In This Issue
Pughs cancel their award winning Christmas Grotto for 2020
Face masks from Global Journey are a garden centre bestseller
How garden centres can adapt to a sustainable and successful long-term online strategy
Riding High into the Summer Holidays
Dobbies and Sainsbury’s launch grocery partnership
First UK visitors to Kaemingk showroom after lockdown
Million Bells are No 1 for the first time
No financial support for English plant growers
Woodlodge acquires Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry
PATS Telford is added to the list of Autumn trade show cancellations
Growing media sales up by 69%
New serious-but-stylish additions to the Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball range
Find out more about the UK’s first truly sustainable firewood brand, Kindwood
Honeyfield’s and RSPB are going on the road
Bosch and Gardena establish battery alliance
Sipcam Home & Garden becomes the exclusive distributor of Blumen International’s leading product portfolio in the UK and Republic of Ireland
Seeds of change in Wild Bird Care
Merchandiser/ Area representative
Plant Area Manager, Goonhavern Garden Centre, Cornwall.
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Two thirds of Garden Products sales gap made up
“We’re on your side” - Premium Christmas Trees vows to make it easier for retailers to drive sales of Christmas Trees this festive season
HTA launches ‘Keep Britain Growing’ Campaign
GIC and Haith Group bag new orders from Kelkay
PetQuip Awards will recognise industry’s outstanding achievements in an innovative format for 2020
The best of last week's
New Investors and re-structure at Fountasia
Face covers are bestsellers in advance of becoming compulsory
Lockdown gap for plant sales won’t be made up
GIMA holds virtual AGM and elects Simon McArdle of Westland Horticulture as President
Amazing recovery continues
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
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Pughs cancel their award winning Christmas Grotto for 2020

Pughs Radyr 141217_GTN087.jpg

Pughs Garden Centres in South Wales have announced that they will not be running their award winning Christmas Grotto Experience in 2020 and the announcement has been met with hundreds of supportive posts on social media...


Pughs Radyr 141217_GTN087.jpg

Pughs Garden Centres in South Wales have announced that they will not be running their award winning Christmas Grotto Experience in 2020 and the announcement has been met with hundreds of supportive posts on social media.

 

Roger Crookes, a member of the senior management team at Pughs told GTN Xtra: "We've been talking through how we would run the grotto ever since March and we eventually decided that even if there was no second peak in October we wouldn't be able to do something on the hoof that was up to our usual standards, so it was better to make the hard decision to protect our reputation and announce the cancellation.

 

"The response on social media has been overwhelmingly good and supportive with many pledging allegiance to Pughs for the future and welcoming the decision.

 

"We don't want to offer anything less than we have in the past.  By end of February we had a plan for the grotto and then since the middle of March we have been weighing up all the options; Santa is not a young man, expectations of people having been before along with some measure of risk just didn't add up.  Christmas grottos are such an emotive thing, people get easily upset if its not what expected.

 

"Having made the big decision its been good to see many other ideas to keep Christmas magical start to take shape.  We're convinced we can maintain the commercial affection of our local customers through Christmas into next year."

 

Here's the statement from the Pughs website:

 

Statement Regarding 2020 Christmas Experience


The past few months have been tough for everyone and here at Pugh’s we have tried to keep an enjoyable shopping experience as well as hopefully providing much needed essentials such as food, plants and gardening products to keep people going throughout lock-down at home.

 

Being a seasonal business we plan everything 6 months in advance and usually by now we would be building our Christmas Santa Experience ready for November, so please forgive us for what is deemed by many as a very early post; however, we get regular messages asking when tickets are due to go on sale. We have had many discussions between us and we feel that we have had to make a tough decision on the Christmas Santa Experience in both of our garden centres for this year. It is with a heavy heart that we feel that it would be irresponsible for us to run our experience given the current pandemic situation. This is due to so many unknowns over the next few months and because of the sheer volumes of people that visit us over a short period of time and the way the experience is run in close groups. We feel that offering something small just for the sake of it would firstly not do justice to the experience that we have worked so hard to build upon and secondly not fulfil the demand for the number of people who would want to visit us, so this year we have decided to take a break for everyone’s safety.

