Delegates at last week’s sell-out Sustainability Matters conference organised by the HTA were left in no doubt about the challenges businesses face as climate change and environmental issues rise to the top of the agenda – but the day was also sprinkled with positive messages about the significant strides retailers and growers have already made.

HTA president-elect Boyd Douglas-Davies (Hillview garden centre group), who described the event as “the most exciting, intense, stimulating event I have ever been to”, said the conference not only reminded the industry what still needed to be done but had underlined a ‘can do’ attitude. “You can do it,” he said, summing up, urging the industry to take a lead and not wait for the government to impose “nonsense” solutions. “Let’s tell Defra how to do it…...We have a lot going for us. We are producing a great product that allows people to grow, pick and eat something with no food packaging….Let’s make sure the gardeners of the future are coming to us an industry of great British growers and independent retailers – people who know what we’re doing and have the future mapped out.”

The issue of the industry’s use of plastic was clearly going to be a major topic and was the subject of a lively panel debate. The refusal of most local authorities to accept plastic plant pots for kerbside re-cycling drew criticism. Other than pots containing the carbon black pigment, which cannot be detected by the scanners that sort waste, plant pots CAN be re-cycled but are ruled out because they require washing, among other reasons. Natalie Porter of Porters Fuchsias/Happy Plants felt councils should stop making excuses and change their advice to exclude only carbon-black pots to help reduce the UK’s estimated 500 million plastic pot mountain.

The HTA-backed initiative to encourage growers to supply plants in taupe-coloured plastic pots (which can be picked up by scanners), currently supplied by Modiform, was highlighted as a major step forward – but there was no consensus for industry-wide adoption of taupe as the standard in an independent retail sector that prides itself on points of difference.

For Porters, blue and green are the colours…as Natalie Porter explained, plants are now supplied in blue pots manufactured by Poppelman and pack bedding is supplied in clear green PET packs made from 100% recycled drinks bottles which can be returned to food grade packaging when themselves recycled, while Porters’ trays are made from recyclable paper pulp.

The drive towards meeting the government’s target for eliminating the use of peat in growing media was highlighted by Steve Harper, head of commercial and marketing at Bord na Mona, as an example of the horticultural industry’s progressive response to a challenge that was originally about biodiversity but is now about carbon emissions. By the end of the year, the Responsible Sourcing Scheme for Growing Media will have produced a calculator that will allow suppliers to “score” their raw materials on a sustainability matrix. While it will be free for all to use, suppliers who sign up can access the proposed audit scheme, which will help to push the quality benchmark across the sector.

Mike Burks, MD of The Garden Group, stressed the importance of taking a positive approach when communicating with customers on environmental issues. He believed taking back packaging was one example of “the right thing to do”. His centres also engage with with their local communities in encouraging wildlife gardening and growing plants to attract pollinators.

These and other topics discussed on the day will be covered in greater depth in the June print issue of Garden Trade News.

Tong Garden Centre in Bradford has seen an impressive increase in water feature sales after making them a focal point in the store with help from AMES UK and Kelkay's Easy Fountain range.

“Our water feature sales have increased in value by 24% year on year. In the same period last year we had sold 66 water features. This year we have sold 92,” said Sharon McNair at Tong.

Presented with the opportunity to make water features a focal point in the centre, the Kelkay team designed and built a unique octagonal island that provides discreet themed areas demonstrating three very different garden styles.

The commitment Tong Garden Centre made to range and stock levels allowed Kelkay, in partnership with the store, to create this unique merchandising concept.

Sharon added: “We felt that there was an opportunity to make a high impact display the real focal point for the entrance to the centre. Kelkay have been instrumental in driving the total category growth with the widest range of styles and price points.

“They also have the merchandising expertise and point of sale material to make the category work really hard for us.”

Tong’s top five sellers by volume are:

• Como Springs (pictured right)
• Azure Columns
• Woodland Twist
• Otters Element
• Otter Pools

“As regards trends we do tend to find our customers are quite traditional and some of the more contemporary pieces can be slower,” said Sharon.

““Como Springs has been Tong’s best seller for the last three years and this is echoed across the market, where naturally styled products still lead the pack. With shoppers always on the look out for something new and contemporary garden trends increasingly influencing garden décor, furniture and outdoor living categories, Kelkay are keen to demonstrate they’re moving with the times.”

“Customers really like the display and the depth of range that we have. The display at the entrance tends to stop people as they walk in and gets people thinking about a water feature as an addition to their garden even if they hadn’t come in specifically with that in mind.

 “We are really pleased with how sales are performing. Kelkay have given us a lot of support with stands and point of sale and in return we have given the product a great location near the entrance to the store.

“We have a member of the team who is also very passionate about the product and great with customers which also helps massively as well.”

If you are interested in the Kelkay Easy Fountain display opportunities from AMES UK email salesenquiries@kelkay.co.uk, call 01405 869333 or visit www.kelkay.com

Polhill Garden Centre is a well-established family owned and run garden centre, located near Sevenoaks in Kent.

Polhill was a rundown nursey when, in 1968, it was bought by father and son duo, Jim and David Novell. Fifty years on it has grown into a thriving garden centre with a shopping village and restaurant, employing 160 staff.

In 2017 the directors of the company decided that they needed to upgrade their EPoS and Retail Management system. After some research they decided that Corby & Fellas’ WinRetail system was the best fit, given C&F’s considerable experience of garden centres and the positive feedback received from existing users.  

The new WinRetail system was successfully installed in January 2018, and now, one year on, Mark Novell, director at Polhill Garden Centre, was sufficiently happy with WinRetail’s performance to write the following testimonial:

Feedback from Mark Novell, Director at Polhill Garden Centre Ltd

"I would just like to say thank you to Alan and the team at C+F for our first year with you and the WinRetail system. Due to the software, hardware and outstanding service that you have provided us, our business has greatly benefited.  

"WinRetail has enabled us to process a greater volume of customers through fewer tills - Easter 2019 being a prime example. The system enhancements, version upgrades and configuration changes that have been made to the system this year have happened seamlessly and nearly all of them have happened during the working day, which has had no effect to the continued running of the business or the system.

"Again, I would like to thank you all and look forward to the new enhancements to come this year."

The last week of April, the second of the Easter Fortnight, was the best week 17 for volume sales since 2011. It was up 18% on last year but that could only help overall April sales to just below last year and almost spot on the average for April over the past nine years.

April turnover will most likely be reported as up year on year and possibly a record by some as the substantial early sales of garden furniture will no doubt have swollen takings whilst not adding huge unit volumes.

Now that Easter and Mother’s Day are past the year to date position of up 13.0% can be reconciled as definitely being weather related. Against 2017 sales the GTN Bestsellers Index is on a par.

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year (week 17)

• Garden Products – up 14%
• Growing Media – up 30%
• Wild Bird Care – up 9%
• Veg-2-Gro – up 102%
• All Plants index – up 23%
• All Items index – up 18%

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

Plant sales thrived during the second half of the Easter fortnight. That gets us to 15% up year to date but meant April missed last year’s plant sales volumes by 2%.

