanton will create a supplier consolidation platform for Dobbies at its shared fulfilment centre in Wigan that will optimise in-store availability, reduce costs and improve sustainability. Wigan will also fulfil all direct to customer orders, with large products being delivered via Wincanton’s industry-leading, two-person home delivery network.

 

Wincanton’s services to Dobbies are strengthened by the Group’s W2 digital innovation programme, which includes initiatives in cloud-fulfilment systems and robotics to drive supply chain excellence.

 

James Wroath, Chief Executive Officer of Wincanton, said: "This new partnership demonstrates that we are delivering on our stated growth strategy, particularly in the area of Digital & eFulfilment. Taking advantage of the shift in consumer purchasing habits to online, this new contract with Dobbies showcases the resilience, breadth and agility of Wincanton’s capabilities."

 

Graeme Jenkins, CEO for Dobbies Garden Centres, said: "At Dobbies, we are focused on delivering the best possible customer experience, both in-store and online. Wincanton has a proven track record and we look forward to working in partnership with them."

Compost supply deal for leading organic waste business

Hull-based waste management and treatment company, Wastewise, signs a new deal with Vital Earth Sales Ltd, a top producer and distributor of peat free composts and growing media...


 

Biowise Limited (T/A Wastewise) has entered into a five-year contract to supply over 40k tonnes per annum of its BSI PAS 100 certified compost to Vital Earth Sales Ltd, who, with headquarters in Doncaster, produce the largest range of peat free products in the UK, including soil improvers, growing media and topsoil.

 

Wastewise operates three composting facilities across the North of England processing over 200,000 tonnes per annum of organic waste, including food and garden waste.  The 40k tonnes of compost, representing approx. 80% of their total annual tonnage, will be supplied from a combination of all three sites.

 

“At Wastewise we promote the use of sustainable waste treatment methods to help achieve zero waste to landfill. Composting is nature’s way of recycling organic waste, being an environmentally responsible and cost-effective method.  We are delighted that this new contract with Vital Earth Sales Ltd represents a further step in ensuring that nothing we recycle goes to waste,” comments Bob Wilkes, Operations Director.

 

Market testing has been running since summer 2019 involving extensive mixing trials to find the right product blends. The product, under the brand name SupaGrow, is available in large bulk bags and 20L sealed bags nationwide in builders’ merchants, garden centres and retail outlets.

 

Sam Robinson, Managing Director Vital Earth Sales Ltd comments: “Although we are experts in producing topsoil’s and soil improvers, this agreement allows us to manufacturer the best peat-free topsoil in the market.  Working with Wastewise provides the assurance that our compost supply chain will remain not only constant but of a consistently high standard for a number of years to come ensuring certainty of supply for our customers.”

 

Composting enables a 'closed-loop' approach to producing a rich source of organic matter and nutrients for plants and crops. At the end of the process, the finished compost is screened into different product grades depending on the end market. All Biowise compost-based products are certified to BSI PAS 100 and Compost Quality Protocol standards for use in horticulture, agriculture, landscaping and land restoration.

 

Following a very successful year of growth, Hull-based Wastewise continues to seek opportunities to broaden its waste-processing infrastructure, which includes materials recycling, biomass and alternative fuel production facilities.

 

Pictured: Bob Wilkes, Wastewise Operations & Development Director and Sam Robinson, Managing Director Vital Earth Sales Ltd.

Perrywood Garden Centre raises over £10,000 for charity and ends the year with some Festive Cheer

In spite of 2020 being a challenging year, Perrywood Tiptree has raised over £10,000 for its charities of the year...


In spite of 2020 being a challenging year, Perrywood Tiptree has raised over £10,000 for its charities of the year. This year, they are Colchester & Ipswich Hospitals Charity, Kids Inspire and Greenfingers Charity. The funds were raised throughout the year across a range of activities involving staff and customers.

 

This week, in a bid to end the year with some festive cheer, Perrywood launched its annual Christmas cheer campaign. The garden centre, which is dedicated to supporting the local community, teamed up with Tiptree Volunteers to deliver planters to individuals who, for one reason or another, deserve some Christmas cheer.