 

We put our all into Christmas at Pugh’s and generations of families have visited us year upon year so, within the guidelines, we will endeavour to ensure the most magical shopping experience and focus on creating beautiful displays as always, as well as VIP shopping experiences, sumptuous Christmas goodies in the Food Hall, late night shopping and of course taking our Christmas Tree shopping experience to a whole new wonderful and magical level.

 

We truly believe that even though the Santa Experience will not be running this year, we can still create a Christmas to remember in so many others ways. We want to thank you again for supporting us through what has been such an unprecedented period of time in all of our lives. Pugh’s will remain at the forefront of creating magical memories for many years to come in one way or another and will strive to round off 2020 with the best Christmas yet.

 

We really hope you understand our decision as it was very difficult to know what to do for the best and this was a really tough call to make.

 

Many Thanks,


The Pugh Family

 

See GTN Xtra's gallery of pictures from the Pughs Radyr grotto in 2017, a Gold Award winner in GTN's Greatest Christmas Team Awards.

Face masks from Global Journey are a garden centre bestseller
GTN Promotion

There was good news for the range of Global Journey Face Masks last week. The aggregated sales of their face mask range make them the No 1 selling face masks in garden centres according to GTN Bestsellers...


There was good news for the range of Global Journey Face Masks last week. The aggregated sales of their face mask range make them the No 1 selling face masks in garden centres according to GTN Bestsellers.

Compared to sales volumes in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart they would be at No 3, sitting between Tomorite 1 litre + 30% free and Tomorite 1 litre!

 

Since the launch of the Global Journey Face Masks earlier this month, sales in the garden centres have been astounding, with some customers reporting sales of £400 - £800 per day.

 

Claire Jenner at Frosts Garden Centres said: "Great sales on the face masks last week. You went in as our No.2 supplier on clothing last week at £1.6k. We are now chasing our tail on replenishing.  How soon could you get a stand and stock to our Brampton store? We didn’t include them in the original offer, but with the sales so strong it seems daft they haven’t got it."

 

Customer feedback is mainly focused on the great quality, superb designs, and great retail price of £3.99. There are 48 designs, 24 adult and 24 kids (48 x 6 @ £1.70) displayed on a slimline stand measuring only 46cm width.

 

They are breathable baby soft polyester, with an Anti-Microbial finish. They are shaped to hug, washable and re-usable. They have been so successful, that new designs are already being worked on in time for Autumn / Winter.

 

To order or for more information simply call 0161 8720333 or email isamuels@global-journey.com

 




 
How garden centres can adapt to a sustainable and successful long-term online strategy

 

Glee are hosting a webinar today, Thursday 23rd July, about how garden centres can adapt to a sustainable and successful long-term online strategy...


Glee are hosting a webinar today, Thursday 23rd July, about how garden centres can adapt to a sustainable and successful long-term online strategy.

 

Coronavirus has changed the way we do business. We’ve shifted from face-to-face interactions with customers to phone calls, emails, and social media. You may have started to adapt your business online as well, but what do you need to know to do this successfully and profitably?

 

Now that you’ve started your journey online, SocialB are here to help you identify and capitalise on the long-term benefits of using online channels for your business and help you to create a successful ecommerce strategy for your garden centre.

In this session, we will share our tips on how to plan for success and use the right tools and platforms to reach your customers. We will also help you understand what your customers are looking for and how you can make your products and services available to your customers online.

 

The Webinar is hosted by Suzanne Ellingham, Head of Content, Retail and Fashion @ Hyve Group and the Guest Speaker is Lynsey Sweales, CEO, SocialB

 

Register for the webinar using this link.

Riding High into the Summer Holidays

Garden Centre sales are riding high as we run into the summer holiday period.  Total sales volumes in July are exceeding those we’d normally expect to see in June as people continue to make the most of the garden spaces...


Garden Centre sales are riding high as we run into the summer holiday period.  Total sales volumes in July are exceeding those we’d normally expect to see in June as people continue to make the most of the garden spaces. 