Highlights were:

• Dahlia sales increased by over 130% to re-enter the chart at No 25.
• Cosmos looks as though it could be very popular again this year.  Last week it re-entered at No 41.
• Pelargonium, including Zonal Geraniums, stayed at No 1 for the second week, holding off another week of increased sales for Tomato plants.

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

The excitement of RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019 will soon be upon us and The Horticultural Trades Association is buzzing about the new plants that will feature on its Discovery Zone exhibit ‘Helping Children Grow’.

The exhibit promotes National Children’s Gardening Week which takes place between 25 May - 2 June 2019 and is supported by National Garden Gift Vouchers. Working with National Children’s Gardening Week Ambassador Chris Collins the exhibit features fun and inspiring projects such as edible planters, a pizza wheel, runner bean tipis and a wildlife hotel. 

Alongside the plants required for the projects there will be three new plants submitted by HTA members which will be put forward for the RHS Chelsea 2019 Plant of the Year Award. These are:

• Nepeta Neptune bred by Kees Jan Kraan and entered by Thompson & Morgan.
  This brand new selection of Catmint has a compact upright habit of just 30cm. It is ideal for borders and patio pots. This low maintenance perennial is hardy down to -25ºC and will flower from June to September. Its flowers are mauve blue with beautiful dark blue spots.
• Ajuga Princess Nadia bred by Nadia Plants and entered by Thompson & Morgan.
  Ajuga tenorii ‘Princess Nadia’ brings together the best variegated foliage and flower spikes of the genus. A controlled creeping habit, true hardiness, and evergreen foliage offers a wide range of garden uses and year-round interest. This truly is a plant for all seasons.
• Apple Eden bred by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and entered by Frank P Matthews.
  The first of its kind, Eden is a non-browning commercial and garden apple. Delicious for fresh eating and cooking, it has a whole host of uses including cooking down to a snow-white puree that is sweet, so no additional sugar is needed. It is easy to grow and disease resistant.

More information on the new plants and ‘Helping Children Grow’ exhibit can be found at www.hta.org.uk/chelsea2019

To find out more about participating in National Children’s Gardening Week 2019 visit www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk

The Royal Horticultural Society has announced that an exciting new RHS-inspired fine fragrance will be showcased at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May. Called Electric Rhubarb, the fragrance has been produced in partnership with Floral Street, an innovative British company producing contemporary floral fragrances.

Electric Rhubarb packaging will feature the Floral Street and RHS logos against the background of a fabulous and colourful flower mural created exclusively for Floral Street by leading London photographer Matthew Donaldson. The Electric Rhubarb packaging will include the words: “For the sparkling, luminous, fun-loving and charming”. This fragrance is part of an extensive range of Floral Street fine fragrances.

During the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, both the 50ml Electric Rhubarb bottle and the 10ml eau de parfum bottle will be available to buy at the main RHS retail stand, where they will form the centrepiece of a Floral Street display. The display will also include the entire Floral Street fragrance range. Samples will be offered to stand visitors throughout the six days of the show.

But that’s not all. At a special event, taking place in the Jardin Blanc restaurant at the flower show on Wednesday 22 May, Matthew Pottage, RHS Garden Wisley’s Curator, and Floral Street Perfumer Jérôme Epinette, the ‘nose’ behind the creation of the new fragrance, will offer a short presentation discussing both the development of the new fragrance and the partnership between the RHS and Floral Street.

The new RHS fragrance will also be prominently featured in Floral Street’s Covent Garden boutique window display during May and June and will be available both from the Covent Garden flagship store and selected retailers, including John Lewis and Partners and the new retail space at RHS Garden Wisley. It will also be sold online at www.floralstreet.com. Both the new design concept and the RHS fragrance will be promoted through multiple media channels.

Working collaboratively with the RHS to create this unique fragrance, Floral Street has combined beautiful white florals and soft powdery sandalwood with the scent of English rhubarb and an unexpected blast of salty sea air to make this an instant mood lifter. The key ingredients include rhubarb, Australian sandalwood, island gardenia, frangipani and jasmine sambac. Inspiration for both the fragrance and its name come from the heritage rhubarb collection found at RHS Garden Wisley, the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society and one of the great gardens of the world.

Founded in 2017 by beauty industry insider Michelle Feeney, Floral Street was devised as a collection of incredible fine floral fragrances for the modern and curious female, created by one of the best noses in the world, Jérôme Epinette – but also accessible and affordable. An incredible 20% perfume oil level makes these scents beautifully long lasting. Today Floral Street fragrances can be found in selected retailers in England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Germany and Scandinavia, as well as the flagship Floral Street store in Covent Garden, London.

Michelle Feeney, founder of Floral Street, says: “As a creator of fine floral fragrances for the modern female, who better to collaborate with than the RHS, the best-known and best-loved gardening charity in Britain? We are looking forward enormously to launching Electric Rhubarb, the incredible result of a wonderful collaboration, in our fabulous new packaging concept, at one of the world’s most famous flower shows.”

RHS Garden Wisley Curator, Matthew Pottage says, “It is fantastic that Electric Rhubarb’s exceptional fragrance takes inspiration from our National Collection of rhubarb held at Wisley. I’m delighted to support its launch at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.”

Cathy Snow, Licensing Manager, RHS, says: “In Floral Street we have found a brand that, in name and inspiration, as well as quality and innovation, is wonderfully suited to the RHS Licensing programme. We are thrilled to be launching this exceptional new fragrance from Floral Street at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.”

The UK's biggest supplier of hanging baskets and planters, Plantscape, is basking in media stardom this week - having featured on BBC TV and radio in a matter of hours!

BBC Radio Derby's roving reporter Heidi Booth joined the early birds at the company's Egginton nursery at the crack of dawn for two hours to broadcast live to the station's breakfast show listeners.

She chatted to operations manager Mat Davison, senior operations manager Pete Halls and planter Fran Archer about the scale of the operation and the processes involved in planting up 90,000 blooms in 12,000 planters to distribute to 130 locations across England, Scotland and Wales.

Heidi learned how just one man, Stefan Banica, was responsible for watering every single plant - an all day job which he adores. She also discovered that Plantscape's 15-foot flower towers weigh a tonne once filled with compost and water, and that each member of the five strong planting team can put together up to 400 hanging baskets a day.

Fran told her that she found her job therapeutic, while Pete said the idea that the flowers could make someone's day was what made his job so worthwhile.

Mat, who describes the plants as his ‘babies' told her what immense pride he took in his job. "I absolutely love it," he told her.

No sooner had the Plantscape team recovered from the onslaught of questions from Heidi than BBC Radio Derby's televisual counterpart - BBC East Midlands Today - turned up for a spot of filming.

The nursery was described by BBC reporter Quentin Rayner as ‘the hanging baskets of Egginton.'

He chatted to Mat and Fran who told him she could plant up a three tier flower tower in just ten minutes. Mat said that even in these times of austerity councils still wanted to spend money on flowers because "they bring joy and happiness to people walking down the street."