 

The Tiptree Volunteers are a group of seven people (Clare Howlett, Sarah Luisis, Carole Hull, Annette Hazell, Alice Dunn, Jamie Cross and Chris Ward). Over the last few months, they have completed just under 1500 various tasks for people shielding in the local area as well as helping with local Foodbank collections.

 

One of the Christmas cheer deliveries was to Betty who lives in Tiptree.  At 87 it was important for Betty to shield, but in addition she suffers with Angina and is on daily medication. Betty has not left her house since the initial lockdown in March apart from popping into the garden to feed the wildlife. She was delighted to receive the planted container. Betty enjoys the services of Tiptree Volunteers who do a twice weekly shop and little errands for her.

 

Another delivery was made to Frances. It would have been Frances’ 72nd wedding anniversary next week so the timing for these flowers was perfect; she was over the moon to be chosen to receive them!  Frances and her husband made it to 71 years together before he died. She was his carer for the last seven years of his life as he had Alzheimer’s. 

 

Clare Howlett, Tiptree Volunteers, comments “We felt very privileged to be chosen by Perrywood Garden Centre to be a part of their Christmas Cheer campaign and all of us enjoyed delivering the plants to all of the nominated lovelies. It was so very rewarding.”

 

Communications Manager, Perrywood Garden Centre, Debbie Wrigley, comments: “It’s been an extremely challenging year for fundraising and we are delighted to end the year on a high with our Christmas cheer campaign. We recognise that for some people Christmas can be a difficult time, especially this year. We are so pleased this has bought joy and happiness to the recipients and thank Tiptree Volunteers for making this possible.”

GTN November issue now on-line

 

 

GTN's November 2020 issue, published this week, is now available to read on-line below:


GTN's November 2020 issue, published this week, is now available to read on-line below:

 

 
Special visitors are first to see Santa at Hillmount

Santa has now taken up residence in his grotto at Hillmount and has welcomed his first visitors...


Santa has now taken up residence in his grotto at Hillmount and has welcomed his first visitors.

 

Mayor Cllr Nicholas Trimble of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and his wife, Mayoress Sarah, made a visit to Santa’s Grotto, in the Castlereagh Hills garden centre, to take a wander through the grotto’s magical Christmas scenes and to see for themselves the installation of the new outdoor covered area where families will meet Santa.

 

Speaking about the visit, Robin Mercer, managing director of Hillmount, said: “We have taken every precaution we can think of to adhere to the government guidelines for ensuring that Santa’s Grotto can open safely to the public. We were delighted that the first people to visit Santa were the first couple of Lisburn and Castlereagh.

 

“We would like to thank the Mayor and Mayoress for coming to see Santa and to share in the excitement that a visit to the Hillmount Santa’s Grotto offers. I’m looking forward to seeing generations of families enjoying their traditional visit to the grotto albeit under slightly different conditions this year.”

 

Due to the current restrictions and to provide families with as safe a visit as possible to Hillmount Santa’s Grotto, the Mercer family installed a new covered outdoor area where Santa greets families from a social distance after they have journeyed through the wonderful Christmas displays. Families are encouraged to make memories of their experience by taking their own photos and a professional photographer is on hand to capture the moment they meet Santa should they wish to purchase a memento of their visit.

 

To see Santa at Hillmount, families must make a booking online in advance at www.hillmount.co.uk.

 

Follow Hillmount on facebook at: www.facebook.com/hillmountgardencentre and on instagram at www.instagram.com/hillmountbelfast.

 
Christmas product sales level out

After the massive Christmas record set at the end of November it’s perhaps no surprise that sales dropped off in the first week of December...


 

After the massive Christmas record set at the end of November it’s perhaps no surprise that sales dropped off in the first week of December.

 

The GTN Bestsellers Christmas sales index now sits at level with last year to date, but that’s taken from the end of October and we know many centres started selling Christmas much earlier this year, so the Christmas total needs taking that into account.