 

Growing activity has been especially strong with growing media sales volumes actually increasing week on week to be almost 70% higher than the same week last year.  And that’s despite all the issues suppliers are having to deal with in getting products out to garden centres.

 

 If we apply the average year on year increase since re-opening, up 21.8%, to the rest of the year we see a potential year-end sales position of 6% down vs 2019.  Will the holiday period put a dent in that?  How big will Autumn gardening be?  How will you be maximising Christmas sales?  Have you come up with a solution for your Christmas Grotto or will you be canceling your grotto experience for 2020?  trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk

 

GTN Bestsellers Top 50 sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 28

•           Garden Products Top 50 – up 22%

•           Growing Media Top 50 – up 69%

•           Wild Bird Care Top 50 – down 1%

•           Veg 2 Gro Top 50 – up 210%

 

GTN Bestsellers All Sales volumes compared to the same week last year: week 28

•           All Plants with Barcode index – up 27%

•           All Items with Barcode index – up 23%

See the full GTN Bestsellers analysis and charts in the GTN Bestsellers printed newsletter each week.  To subscribe for only £145 a year use this link.

Dobbies and Sainsbury’s launch grocery partnership

Dobbies Garden Centres announced last week an exclusive partnership with Sainsbury’s to bring a range of high quality food and grocery products to Dobbies’ garden centres...


Dobbies Garden Centres announced last week an exclusive partnership with Sainsbury’s to bring a range of high quality food and grocery products to Dobbies’ garden centres.

 

The partnership will launch at Dobbies’ Edinburgh garden centre in late July. The range will include over 3,000 products, giving customers a choice of food to take home, including ambient, chilled, fresh and frozen produce as well as other grocery, household and toiletry products.

 

Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “The partnership between Dobbies and Sainsbury’s is an excellent fit, with a shared goal of offering the best to our customers.

 

“By complementing our existing garden centre ranges with a comprehensive food and grocery offer, we will offer our customers a convenient solution for their grocery needs. We look forward to launching our first new look food hall at Edinburgh in late July.”

 

Andrew Bracey, Chairman of Dobbies said: “This is an exciting step forward for Dobbies as we continue to grow the business and lead the future of garden centre retailing. Garden centres are increasingly popular, as people embrace the enjoyment of gardening. Our partnership with Sainsbury’s perfectly complements our strategy of offering the best possible ranges and convenience to customers.”

 

Mike Luck, Director of Business Development at Sainsbury’s, said: “We’re always looking for new ways to bring our distinctive, high quality products to more customers. This opportunity with Dobbies will bring a fantastic choice of food and grocery products to convenient locations for lots of shoppers, helping them shop for what they need quickly and conveniently.”

 

Last March, Dobbies announced a partnership with Nisa to supply groceries to their garden centres.  A spokesperson at Dobbies told GTN Xtra: “Our relationship with Nisa will continue for the time being in the stores that aren’t trialling Sainsburys.

 

The spokesperson added: "We do not have food halls in the two stores where we are co-located with Tesco and do not have plans to change this.”

 

Find out more at www.dobbies.com

First UK visitors to Kaemingk showroom after lockdown

Gordon Riggs are the first UK garden centre to visit the Kaemingk showroom again...


Gordon Riggs are the first UK garden centre to visit the Kaemingk showroom again.

 

Denzel from Gordon Riggs: “It is great being able to be back at the Kaemingk showroom. We obviously were a little nervous to begin with, but Kaemingk has taken every necessary step to make us feel very safe.


"The flight was straight forward and the hotel well accommodated to the current situation. In the showroom Kaemingk put clear walking routes in place, there is plenty of space to keep the social distance and I can assure you that there is anti-bacteria gel throughout the building!

 

"By the way – the showroom is looking fantastic again with many inspiring presentations and lots of great new products and certainly worth the effort.”

 

Patrick Brinkcate from Kaemingk told GTN Xtra: "Slowly but surely we are going back to a slightly more normal world and it is great to see companies anticipating so quickly and of course having real brave hearts like Gordon Riggs to test the waters for us!