Both BBC broadcast media were stunned by the immense scale of the operation and the fact that so many of the civic planters seen across the nation all radiate from a huge greenhouse complex in rural Derbyshire.

The BBC visits coincide with a record number of summer orders - with more councils, BID groups and corporate organisations buying Plantscape's services than ever before.

Towns, cities, In Bloom groups and Business Improvement Districts to benefit from the Plantscape magic include the ancient walled cities of York and Chester, Beaumaris and Worcester. Their pots also featured last month on BBC TV's Britain in Bloom series.

The BBC Midlands Today footage starts at 23 minutes in while the three BBC Radio Derby interviews can be heard at around 55 minutes, one hour 21 minutes and two hours 21 minutes into the show.

Following its success at RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year, Thompson & Morgan is proud to present its entries for Plant of the Year 2019.

Clematis ‘Kokonoe’ - Uniquely changing flower shape; flowers open as single blooms and develop into flamboyant doubles.

Nepeta ‘Neptune’ - Abundant flowers ‘rebloom’ on a compact, bushy habit; firm foliage is perfect for making tea.

Ajuga ‘Princess Nadia’ - Brings together the best evergreen, variegated foliage and flower spikes of the genus. Year-round interest. 

Agapanthus ‘Fireworks’ - The best bicolour agapanthus, offering bigger blooms, better colour and more stems per plant than previous bicolour cultivars.

Buddleja ‘Butterfly Towers’ - Grows up, rather than out, so it suits even the smallest garden without taking over. Thrives in containers; long-lasting; makes a great flowering hedge.

Osteospermum ‘Purple Sun’ - Previously unseen colour combination of orange and pink. The pink-purple centre spreads outwards as the season progresses.

Chlorophytum 'Starlight' - Hardy Spider Plant with the architectural appeal of an ornamental grass and the flowering performance of a bedding plant. Attractive variegated foliage and pretty white flowers.

Clematis ‘Little Lemons’ - Very unusual long-flowering, dwarf clematis. Excellent in pots and hanging baskets.

Thompson & Morgan is pleased to also formally announce its partnership with Sparsholt College Hampshire on their Behind the Genes garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show next month.

The garden, which is in the Discovery area of the Great Pavilion (Stand GPA154), offers a visually inspiring insight into the processes of plant breeding and explains techniques used to bring about improvements in plant species. Students at Sparsholt College have been involved in the design of the garden and have nurtured the plants that will be featured on the garden to illustrate various key milestones in plant breeding over the years. 

T&M has long been at the forefront of plant breeding and can put its name to a number of key breeding breakthroughs over the years, such as Foxglove or Digitalis ‘Illumination Pink’ which won RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year in 2012 and which will feature on the Behind the Genes garden. Also appearing at RHS Chelsea 2019 is last year’s Plant of the Year winner, Hydrangea hybrid Runaway Bride® ‘Snow White’, and the amazing sunflower, Helianthus SunBelievable™ 'Brown Eyed Girl' which was placed third. 

Part of the focus this year is also on Thompson & Morgan’s trainee manager, Lance Russell, who as an alumni of Sparsholt College and now working at the forefront of the gardening industry is the epitome of the new generation of inspiring and social media-savvy young gardeners. Lance is fronting T&M’s recent increase in film content on its website and is set for a stellar career in horticulture. Lance can be seen in Thompson & Morgan’s video ‘Journey to Chelsea’.

Here's a Garden Centre Tour from Boston USA.  Peter Seabrook received these photos from Farid Khalil, plant buyer for the Mahoney chain of garden centres in the Boston area and thought we should share them via a GTN Xtra Photo Tour.  "They show the kind of dahlias they are selling in Boston mid April. When I was in Boston mid March they still had snow on the ground!," Peter said.

Farid reports that they are extremely busy buying and growing many spring products to meet their customers demand.  "The season started so early this year because of the good weather we are having, officially the big selling time would be in the beginning of May but we’ve been busy since the start of April. We are doing wonderful with moving lots of Tropicals still and there’s no slowing with this category."

See Farids photos below and watch out for more GTN Xtra Garden Centre Photo Tours over the coming weeks.

Later this year (June 2^nd) three brave souls from the UK garden retail sector will be taking to the skies to raise £15,000 for the Greenfingers Charity. Here we catch up with one of the ‘wing walkers’, SBM Life Science’s Lowri Walker, to find out more about her FUNdraising journey.

“It [the Greenfingers Wing Walk] seemed a good idea when I initially agreed to do this, but then everything does after a few Pinots!!  I can honestly say the nerves kick in every time I think ahead to this, for me this will be one hell of a personal challenge and certainly something which will need a lot of mind over matter!!  Sitting comfortably inside a plane is one thing but being strapped on the outside of one is definitely something else.

“I did complete a sky dive several years ago collectively raising money for both Greenfingers and Rugby for Heroes, which was an amazing experience once leaving the plane but the build-up and the ride up to 12,000ft was horrendous!  But, with a sky dive you are safe in the knowledge that the professional is with you and talks and helps you through it, however with a wing walk it’s just you up there and that’s what worries me the most, not to mention the zoom climbs, steep dives and banks!!

“Greenfingers is a truly wonderful and worthwhile charity and it’s not surprising our industry supports it in the way it does.  Each and every one of us shares a passion for gardening otherwise we wouldn’t do what we do on a daily basis, so to be able to give something back to the children and their families, enabling them to enjoy a bit of normality in their very complicated and upsetting lives, is definitely something that means a lot to me and the inspiration I need. They live in fear every day which puts my fear for a 10-minute wing walk into perspective.

“Every penny really does help and it’s great the support we have had so far with friends, family and colleagues but what we really need now to see the industry rallying to help us reach our £15,000 target. That’s just £100 from 151 companies/individuals – not too much to ask is it?!”

Anyone wanting to donate can do so by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gima-wing-walkers

To find out more about Greenfingers Charity please visit www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk. You can also join in the conversation by joining Greenfingers on social media - https://www.facebook.com/Greenfingerscharity/, @GreenfingersCha on Twitter, and @Greenfingerscharity on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Our planet is facing a plastic pollution crisis. Each year we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic waste – that’s nearly the same weight as the entire world population. Predictions show that unless something is done to reduce this, we will have created four times as much plastic waste by 20501.
 
It’s a well-known fact that much of this plastic waste ends up in our oceans, about eight million tonnes in fact – that’s enough to circle the earth 425 times. Each year this ‘ocean plastic’ is killing in excess of 100,000 marine creatures, and by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish calling the ocean its home2. However, there is help at hand. Initiatives such as the Ocean Recovery Project are helping to raise awareness and encourage UK consumers to take responsibility for local ocean clean-up operations. But what happens to the ocean plastic that is recovered? In the case of the DuraOcean® chair from LifestyleGarden®, it becomes a beautiful piece of outdoor furniture – the first of its kind in the UK
 
Representative of a significant period of research and development, the DuraOcean® chair showcases true product innovation. Made from recycled fishing nets, ropes and plastic waste, the DuraOcean® is setting the benchmark for sustainable material usage and design within the garden and outdoor leisure sector. No other supplier has brought to market such a commercially viable ‘ocean plastic’ product, nor have they made it so easy for eco-conscious consumers to bring such products into their homes and gardens.