 

Real Christmas Trees have sold through in muct higher volumes, earlier this year, so much so that two lines are on a par with the lower price point volume selling Christmas Products this year.

 

Highlights of the week were:

  • Needlefresh Nordmann Christmas Trees 210/240cm are the highest new entry at No 9.
  • Playwrite’s Magic Snow with Shovel is the highest re-entry at No 11.
  • Konstsmide’s Fibre Optic Santa With Sledge & Reindeer climbs 21 places up the GTN Christmas Chart to No 13.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

 
Steady as you go for garden products

Garden product sales were steady week on week after the end of Lockdown 2 but still down on last year again for the seventh week in succession...


 

Garden product sales were steady week on week after the end of Lockdown 2 but still down on last year again for the seventh week in succession.

 

Pots, including cover pots, houseplant feeds and winter plant protection products were the big selling sectors last week.

 

Highlights of the week were:

  • Fito Drip Feeder For Orchids 32ml climbed 40 places up the chart to No 6.
  • Edelman’s Tusca Pot Round Dark Red 5cm was the highest new entry at No 12.
  • Gardman FrostGard 1m x 1.5m, White, was the highest placed chart re-entry at No 10.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

 
Floramedia continues to strengthen its Account Manager team

Floramedia has strengthened its Account Manager team with the recent appointment of Amy Todd...


 

Floramedia has strengthened its Account Manager team with the recent appointment of Amy Todd.

 

Amy has considerable experience of delivering projects in demanding situations and joins with a background in marketing and print. 

 

She has worked for multiple creative agencies specialising in marketing property and overseen a wide range of print projects across different media. 

 

Her knowledge will help with the successful delivery of customer projects and she looks forward to sharing her experience with our customers.

 
Still 30% up for growing media

Growing media sales at dropped to nearer to ‘normal’ winter levels last week but volume sales were still almost 30% up year on year for the first week of December...


 

Growing media sales at dropped to nearer to ‘normal’ winter levels last week but volume sales were still almost 30% up year on year for the first week of December.

 

Big increases were seen by mulching products and houseplant related growing media. 

 

Highlights of the week were:

  • Strulch Organic Straw Mulch 100 litres saw sales grow by 77% and re-enter at No 24.
  • Pughs Cactus Gravel was the highest re-entry at No 23.
  • Fallen Fruits Terrarium Soil also re-entered the GTN Growing Media Top 50 chart at No 49.

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

 
The best of last week's

If you missed last week's GTN Xtra, below are the most-read stories...


 
Is selling online the future for garden centres?

That was the question asked by BBC Radio 4’s You & Yours programme this week, and was answered by two prominent figures from the industry – consultant Jane Lawler and Blue Diamond Garden Centres managing director Alan Roper...


 

That was the question asked by BBC Radio 4’s You & Yours programme this week, and was answered by two prominent figures from the industry – consultant Jane Lawler and Blue Diamond Garden Centres managing director Alan Roper.

 

The programme, aired at lunchtime on Thursday (December 3), stated that garden centres didn’t seem to bother too much about being online until they were forced to shut when the first Covid-19 lockdown was imposed.

 

As a result, claimed the programme, hundreds of garden centres without an online presence suddenly launched a website virtually overnight.

 

With the You & Yours presenter suggesting that selling plants and products through a website might be the future for UK garden centres, Alan and Jane debate the pros and cons of online retailing in this industry.

 

You can hear what they have to say on BBC Sounds by clicking on the following link https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000q0z1. Their debate starts around 26 minutes into the programme.

 
Alver Valley Garden Centre gets green light

A new destination garden centre is to be built in Gosport, Hampshire. The centre will be the third in the Your Local Garden Centre group that currently includes Mappleborough Green and Stansted Park Garden Centres...


A new destination garden centre is to be built in Gosport, Hampshire. The centre will be the third in the Your Local Garden Centre group that currently includes Mappleborough Green and Stansted Park Garden Centres.