"You can contact your account manager at Kaemingk to become the next UK visitor. Should you however not feel confident yet, a complete virtual showroom is available as well."

Million Bells are No 1 for the first time

A drying up of supplies of Zonal Geraniums means they drop off the top of the GTN All Plants Chart to be replaced by Calibrachoa...


Plant sales volumes continue to track very close to the summer levels of 2018 and that’s without a lot of the traditional big instant colour plants that were available then.  That goes to show that people are happy to buy whatever they can when they really want to enjoy spending time in their garden.

  • A drying up of supplies of Zonal Geraniums means they drop off the top of the GTN All Plants Chart to be replaced by Calibrachoa.  They saw an almost 60% increase in sales to make “Million Bells” the bestselling plant of the week for the first time.

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.

No financial support for English plant growers

The Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has confirmed that there will be no financial support given to English plant growers through a compensation scheme.

 

The HTA are now seeking assurance that garden centres will retain ‘essential retailer’ classification for future COVID-19 related planning, ensuring that forthcoming Brexit trade arrangements will balance free trade with the UK’s biosecurity needs and to spearhead a ‘Buy British’ campaign for all direct and local government procurement processes for forthcoming landscape projects...


The Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has confirmed that there will be no financial support given to English plant growers through a compensation scheme.

In response to that confirmation the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) Chairman, James Barnes, said: “The decision by DEFRA not to provide financial support to ornamental growers is hugely disappointing and a significant blow for many English plant nurseries.

 

“Since March the HTA and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) have been engaged with Defra to work towards a positive outcome and provided robust evidence that supported the need for a grant aid scheme - like the one put in place by the Dutch government to save its industry. The Northern Ireland Executive has accepted the need. We’re continuing discussions with the Scottish Government for a support package.

 

“We were successful in leading the campaign to get garden centres re-opened within the first phase of relaxing lockdown and that was very welcome for the sector. However, more than half of British ornamental growers (52%) expect a further downturn in sales throughout July as they have not been able to plant crops during lockdown and this has increased imports.

 

“Dutch and other European countries with garden centres that remained open and that have supported their industries are already taking advantage of this. While UK garden centres have a strong track record of sourcing British plants, the pressures of COVID-19 has forced many to look abroad, with almost three-quarters of retailers (72%) claiming that they are currently unable to get the stock of bedding plants their business needs from UK growers.

 

“Meanwhile, the recently proposed Border Operating Model and new January trading arrangements represent a very significant challenge for the sector in just a few months’ time. These proposals would, if remain unchanged, deal another blow to an already weakened sector.

 

“Now, more than ever, we need to support domestic production to provide resilience that comes with a strong UK based horticultural industry.

 

“My primary concern is that the value of this £24bn industry is not fully recognised within Government, both economically and in terms of its contribution to the Government’s 25 Year Environmental plan and the nations wider climate change ambitions.

 

“We welcome DEFRA’s commitment to work with the industry on developing a strategic recovery plan for the sector. We do believe that with the right recognition and policies this industry can become an engine of growth in a post-COVID, post-Brexit world.

 

“Confidence is a hugely powerful instrument in delivering growth and while there will be many things that we the industry and government can do to help this, in the long run, we look to government now to show willing by giving priority to the following: Assurance that garden centres will retain ‘essential retailer’ classification for future COVID-19 related planning, ensuring that forthcoming Brexit trade arrangements will balance free trade with the UK’s biosecurity needs – and to work with the industry to understand the complex supply chain issues and spearheading a ‘Buy British’ campaign for all direct and local government procurement processes for forthcoming landscape projects.”

Woodlodge acquires Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry

Woodlodge has announced a major expansion of its garden decoration range with the acquisition of Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry, allowing the company to significantly increase its offering of eye-catching, on-trend outdoor lifestyle décor...


Woodlodge, the UK’s leading supplier of pots and containers, has announced a major expansion of its garden decoration range with the acquisition of Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry, allowing the company to significantly increase its offering of eye-catching, on-trend outdoor lifestyle décor.