Paul Cohen, Sales Director at LifestyleGarden®, said: “The DuraOcean® chair has been created to tackle a global issue – ocean plastic. As a company that is led by our motto ‘Doing Business the Right Way’, we feel we have a responsibility in ensuring our impact upon the world is as positive as it can be. Joining in the fight to eradicate plastic from our oceans - an issue that has been declared a worldwide crisis - feels like a natural and obvious choice. We hope that by bringing the DuraOcean® to UK consumers, that we can play our part in raising awareness of this issue, whilst also helping people to look at the impact they have upon the world.
 
“We do also recognise the positive commercial impact that the DuraOcean® can offer retailers. As consumers look for new designs, driven by a need for green credentials, the DuraOcean® will certainly hit the mark. The product has a thought-provoking backstory, a unique design, an attractive price point, and is created to last season after season, but even then, it doesn’t stop – all DuraOcean® chairs can be fully recycled at the end of their lifecycle once again minimising waste and its impact upon the world. We strongly believe that the DuraOcean® chair will drive sales throughout the 2020 season and beyond.”
 
The DuraOcean® however is just the start of LifestyleGarden®’s long-term goal regarding its material usage. From 2020 the company has pledged that all future innovative plastic models will be designed using only recycled material. Additionally, all its injected plastic chairs will be based on recycled plastic raw material.
 
Find out more
To find out more about the DuraOcean® chair and its accompanying Nassau range of FSC Eucalyptus tables, please contact LifestyleGarden® via www.lifestylegarden.com, or visit its dedicated trade showroom (by appointment only). The full range will also be making its official debut at the forthcoming SOLEX exhibition (9th – 11th July, NEC Birmingham).

The April 2019 issue of HTA Market Update, published this week, reports that nationally, garden centre sales recovered well from last March, which saw the UK hit with two large bouts of snow and quashed Mother’s Day sales.

This year, the first half of March the UK was met with spells of particularly wet and windy weather brought by storms Freya and Gareth, contributing to the wettest March since 1994. In contrast, the second half of March turned mild and settled, recording the tenth warmest March on record since they began in 1910.

HTA Director of Membership, Martin Simmons comments "It's very encouraging to see that the strong start to the gardening season in February has continued through in to March with garden centre sales up 37% year to date compared with 2018. In weather terms last year, snow impacted Mother's Day sales strongly, but this March couldn't have be more different. Whilst consumer confidence has dropped 6 points compared to last March due to continued concerns over the UK's economic situation, the garden industry is performing well as consumers retreat to the home. Encouraged by great weather, people still want to enjoy their gardens."

The report shows that comparing March 2019 vs March 2018 sales were up a significant 52%. The rolling year to March 2019 vs 2018 shows sales up by 13%. Calendar year to March 2019 vs 2018 sales are up by 37%.

The April edition of HTA Market Update is now available free for members to download from the HTA website, by logging in and then going to the Market Information pages at https://hta.org.uk/learn-develop/market-information.html This issue looks at garden centre sales, overall market performance and contains a section on trends and sustainability.

Wyevale Nurseries has announced that the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year for 2018 will feature in its 2020 retail catalogue.

The company potted a small trial batch of Hydrangea ‘Runaway Bride Snow White’ for 2019 and only has about 300 left for retailers but a large quantity will be available in 2020.

Colin Stanley, Retail Sales Manager at Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford, explained: “Hydrangea ‘Runaway Bride Snow White’ is one of the most floriferous and vigorous hydrangeas. It has masses of white lace cap flowers with a hint of pale pink and has six times more flowers than the average hydrangea.

“The confetti like flowers form in garlands along the full length of the stem at every leaf joint. It flowers from late spring/early summer well into autumn. The plants will be supplied in distinctly branded green pots featuring the name of the product with a bridal silhouette.

“Hydrangea ‘Runaway Bride Snow White’ is one of many new introductions featured in our 2020 catalogue, which will be launched at this year’s HTA National Plant Show in June. Retailers can pre order now for delivery in June 2020.”

GTN Xtra had the pleasure of visiting Notcutts Norwich last week.

As you'd expect with a Notcutts centre the planteria is particularly strong with great linked sales and plenty of recycled plastic pots in evidence that were selling very well.

We loved the colour themed room sets in garden furniture and the star of the show we thought was the excellent houseplant area.  Norwich is the best performing for houseplant sales in the Notcutts group and we believe it is in the Top 10 of all garden centres in the UK.

Enjoy our photo tour of the centre below.

As GTN Xtra went to press we could only find evidence of two UK garden centres making the "most" of World Naked Gardening Day which was Saturday 4th May.  Neil and Nicci Gow braved the cold Bank Holiday wind at Fresh@Burcot and the dinosaur plant tunnels provided the perfect location for a World Naked Gardening Facebook post for Brookfields Andy.

Neil Gow said: "As it is a bit nippy in the nursery area, while we are full of bedding plants and many wonderful shrubs and trees from local growers and specialist nurseries across the UK, as good horticulturists, we offer words of caution to customers buying bedding plants this early in the season of the risks of cold weather, so Nicci is keen to ‘fleece up’!

"Perhaps it is our responsible attitude to plant sales that sees out plant sales year to date to the end of April 49% up on last year and more importantly 12% up on our 5 year average and the overall business romping away at just shy of 25% up on last year and more than 9% ahead of our 5 year average."

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LeisureGrow Products has strengthened its management team with the appointment of John Pullen as Head of Pet to oversee its Petface brand.

With more than 20 years’ experience in the pet products industry, and with experience spanning retail category management and product innovation across pet foods, treats, and accessories, John will be well-known to many customers already.

John joins LeisureGrow from his latest role at Kennelpak. He was previously Purchasing Director at Jollyes Petfoods Superstore for seven years.  

Jody Grimmer, Managing Director for LeisureGrow Products, said: “We’ve built a strong basis for Petface with great stock availability and reliable delivery, and we’re looking forward to working with John to take Petface to the next level. 

"We have some exciting new developments coming up in the next 12 months and we’re confident John will be the right person to tackle the challenges of the industry and help Petface realise its potential.”

John Pullen said: “I’m excited about this new challenge. I’ve been a client and a supplier so I’ve had experience of both sides of the pet retail space and I know just what it takes to create a successful brand that delivers on its promises to customers and consumers.”

As the GIMA Awards gets set to celebrate its 39^th  anniversary in 2019 (July 4^th, Celtic Manor), this year’s judging panel has been confirmed.

Featuring buyers from both leading independent and multiple garden centres, DIY giants, and members of the trade and consumer media, this year’s panel brings with it a wealth of experience that will no doubt help them to pick the best that GIMA members have to offer.