 

The group is developed and run by experienced industry figure Paul Richards in collaboration with Tim Mason. After several years from concept to design, planning permission for the new centre has just been approved by the local authority.

 

The 6 acre brownfield site was once an important World War 2 airfield and is adjacent to the Alver Valley Country Park and 17th Century Little Woodham Living History village. There has been a lot of cooperation with Gosport Borough Council and the development will include shared facilities to make it a gateway to the adjacent attractions.

 

The aim is to continue to work in cooperation with the local council to create a strong visitor attraction in the area. Paul Richards says “The retail world is being painfully disrupted and challenged.

 

"To compete with on-line, retail now needs to be part of something with visitor appeal. Working with the council is allowing us to be part of what will become a major local attraction for the area.”

 

The garden centre building will be a multi-span steel portal framed structure with a large feature oak porch frontage, to match the other centres in the group. The objective is to blend the best of modern and traditional building techniques to create a sustainable, attractive and inspiring development.

 

The main building will be 5,400m² and include a large coffee shop with panoramic views over the plant display areas and country park beyond. Catering will be an important part of the garden centre offer and a separate children’s play area and ice cream bar is planned.

 

The garden centre will become a central part of the Alver Valley visitor attractions and includes the Alver Valley meeting room available for community meetings and events.

 

The new centre design will benefit from knowledge learnt building the other centres. “We already have a very successful model and this opportunity to build a brand-new centre allows us to develop the model further and build an even better garden centre. We want to give our customers an exceptional experience” confirms Paul.

 

Construction is due to start Summer 2021 with opening Spring 2022. It is expected that the garden centre will employ approximately 60 staff. The Alver Valley Garden Centre site sits on the edge of Gosport and a short walk from the coast at Lee-on-the-Solent.

 

Between them, Richards and Mason have over 70 years’ experience in the garden centre industry. Richards built up the Golden Acres Garden Centre group until selling the business in 2015. Mason was a senior manager at Hillier Nurseries before starting retail consultancy Sea Pop. The “Your Local Garden Centre” business is now the main focus for both Paul & Tim.

 

Although there may never have been such dramatic changes as those seen in 2020, they remain confident garden centres have a strong future. Tim Mason explains “We have large open retail spaces both inside and out and the main product ranges we sell are helping homeowners enjoy their outside living spaces and build a sense of wellbeing. That will be important for people in the future.”

 

 
Container issues continue to escalate at UK ports - watch ITV News Video featuring Steven Potter at Glencrest

LOFA reported two weeks ago of the congestion that is causing major problems at UK ports, this crisis is now escalating, and the situation is now being highlighted by the BBC and ITV who are reporting on the struggle and financial impact this it is having on UK businesses...


Steven Potter at Glencrest explains the impact of the container crisis on ITV News:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z94wil79eKg

 

LOFA reported two weeks ago of the congestion that is causing major problems at UK ports, this crisis is now escalating, and the situation is now being highlighted by the BBC who are reporting on the struggle and financial impact this it is having on UK businesses.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54989299

 

These issues at ports have led to shipping firms quadrupling their freight costs.  These delays, which mainly seem to be worse at Felixstowe, are being caused by a surge in import traffic.  

 

The owner of the port, said that if the chaos continues, these increased shipping prices will have to be passed down the supply chain. It seems that containers are being left on the quayside because haulage companies are unable to book slots to enter the site. 

 

Retail outlets will suffer because they will be unable to sell what is en-route at the moment in time for Christmas which will mean there will be a knock-on effect for the outdoor leisure industry after the holidays when garden related products start arriving ready for the S/S Season 2021. 

 

Hutchinson Ports UK who own Felixstowe have said that Covid, the imbalance in UK Trade and Brexit stockpiling have exacerbated the situation and they are working with their customers and stakeholders to try and find a solution for the current situation. 

 

Another problem that is facing the port is empty containers waiting to be shipped back to Asia, these are causing a backlog at ports across Europe and North America, and to add further fuel to the fire shipping companies have sharply increased freight prices in response to the congestion, some by as much as 300%.  