Woodlodge, which has been supplying the garden trade since 1987 and distributes products to more than 2,000 garden centres and retail outlets nationwide, says the acquisitions reinforce its commitment to helping retailers expand the buoyant garden decoration category, while growing the company’s presence within the UK garden centre market.

Adobe Wholesale, which has been trading for 15 years, specialises in sourcing novel and unique products that offer maximum potential to help retailers generate sales. Its product line-up as well as garden decoration, includes mirrors, ambient lighting, outdoor clocks, accessories for birds, garden stakes and cast iron accessories. The Garden Foundry prides itself on offering exclusive and unique designs of garden décor items, comprising traditional, contemporary and novelty lines, designed with the highest level of appeal to drive impulse sales.

Martin Kingston, who was instrumental in setting up both businesses, will join the Woodlodge team as Product Development Manager, as part of the acquisition. Martin will work closely alongside Tara Truman, who recently joined Woodlodge as Category Development Manager. Tara brings with her a wealth of experience from her previous sales positions at Briers and Smart Garden and will be responsible for bringing the new brands, ranges and merchandising solutions together for Woodlodge’s 2021 catalogue.

Michael Wooldridge, Managing Director at Woodlodge, said: “The garden décor ranges of Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry have a strong alignment with Woodlodge’s core values of quality and innovative design, making both brands a superb match. We already offer garden décor in our 2020 catalogue, a collection that’s renowned for bringing fun into the garden with endearing pottery pieces and stoneware characters designed to put a smile on everyone’s face, but garden decoration is a growing market and these acquisitions demonstrate Woodlodge’s commitment to helping retailers maximise the potential of this expanding category which has witnessed strong levels of growth in recent seasons.”

Discussing why the time is right to ramp-up its garden décor offering, Michael added: “Demand for garden decoration is being driven by the trend for consumers regarding the outdoors as an extension of the style within their homes. It has been well documented that more people have taken up gardening this year as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown, and garden enhancement is a high priority on consumers’ agendas. By welcoming Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry into the Woodlodge family, we will be ideally positioned to offer a vastly expanded portfolio of top-quality garden decorations that tap into the latest lifestyle fashions and tick all the boxes for innovation and novelty appeal.”

 

Woodlodge plans to unveil its new range to the garden market by launching it in September in their showroom, with stock being available for retailers from early 2021.

 

To find out more about Woodlodge’s acquisition of Adobe Wholesale and The Garden Foundry, or for more information about the company’s market-leading product offering, visit www.woodlodge.co.uk

 

 
PATS Telford is added to the list of Autumn trade show cancellations

This year’s PATS Telford, the UK’s number one pet industry show due to take place on 27th-28th September 2020, has been cancelled following the PM’s announcement that conferences are unlikely to be allowed until at least October 1st ...


This year’s PATS Telford, the UK’s number one pet industry show due to take place on 27th-28th September 2020, has been cancelled following the PM’s announcement that conferences are unlikely to be allowed until at least October 1st.

 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the announcement on Friday 17th July 2020 saying that conferences and business events could recommence in a Covid-19 secure way from October 1st, but only if prevalence of the virus remains low.

 

“Obviously this means that PATS Telford can no longer go ahead,” said Gordon Thomas, Director of Impact Exhibitions and Events.

 

“We had already decided, due to ongoing uncertainty over when venues would be allowed to reopen, that we would have to cancel. The longer the uncertainty went on, the less time we had to promote PATS Telford 2020 and deliver the audience and content that exhibitors and visitors expect from us.”

 

“Additionally, the welfare and safety of our exhibitors, visitors and our team are significant considerations in taking this difficult decision.”

 

Telford International Centre, venue for PATS Telford, had been working with its trade body the Association of Event Venues since the lockdown was lifted to press the government for a date on when it could re-open.

 

“The Department of Culture, Media and Sport had originally indicated that venues would be allowed to open in August, and that was what we were working towards,” said Gordon. “Unfortunately that is no longer the case.”

 

PATS will return in 2021, with PATS Sandown taking place on 14th-15th February and PATS Telford on 26th-27th September.