Meet the 2019 GIMA judges

Andy Smith, Head of Buying, Klondyke Group

During his 30 plus years experience in the horticulture and retail sector, Andy has worked with the likes of Wyevale and Dobbies. In his current role at the Klondyke Group, Andy is responsible for all areas of buying.   

Tammy Woodhouse, Managing Director, Millbrook Garden Company

As a passionate advocate for the industry Tammy sits on the GCA executive board and is chairing the organising committee for the International Garden Centre congress (September 2019, Windsor).   

Christopher Ray, Outdoor Category Manager, B&Q

Christopher Ray leads the team driving the structures, landscaping and leisure businesses at B&Q, helping to grow the company’s sales and market share. A truly commercially focused leader, Christopher has landed a significant number of strategic reviews at B&Q as well as engaging the wider colleague community to support outdoor home improvement.

Adrienne Wild, Gardening Editor & Columnist, Sunday People and Woman's Weekly

An experienced and award-winning garden writer and past editor of some of Britain’s favourite gardening magazines and currently gardening editor of the Sunday People and Woman's Weekly, Adrienne has for over 40 years, inspired gardeners with a breadth of gardening know-how plus creative and decorative ideas.

Sharon McNair, Commercial Director, Tong Garden Centre

Boasting an enviable breadth of retail knowledge in leisure, gardening, catering and seasonal ranges, gained over 30 years working in the garden retail sector, Sharon leads the retail team at the independently-owned and ambitious Tong Garden Centre.

Lucy Hall, Editor, BBC Gardeners World Magazine

Lucy has been editor of BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine since 2012, overseeing its transformation from a print title to a multi-format brand with one of the biggest subscriber audiences in UK publishing.

Neil Pope, Editor, Garden Trade News

Neil has been a journalist all his working life, having edited many national consumer magazines, including Garden News. He moved into trade publishing to become editor of Pet Product Marketing before taking over the reins at GTN.

Additionally, the team will be joined by Blue Diamond’s Head of Product Development, Stuart Whalley, and Mary Bunting, QVC’s Home and Seasonal Buyer.

Vicky Nuttall, GIMA Director, said: “My sincerest thanks to all our judges for agreeing to join our 2019 GIMA Awards judging panel. Together they have an enviable portfolio of experience and knowledge, and I’ve no doubt that they’ll utilise this to select some truly deserving winners. I’m excited to find out which brands and products catch their eye during our judging day on June 19^th.”

Entry to the 2019 GIMA awards now open

Recognising excellence and innovation the GIMA Awards have grown into the largest industry gathering, welcoming both retailers and suppliers from the UK garden retail sector.

Previous winners have included Gardena, Fallen Fruits, Neudorff, Willow Wand, Primeur, Burgon & Ball, Deco-Pak, Smart Garden Products, Apta, Vitax and Evergreen Garden Care (previously The Scotts Miracle Gro Company) Each company has benefitted from the wealth of exposure that comes from being named a GIMA Award winner, including gaining access to a panel of influential industry judges, recognition in front of hundreds of industry peers, and coverage within both key trade and consumer media.

With 14 categories up for grabs, there is plenty of opportunity for manufacturers and suppliers from across the sector to showcase the best they have to offer. If you have a product or service that you think deserves industry recognition, then entry to the awards couldn’t be simpler.

To enter visit http://gima.org.uk/gima-awards/ (closing date for entries is Friday 17^th May).  The same web page can also be used to book your place at the 2019 awards ceremony.

Sales of the Top 50 Bestselling Garden Products show continued April decline, according to EPOS data supplied for GTN Bestsellers.

We’d have thought the better weather this year would show some growth but April 2019 ends down 9% for Garden Products.

Highlights were:

• Ivyline Pot covers sold well in the second week of the Easter Fortnight.
• Hozelock’s Double Male Connector is the highest chart re-entry.

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

April Growing Media sales almost bounced back to the record levels of 2017 as a result of the better weather.

GTN Top 50 volumes were up 5% on April 2018, and on a year to date basis Growing Media sits at 20.5% up on last year and 3.7% up on 2017.

Highlights were:

• Westland Multi Purpose Compost, 70 litres, is the GTN Chart highest climber, up 15 places to No 35.
• Evergreen Garden Care Levington Multipurpose + John Innes, 56 litres, stays at No 1.
• Westland John Innes Ericaceous, 35 litres, is the highest re-entry at No 36.

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

Wild Bird Care sales perked up in the last two weeks of April as a result of Easter’s increased footfall and that meant the month ends 6% up on last year but still 21% down on 2017.

Highlights were:

• Gardman Peanuts 1kg were the highest re-entry.
• Gardman Mealworm Pouch 400g moved up the chart 21 places to No 23.
• Jacobi Jayne Goldfinch Taster re-entered at No 48.

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

As with All Plant Sales, Veg-2-Gro sales had a bumper performance in April, up 64% on last year and 9% up on 2017.

• Quantil Cucumber F1 8cm knocks Tomato Gardeners Delight off the No 1 spot.
• Quantil Cucumber Mini 8cm moves up nine places to No 6.

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

Following the Ball Colegrave Summer Showcase of 2018 and the positive comments from the visiting multiple retail customers of Florna Plants, it was agreed to produce the concept as a summer collection of three distinct Colour Trends: Hit Refresh, Bridal Bouquet & Bollywood.

Following the success of a 100% sell out and even a customer ‘reserve list’, Florna again in conjunction with Ball Colegrave, has launched the Autumn ‘19 Colour Trends® collection.

Florna has followed closely the original recipes, kept true to the concepts and timings, backed up by great point of sale the first trend product has been eagerly received in many leading garden centres.

“In my experience Florna has produced a fantastic quality premium product that is by far the best colour themed concept on the market. We look forward to seeing the full range of themes rolled out at Klondyke garden centres throughout the year,” says Andy Smith, head of purchasing at Klondyke Strikes.

Working with partners Elburg Smit on key branding. Florna has gone as far as trade marking the concept to protect the purity of the line.

Garden centre sales manager, Gareth Powell, says: "Careful consideration to detail in the planning across Colour Trends has led to this success along with a skilful team at Florna all working to tight deadlines."

Kara Kennedy has joined the Tildenet team as National Key Account Manager working across all their Gardenware brands.

With over a decade of senior sales experience in the sector Kara will be taking responsibility for key account management and developing the brands alongside National Account Director, Glynn Davis.

Kara Kennedy said: "I'm delighted to be joining the team at an exciting time for the business. Working with such a dynamic range of brands and the huge potential that Tildenet's independent manufacturing capabilities offer gives me a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the ongoing growth of Tildenet Gardenware."

 
Glynn Davis, Tildenet Gardenware National Account Director added: “We're having another fantastic year at Tildenet and are delighted to have Kara on board to help maintain Tildenet as the Home of Quality Brands and develop the many exciting plans we have for 2020 and beyond."