 

It is extremely worrying that big shipping lines are drastically reducing UK volumes because so much of the UKs goods arrive through our ports.  Ports across the world are battling to manage these surging demands for imports but it seems that Felixstowe is struggling more than most.

 
Growing Media stars as November sees record total sales

November recorded record sales volumes in the garden centre EPoS data analysed for GTN Bestsellers and the star performer in terms of year on year growth was that key gardening essential, Growing Media...


 

November recorded record sales volumes in the garden centre EPoS data analysed for GTN Bestsellers and the star performer in terms of year on year growth was that key gardening essential, Growing Media.

 

 

The GTN Bestsellers Growing Media index for November was up by 65% year on year, beating the increased performance of Plants, up by 32% and Christmas, up by 11%.

 

After all the business in garden centres in November it will be interesting to see if that has all been earlier visits and purchases that will leave lower sales in December or whether it’s just increased spending as people seek to cheer themselves up.  Watch this space…

 

 

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 48

  • Garden Products Top 50 – down 25%
  • Growing Media Top 50 – up 103%
  • Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – down 17%
  • Wild Bird & Wildlife Care Top 50 – down 24%
  • Christmas Top 50 – up 7%

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 48

  • All Plants with Barcode index – up 23%
  • All Items with Barcode index – up 11%

See the full GTN Bestsellers Top 50 charts, compiled from garden centre Epos data every week, with a years subscription to the printed newsletter for only £145.00 using this link.

 
elho demonstrates continued growth, innovation, and excellent customer support

As a year of unprecedented challenges across all industries draws to a close, elho continues to grow and further its reputation as one of the leading synthetic container suppliers in the UK...


As a year of unprecedented challenges across all industries draws to a close, elho continues to grow and further its reputation as one of the leading synthetic container suppliers in the UK. 

 

elho’s commitment to its customer service is highlighted with the appointment an experienced new sales rep to cover the south west, meaning the company now has full UK coverage. 

 

Despite lockdown, elho has continued to innovate, design and create, ensuring that its new product launch plans are unaffected. The 2021 product launches continued as intended and the 2022 lines will be announced earlier than ever at spoga+gafa, with the show now taking place in May. This continued drive and growth helps push the sector forward and sees the company firmly placed as a leader of it. 

 

This commitment to its customers is further demonstrated as the flow of product and supply of stock to garden centres has remained steady, with lead times being unaffected even by lockdown measures. elho has been working hard to ensure that it has been able to easily fulfil demand, which has been at unprecedentedly high levels this year. 

 

Sales manager, David Nicholson (left) said: ‘We have fully caught up with the high demand over the last five months (70% higher) and we are back to delivery rates of 95%. We have made extra investments in extending our production and warehouse capacity. Our stock levels are higher than normal this time of the year to support customers the best we can and we will further build extra safety stock for the new season.’

 

The elho Group brand is also launching easyday in January, to offer more variety to garden centres and meet the demand for an affordable, basic range that others have been unable to meet. The range includes a watering can, flowerpot, trough and balcony planter, with RRPs starting at £2.99. 

 

For more information on any of the above and for details about stocking the new elho collections please contact david.nicholson@elho.nl.

 
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra

with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox...





with all the news direct to your e-mail inbox.  The best news service every weekend and all the breaking news as it happens.

Subscribe for free using this link

 
 
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp

Haskins Garden Centre in Snowhill, Crawley, has opened its doors to customers following a 12-month refurbishment costing £15m...


Read more and see GTN Xtras photo tour of the new centre

Haskins Garden Centre in Snowhill, Crawley, has opened its doors to customers following a 12-month refurbishment costing £15m.

 

The new centre boasts a retail space of 11,813 sq.m., including an outdoor plant area and 440-seat restaurant complete with a newly installed pizza oven. Additional space has also been created to accommodate 170 restaurant guests on an outdoor patio.

 

Up to 70 new jobs have been created to accommodate the centre's expansion. Car parking has increased to 346 spaces.  See GTN Xtra's photo tour of the new centre below.

 

Chief executive Julian Winfield said the Snowhill team worked tirelessly to ensure the centre was able to remain open for the majority of the project, with minimal disruption.

 

“We can't wait to receive our customers' feedback on our new and improved facilities,” he added. “Over the years, we have built a loyal customer following and we are proud to be able to give back to them in this way with our new expanded centre.”

 

Haskins acquired the Snowhill site in 2003, inheriting a number of ageing buildings.

 

Haskins also has centres in Ferndown in Dorset, West End in Southampton and Roundstone in West Sussex. The family business recently acquired Forest Lodge Garden Centre, Bird World and Garden Style in Farnham.

 

Pictured (left to right): Julian Winfield, Jamie Haskins, Ally Haskins (married to Jamie) and Warren Haskins, the group's chairman. 

 

The opening event was attended by the current GCA Chairman Mike Burks and three past Chairs; Warren Haskins, Sue Allen and Julian Winfield.

 

 

 
British Garden Centres open their 58th centre at Thatcham

Charles Stubbs, Lewis Fox and Nemanja Tintor, along with the rest of the BGC team, were proud as punch yesterday as their 58th centre at Thatcham in Berkshire opened...


See GTN Xtra's exclusive photo tour of the new centre

Charles Stubbs, Lewis Fox and Nemanja Tintor, along with the rest of the BGC team, were proud as punch yesterday as their 58th centre at Thatcham in Berkshire opened.

 

The centre had been handed back to the landlords during the Wyevale Garden Centres sale of the century in and closed in September 2019 as the owners looked for a new leaseholder.  British Garden Centres took on the site in September 2020 and since then have refreshed the centre, enclosing a walkway at the Restaurant end to allow for extra covers, extending the covered sales area out into the planteria and hard surfacing the overflow car parking area which was previously a field.

 

See GTN Xtra's exclusive photo tour of the new centre below:

 

 
Barton Grange Christmas 2020 - Exclusive GTN Xtra Photo Tour

In advance of the launch of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020, GTN's Northern Correspondent, Steve Myatt, paid a visit to Barton Grange to bring you this first GTN Xtra Christmas photo tour.


In advance of the launch of GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards 2020, GTN's Northern Correspondent, Steve Myatt, paid a visit to Barton Grange to bring you this first GTN Xtra Christmas photo tour.

 

To add your garden centre Christmas photo tour to GTN Xtra simply get snapping and enter The Greatest Christmas Awards.  See the categories here.  Send an e-mail to trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk for more details

 

 
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week

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


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 newsletter.

As the year goes on we give sales volume comparisons with 2018 as well as 2019 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 up-to-date gardening sales analysis that has already helped many UK garden centres increase their sales.  To subscribe call 07973 504214, e-mail karen@pottingshedpress.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 Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

 

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

 

Highlights of the GTN Christmas Products Bestsellers chart for last 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.

 

Get the GTN Bestsellers charts in full every week in the GTN Bestsellers newsletters for only £145.00.

GTN Bestsellers is the only industry source of weekly garden centre sales information, collating Epos data from centres with an aggregate turnover in excess of £100m.

Use the weekly Garden Products and Growing Media Top 50 sales volumes charts to plan your hotspot and other promotions and ensure you have the right products in stock to satisfy the needs of your customers.

For further information contact karen@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call 07973504214.

Buy your subscription today and start receiving the GTN Bestsellers charts this week.

All the latest news from the world of pet products


 
Pet firm wins ‘product I can’t live without’ award

Dogmatic has been crowned winner of an award for ‘product I can’t live without’ for its popular headcollar...


Dogmatic has been crowned winner of an award for ‘product I can’t live without’.

 

Managing director Zoe Lewsley said: "This is a wonderful achievement for Dogmatic to become the first company to win such an amazing accolade for the eighth yime in a category that spans the Pet Product Market.