UK independent parcel carrier Yodel successfully delivered a record number of flowers on Valentine’s Day and the Mothering Sunday weekend, with deliveries up 11.4% from last year on average across the two events.

More than 120,000 bouquets were delivered on 14 February, but Mother’s Day remains the most popular event for flower giving with 395,000 bouquets delivered over the weekend. Customer satisfaction with Mother’s Day deliveries also increased by 6% compared to 2018.

This year might have seen record volumes of flower deliveries for Yodel, but the network also saw some touching ways that drivers went the extra mile to make recipients feel special. Yodel driver Mike Bunting from the Leamington Spa customer delivery depot made an extra 150-mile round trip on his own time from Oxford to Leicester to make sure a customer’s mother got her flowers on Mother’s Day after the wrong address was accidentally entered at the point of order. 

Meanwhile, Christian Ridal, from Yodel’s Health, Safety, Environment and Quality team, got involved in the client side of the operation at Arena Flowers on the Friday and then made Mother’s Day a special family affair by bringing his 85-year-old, flower-loving mum, Joan, to lend a helping hand at Yodel’s Leeds depot on the Sunday.

“It’s the second year that Mum has joined me. Seeing people’s faces light up when we delivered their bouquets was fantastic and she loved getting out on the road,” Christian commented. 

Based on the number of deliveries, mums on the south coast appear to be the most “loved” in the UK with the highest number of flowers being distributed from Southampton on Mother’s Day.

Yodel has specialist sort facilities for flowers and other delicate items, such as wine, and delivers on behalf of major floral retailers including Serenata Flowers, Arena Flowers and Euroflorist.

John Hackett, managing director at Arena Flowers, commented: "Mother’s Day is a challenging day for delivery drivers so we’re hugely grateful for Yodel’s support in helping us have such a successful year. Despite it being our biggest ever week we achieved some remarkable results. This would not have been possible without the outstanding performance from Yodel’s team on the ground.”

Paul Isaia, UK regional director at eFlorist, part of the Euroflorist group, added: "Yodel made a real difference for us this Mother's Day with a record amount of deliveries made during Mother's Day. The team at Yodel were extremely proactive and our delivery success rate % was the highest it has ever been. Yodel really helped us exceed our goals this year."

Andrew Peeler, CEO of Yodel, concluded: “Thanks to our specialist handling capabilities, we have seen a significant rise in the number of flowers, bouquets and plants that we deliver. The growth reflects the consumer trend for ordering bouquets and plants online and our tracking tools and proactive delivery confirmation provide senders with peace of mind about the delivery of their gift.

“Every delivery matters to us, but flowers often have a special sentimental significance which means it is even more important that we get the deliveries right on the first attempt.  Colleagues across the business play a role in planning for key dates and ensuring that the items are handled correctly and delivered on time, but it is down to our drivers to delight recipients on the doorstep and we have had some great feedback this year.”

For more information about Arena Flowers visit www.ArenaFlowers.com and for Euroflorist visit www.euroflorist.com

SGS has been authorised by the DesignLights Consortium as an approved Safety Certification body for the testing and certification of LED-based horticultural lighting.

The DLC, a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the widespread adoption of high-performing commercial lighting solutions, promotes high-quality, energy-efficient lighting products in collaboration with utilities and energy efficiency program members, manufacturers, lighting designers, and federal, state, and local entities.

John Ciliege, SGS’s Global Head of NRTL said: “DLC is working hard to demonstrate that well-designed lighting products for the indoor agricultural markets have huge potential to save energy while optimizing plant growth and health. 

“With many growers and producers generating power densities equal to data centers or heavy manufacturing, we recognize the significant potential within the industry to reap the energy-reduction rewards of LED lighting and we are delighted to work in association with DLC to help luminaires access new and sustainable markets.”

SGS will undertake LED horticultural lighting tests and certifications against UL8800 from its photometric laboratories in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong and Taiwan. UL8800 represents the first set of standardized requirements specifically designed for horticultural lighting equipment and aims to address the unique safety issues applicable to horticultural luminaires, lighting components and grow systems.

DLC’s Testing and Reporting Requirements for LED-based Horticultural Lighting enable reliable and efficient horticultural products to be qualified on a new DLC Horticultural Lighting Qualified Products List (QPL). Horticultural lighting products using LEDs must comply with the provisions of this document to be eligible for listing on the DLC Solid-State Horticultural Lighting Qualified Products List (“Horticultural QPL”, "Hort QPL").

SGS’s expertise in photometrics spans the full range of industry requirements, from safety and electromagnetic compatibility to identifying hazardous substances and product performance. It offers testing and certification services to give luminaires full market access to global supply chains. From today, SGS is listed as an approved Safety Certification body on the DLC website. 

There’s a new way to tackle weeding this summer, with the launch of the new Super Slice from Burgon & Ball. Super Slice is superb at weeding in contemporary garden finishes, and is also ideal for speedy weeding of larger areas.

Hand forged in Sheffield, Super Slice is a highly effective weeder with an extra-wide head for rapid weeding. It extends the effectiveness of the best-selling Weed Slice, effectively tackling weeds in additional areas of the garden and even the allotment.

The arrow-shaped head is an impressive 23.5cm in width, and makes short work of weeding in larger areas. Skimming just below the surface, the high carbon steel head slices through weeds with minimum soil disturbance, cutting on the push and the pull stroke to get weeding done in half the time. It’s ideal for tackling larger weeding tasks, such as veg beds or even allotments.

It is also particularly effective at weeding in the contemporary surfaces used in today’s gardens, such as aggregates, which can prove a challenge for some other weeding tools. With these finishes increasingly featured in gardens as part of the trend for outdoor living, Super Slice is set to offer the weeding solution gardeners have been looking for.

Super Slice has been designed to retail for £29.99. A compact stand with eye-catching integral POS is available, created to complement the stand of the top-selling Weed Slice, for a complete weeding solution in beds, borders and decorative aggregates.

Wyevale Garden Centres has confirmed that Raglan Garden Centre has been sold to Coldbrook Ventures Ltd, who will continue to operate it as a garden centre.

Anthony Jones, Chief Operator Officer of WGC said: “We are pleased to have agreed the sale of Raglan Garden Centre to Coldbrook Ventures Ltd. Having previously owned Raglan garden centre, we wish Martin and his family all the best for their return to a centre they know so well. I would like to say special thanks to our great colleagues who I am sure will have a bright future under new ownership.”

Martin Davies, Managing Director of Coldbrook Ventures Ltd. the purchaser of Raglan (Garden Centre), said: "My wife and I view this purchase as a great opportunity to return to an industry, and a centre, that we both love and are looking forward to bringing our son, Alex, on board to eventually take the reins in the coming years. This is an exciting time for our family and an opportunity for old and new colleagues to share in our vision and family values. After a four year break it’s going to be a pleasurable and no doubt challenging journey, and we can’t wait to get stuck in."