 

"We are incredibly proud and grateful that our customers have taken the time to post in their votes once again, despite the current unprecedented times we are all dealing with.

 

"We do hope that the Dogmatic has helped you continue to walk your dogs and enjoy one of the few activities we have been able to experience this year."

 

The award, organised by Your Dog magazine, was bewtowed on the Dogmatic Headcollar.

 

For more information visit www.dogmatic.org.uk

Natures Menu donates 1,000 meals to rehoming charity

Birmingham-based Greyhound Protection UK, a charity dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of greyhounds in need, has this week received over a thousand portions of dog food for its hungry furry friends, thanks to Natures Menu...


Birmingham-based Greyhound Protection UK, a charity dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of greyhounds in need, has this week received over a thousand portions of dog food for its hungry furry friends, thanks to Natures Menu.

 

Greyhound Protection UK, previously Birmingham Greyhound Protection, was founded by Kerry Elliman in 2012 and has successfully re-homed over 1,000 greyhounds so far. Greyhound Protection UK has two main foster bases in Lincolnshire Wolds and West Sussex, along with various smaller fosters in the Midlands where the dogs are fully assessed before going up for adoption. The charity has several long-term foster dogs, most of which have long-term medical conditions.

 

Greyhound Protection UK is firmly against the racing industry, due to many greyhounds being killed before they reach racing age or at the end of their racing careers. Kerry Elliman is also the founder of Candy Cane Rescue, a charity set up to stop the exports of greyhounds to China, where greyhounds can end up in the meat industry.

 

To support Greyhound Protection UK’s mission and to ensure all dogs looked after by them receive the very best care possible, Natures Menu has donated over 1,000 portions of their bestselling wet dog food. Made with 60% meat and blended high-quality natural ingredients, each nutritionally balanced meal is filled with protein, which is crucial for maintaining a greyhound’s health and strength.

 

James Langan, Managing Director of Natures Menu, said: “With this donation, we are proud to be able to support the work of Greyhound Protection UK, a company truly committed to making a difference. As a company that specialises in quality raw and natural pet food, we understand the importance that wholesome food can have on dogs. By supporting such a worthwhile cause, we can help more dogs receive the food they need to thrive.”

 

Kerri Elliman, founder of Greyhound Protection UK, said: “We’re extremely grateful to Natures Menu for its generous donation. We always strive to give our dogs high quality food, so this contribution helps enormously. Thanks to Natures Menu, the money we would have spent on food can now go towards vet bills over the winter months.”

 
Royal Canin and wellness expert team up to tackle pet obesity

Royal Canin has teamed up with TV broadcaster and wellness expert Kathryn Thomas to raise awareness of pet obesity and to help cat and dog owners to manage their pets’ weight...


Royal Canin has teamed up with TV broadcaster and wellness expert Kathryn Thomas to raise awareness of pet obesity and to help cat and dog owners to manage their pets’ weight.

 

Kathryn hosts one of Ireland’s highest rated TV programmes which helps people to improve their health, lose weight and get fit. While most know the impact that being overweight can have on human health, many are unaware of the effect that obesity can have on their pets. Kathryn is working with Royal Canin to encourage pet owners to think about their feeding habits and to help them make small changes that can make a big impact on their pet’s shape and weight.

 

Kathryn will share top tips and her experience as a pet owner with her audience on Instagram.

 

John O’Connor, Vet and Corporate Affairs Director at Royal Canin said, “There are some simple steps pet owners can take to help manage their pet’s weight. For example, measuring cups can lead to pet owners potentially feeding up to 80% more than they should. Using digital kitchen scales to weigh the food ensures you are feeding your pet exactly the right amount.”

 

John continued, “While it can be hard to resist the temptation to give our pets a little extra treat to show we love them, feeding your dog a rawhide bone could provide them with 67% more calories than they need each day and feeding your cat just 30g of cheese increases their daily energy intake by 60%. A few treats here and there soon add up, so cutting back on these is a simple way to help ensure you’re not giving your pet too many calories.”