Having bought back the business he sold to Wyevale Garden Centres four years ago, Martin Davies was holding a ‘Getting to re-know you’ session at Raglan Garden Centre when GTN Xtra spoke to him on Friday as he contemplated the transition from corporate branch to family business.

“There are quite a few new faces,” he said. “as there aren’t very many of the old staff left, so my priority is to get to know them better before deciding what changes we might make.”

For now, he said, very little needs to change except the restaurant. “This will absolutely be the number one job, to return it to everything being home-made on the premises, which is not the Wyevale way. Once we have done that, everything else will follow. It is really key.”

With fond memories of the business he and his wife Jean had built together, Martin (pictured right while chair of the GCA in 2008) confirmed his company, Coldbrook Ventures Ltd, had joined the bidding process when Wyevale Garden Centres put its centres up for sale last year. “I remember there being a little tearful farewell when we left,” he recalls, “so I am delighted to be back.”

In the intervening four years, Martin and Jean have run a commercial investment business, focusing on high street retail, and spent time extending their home.

A bonus following the re-acquisition is the opportunity to introduce their son Alex, who gave up his career in corporate finance last year, to the business with a view to taking the reins in the long-term.

Martin has not ruled out re-applying for membership of the Garden Centre Association.

In the meantime, he says, he can’t wait to get stuck in.

Following the successful launch of GARDENA’s ambassador store programme in 2017 across six garden centres more are set to join the programme in 2019 and 2020.

GARDENA is aiming to support garden centres across the UK and Ireland and delight shoppers with a unique shop-in-shop experience and provide education on the benefits of GARDENA products.

With over 50 years’ experience in the gardening industry, GARDENA is a prominent name across the pond with our European cousins.

Why become an ambassador store?

Those who are considering becoming an ambassador store will benefit from a full GARDENA concept for shoppers with vibrant, interactive, engaging displays.

GARDENA will also invest in staff training so they can get to know the brand and its range of innovative products inside out.

Additional digital, social media and marketing support to help raise the garden centre’s profile among GARDENA customers.

Not only that, but GARDENA promises to provide inspirational, bespoke and informative POS solutions and additional marketing assets.

Ambassador stores will also have the option to have a working robotic stand set up in their store to demonstrate the features and benefits of using a GARDENA SILENO robotic lawnmower.

With existing Ambassador stores reporting a 53% sales increase within just one year, the Ambassador store program is a proven to attract custom.

Current ambassador stores span across England, Scotland and Ireland.

Who are GARDENA?

Established in 1961 in Ulm, Germany GARDENA has been at the forefront of gardening innovation for nearly 60 years. Specialising in a range of gardening products from water and irrigation solutions, to tree and shrub care, lawnmowers and much more.

Selling products in more than 80 countries, GARDENA has established a reputation of quality and excellence due to the high quality of materials, exceptional warrantees and innovations to help the passionate gardener realise their gardening dreams.

To find out more about GARDENA and their ambassador store program, email Michael.holden@husqvarnagroup.com or gary.fisher@husqvarnagroup.com .

For more information about GARDENA products head to www.gardena.com/uk or follow @gardenauk on Instagram.

Billed as "Farnhams Favourite Garden Centre", Forest Lodge has loads of competitors around them so it’s no surprise they are giving themselves an edge by stocking wide ranges of products - really deep gardening ranges and plants with the extra dimension of Garden Style plants where large specimens can be bought by gardeners and landscapers alike.

In garden furniture Forest Lodge report good early sales, particularly the small corner weave sets and the metal framed lower couch style furniture from Life “it’s appealing to the younger audience looking for some style on their patio”

The extended Forest Lodge restaurant has a wonderful conservatory feel overlooking the extensive Planteria. With friendly staff and a great menu no wonder this is a favourite destination for many.

See GTN Xtra's Photo Tour, taken at the start of April 2019.

What would you expect from a Hillier centre? Authoritative ranges of products and plants, crisp merchandising, and expert staff. That’s exactly the delivery at Botley plus there’s the Rosemary and Thyme restaurant concept that is now being rolled out across the Hiller estate of centres. This classy, counter ordered but table served concept will be a huge benefit when the Wyevale centres just purchased get an upgrade from their current Garden Kitchens.

Out in the Planteria the customer care extends to trees where the team retain the use of their Christmas tree netting equipment to net all trees purchased to help customers get their valuable trees home safely.

In garden care they were selling plenty of grow houses with displays that included the Veg Trug wooden version at £99. At Botley they were still to sell one of the Veg Trug versions when we visited at the start of April - it’s a spot on Hillier customer product but time will tell to see if people want a more expensive wooden framed grow house.

See GTN Xtra's Photo Tour taken at the start of April 2019

Having completed the purchase of their second garden centre at Hilgay on the A10 near Downham Market the Baytree family team held their Grand Opening Event this weekend.

Baytree MD, Jutta Whitworth Biehler, told GTN Xtra: "I’ve never spent so much time cleaning as we have over the past six weeks. Getting a five star inspection this week was a brilliant result for everyone’s hard efforts."

The garden centre and farm shop has been fully stocked with all the immediately useable retail space spruced up and Baytree merchandised. Sales have been growing every week and early furniture an BBQ’s are above expectations.

The 260 seat Oak framed Barn table service restaurant is a wonderful asset - it’s fully booked every Sunday- that will enable Baytree to pull good footfall and develop increase product and plant sales.

The car park has already been resurfaced and extended, a new Entrance is being constructed off site to add some theatre at the front door. With other buildings that can be used for retail along with a coppice and grass paddock on the 10 acre site Hilgay could quickly become another destination venue for the Baytree team.

See GTN Xtra's photo tour of the centre taken on Friday afternoon as the team completed their set up work for the Grand Opening Weekend.

Alan Roper welcomed staff and suppliers to an evening event on Monday 15th April at Bicester Avenue Garden Centre to celebrate the completion of the refurbishment from a Wyevale Garden Centre that they bought last summer to a Blue Diamond Centre that is ready and raring for Easter 2019.

"Welcome to Bicester. The new Bicester. The best manifestation of Bicester in its history since it was built, I think you'll agree. We've been refurbishing many of the ex-Wyevales:  Cadbury has been going through some refurbishment, Nailsworth, my old centre has been completely finished and Endsleigh in Devon is being done currently.  It's about to start at Weybridge with a new restaurant and at Melbicks. We're working on all the ex Wyevales to get them to a standard."

See GTN Xtra's photo tour of the refurbished centre below

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 2016 as well as 2017 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 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 Garden Plants Bestsellers chart for this week are here

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

Highlights of the GTN Wild Bird Care chart for this week are here

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro 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.

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 £120m.

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.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call 01733 775700.

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

With just over one month to go until Commercial Kitchen 2019 – the UK’s only dedicated kitchen equipment, services and design show – the cream of the industry is gearing up for what looks set to be the show’s biggest and best edition yet.

Reflecting its strong industry backing, the 2019 event, which takes place on 4-5 June at the NEC Birmingham, boasts 12 association partners, with many of them also set to host dedicated Keynote sessions.  

Among the associations leading panel discussions at the 2019 show are ceda (the show’s lead partner); The Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) (partner); Hospital Catering Association (HCA); National Association of Care Catering (NACC); UKHospitality; The Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association (PAPA); The British Sandwich & Food to Go Association/Café Life Association; and Soil Association Green Kitchen Standard.  Other association supporters include Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA); and British Institute of Innkeeping (BII).

Commenting on the outstanding industry endorsement the show has inspired this year, event manager Katie Tyler says: “Our association partners represent tens of thousands of professionals working across the hospitality and foodservice industry.  We’re delighted that they have shown so much support for the event and we look forward to welcoming their members and partners to Commercial Kitchen for two days of unrivalled product launches, innovation, free education and networking.” 

Highlights from the show’s programme of exclusive association-led panel sessions include:

The Sustainable Kitchen Panel (hosted by Soil Association)

Clare Clark, development manager of Soil Association, will chair this important and timely panel, which will feature a leading group of major operators sharing their commitment to making their kitchens even more sustainable and revealing best practice when it comes to efficiency and greener kitchens.  Panelists include James Taylor, head of overheads purchasing at The Restaurant Group; Oliver Rosevear, head of environment at Costa Coffee; and Martyn Clover, head of food at Tortilla – the UK’s largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain.

Kitchens that care (hosted by HCA)

In this session Craig Smith, chair of HCA and head of corporate affairs at ISS Facility Services, Nick Dutton, Northern deputy chair of NACC, Andy Jones, chair of PS100, and Nicola Strawther, chief dietetic technician at Nottingham University Hospitals will form a panel chaired by Phil Shelley, immediate past chair of HCA, toaddress some of the key challenges facing healthcare catering providers in 2019.  The debate will share what is required to understand growing expectations from the public, including allergen awareness and the new IDDSI regulation.

“Expanding the knowledge of healthcare caterers is essential if we are to broaden our experiences and provide exemplar services.  As the only UK show solely dedicated to catering equipment and services, I strongly encourage all our members to attend this not to be missed event,” says Mr Shelley.

Italian Restaurant Kitchen Panel (hosted by PAPA)

What does it take to turn a good kitchen into the perfect pizza and Italian restaurant kitchen?  Clare Benfield, editor of Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food magazine, and Paul Lewis, head of food of Prezzo and other leading operators, will be sharing their thoughts on the absolute must haves, in terms of equipment and design, to deliver a show stopping offer for customers.

Innovative Kitchens for Cafes & Coffee Shops (hosted by BSA and Café Life Association)

This panel, chaired by Jim Winship, director of BSA and Café Life Association, will bring together representatives from leading cafe and coffee shop operators including Frank Boltman, director of  Trade; Arnaud Kaziewicz, director of food & beverage at EAT.; and Brett Parker, head of property at GAIL’s Bakery.  They’ll discuss the considerations and best practices when it comes to running innovative, efficient and ergonomic kitchens while using essential equipment in smaller spaces like cafes and coffee shops.

Hospitality Leaders On Their Kitchens (hosted by UKHospitality)

For this major session, Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, will be joined by three industry leaders from across the hospitality sector to discuss the positive impact businesses that revolve around kitchens have on our country and economy.  They will reveal their thoughts on investing in kit and kitchens in testing times, as well as their approach to attracting and keeping talent.

“The kitchen is at the heart of many vibrant and exciting hospitality businesses and venues across the UK.  We are delighted to support Commercial Kitchen and are looking forward to a great event,” says Ms Nicholls.

The Consultant Panel: Focus on the Future (hosted by FCSI)

Improving industry collaboration, attracting young people into foodservice and raising standards – are just some of the topics that will be covered in this future-focused session.  This exclusive panel led by Michael Jones, editorial director of FCSI’s Foodservice Consultant Magazine, will bring together professional FCSI members to debate what the industry must do in the face of the headwinds of political and economic uncertainty.

Panelists include Remko Van Der Graaf, chair for FCSI Europe, Africa, Middle East (EAME); Matthew Merritt-Harrison, chair for FCSI UK & Ireland and managing partner of Merritt-Harrison Catering Consultancy; Naomi Duncan, Director, Phoenix Consultancy Services; Liz Rose, FCSI, principal consultant at A&E Catering Design; and Lugano Kapembwa, managing director of LuKap Consulting Ltd and senior associate of FCSI.

"The FCSI consultant panel sessions we have hosted at Commercial Kitchen in the past have always been fascinating and insightful and this year’s will be no different.  I’m excited to be chairing a session with a panel experts who represent the broad and diverse membership of both FCSI UK & Ireland and FCSI Europe, Africa, Middle East (EAME) as we get our teeth into topics that have far-reaching consequences for the whole sector,” says Mr Jones.

Big Questions for Kitchen Houses (dedicated ceda session)

In this exclusive session, Catering Insight’s editor Clare Nicholls will talk to representatives from major kitchen project houses including Ian Bidmead, managing director of Space Group UK, Mark Drazen, managing director of Caterware, Anna McNamara CFSP, managing director of Catering Equipment Solutions, and Jack Sharkey, managing director of Vision Commercial Kitchens, about the direction of the UK catering equipment market.  They’ll reveal the kitchen designs and equipment that operators are demanding, and discuss the challenges of margin erosion, internet competition and how the Brexit process is impacting the sector. 

Maintenance, Service & Repair 2019 (dedicated ceda session)

Clare Nicholls, editor of Catering Insight, will chair a panel of leading service professionals to discuss the importance of customer relationships, and find out how they embrace technology and the foodservice industry demand for maintenance.  Panelists include Kirstin Hatherley, director of Hatherley Commercial Services; Derek Maher, managing director of Crystaltech Services UK; and Peter Baulch, service director of C&C Catering Engineers.

Award Winning Kitchen Design (dedicated ceda session)

ceda’s Award Winning Kitchen Design panel, also led by Ms Nicholls, unites this year’s ceda Grand Prix Award winners to discuss their cutting-edge commercial kitchen design and execution.  The panelists include representatives from Best Design Project Under 100k winners CNG Foodservice Equipment (for Lucio’s, Peterlee, County Durham); Best Design Project 100k to 300k winners CHR Food Service Equipment (for Mana Restaurant); and Best Design Project over 300k winners TAG Catering Equipment UK (for 5* hotel, Park Lane, London).

New to the 2019 show, ceda will also be offering an advice clinic at their stand (B41), giving visitors the opportunity to speak directly to an expert to get kitchen design insights.  As in previous years, visitors will also be able to view (and be inspired by) all the shortlisted entries from the 2019 awards in the ceda Awards Gallery (located near the show’s entrance).  

“Commercial Kitchen is a ‘must attend’ event in the diary for all ceda members and buyers. It offers great networking opportunities and I’m proud to be a panellist in the maintenance discussions this year,” says Derek Maher, managing director of Crystaltech and chairman of ceda.

For full details and timings, please visit www.commercialkitchenshow.co.uk/keynote-seminar-programme.