 

In a joint statement on the situation, Gordon and Show Organiser Annie Foord said: “In our combined 70 years of organising major industry exhibitions in the UK we’ve never had to cancel an event, and it makes us very sad to take this difficult decision.”

 

Annie continued: “We know how important PATS is as a forum where our community comes to learn, source product, meet suppliers and network.

 

“PATS is the place for the pet industry to come together as one, under one roof, to share knowledge, experience and new ideas and the great relationships that this trade is renowned for. 

 

“Over the coming months PATS will provide a hub for the trade to continue to come together via the PATS website – with ongoing exhibitor promotions, new product launches, industry news and updates, plus new content and services promoted to our visitor databases.

 

“As our community looks to rebuild and recover in 2021 our team will also be working hard to ensure we return next year with an event that brings everyone back together for the reunion we will all be crying out for.

 

“We really look forward to welcoming everyone back through the doors at PATS Sandown in February 2021 and again at PATS Telford in September 2021.”

 

For more information about PATS visit www.patshow.co.uk 

Growing media sales up by 69%

The average volume sales increase per week for growing media since re-opening has been 64% and last week, as sales would normally be dwindling in advance of summer holidays, sales climbed and were up 69% on last year...


The average volume sales increase per week for growing media since re-opening has been 64% and last week, as sales would normally be dwindling in advance of summer holidays, sales climbed and were up 69% on last year.

 

Cumulatively the GTN Growing Media Top 50 sales index is now at 17.2% down on last year compared to 50.4% down at the end of lockdown.  A continued 30% increase in growing activity would get us to 6% down on last year at the year end, which would be parity on 2018 and ahead of all the previous three years. 

  • Westland’s Erin Excel Multipurpose Compost with Added John Innes 50 litres more than doubled sales to move up to No 2.
  • Evergreen Garden Care Levington Multi Purpose with John Innes 40 litres continues at No 1.
  • Bloomin Amazing Soil Enricher 70 litres moves up 5 places to No 7 overall.

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.

 
New serious-but-stylish additions to the Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball range

 

This season the much-loved Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball collection sees many new key additions to strengthen the range in both the core garden and the gift categories...


This season the much-loved Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball collection sees many new key additions to strengthen the range in both the core garden and the gift categories. New large tools including cutting tools are being introduced to make a complete range of garden tools; it’s serious gardening, made stylish.

 

Known for its appealing and very popular gift options for garden and home, the Sophie Conran range features beautifully designed hand tools in stylish gift boxes, which have earned something of a cult following among keen gardeners. The new additions extend the range in the ‘garden’ arena, while retaining an exceptional gift offering. What’s more, new-look packaging has been created to look at home in garden centres as well as softer gift environments.

 

The spotlight is on ‘garden’ in the new line-up. In hand tools, a sleek polished topiary shear complements the best-selling secateur and precision secateur from the range, with the familiar all-steel construction and simple brass lock. A long, thin trowel is ideal for planting, digging, and weeding – a multitasking tool which is sure to win a lot of fans. And an ultra-slim pocket knife is the perfect size for a smaller hand, perfect to pop in a pocket.

 

In larger tools, there’s a thoughtfully-designed digging fork and digging spade; smaller than most and light in weight, they’ve been created to make gardening easier for gardeners of smaller stature. Immediately noticeable are the T-grip handles, unusual in the UK, which make it easy to use a double-handed grip for better purchase while digging. Large cutting tools also join the popular Sophie Conran range for the first time, with a new hedge shear and a lopper, both with distictive lightweight FSC ash handles and stylish branded brass plaque.

 

Choices in the popular striped ticking fabric accessories are also being extended, with the addition of a full apron, a tool bag and a garden kneeler. The full apron incorporates the useful central pocket, patch pocket and key clip from the top-selling waist apron, but also features a bib to keep the gardener clean from top to toe (well, nearly!) when things get really messy.

 

The tool bag is a really handy size, not too heavy to lift when loaded, and features a host of useful design details, like mesh inserts in the extrerior pockets for easy cleaning, and an elastic restraining strap to keep tools firmly in place. The kneeler features the same construction as the Burgon & Ball Kneelo® kneeler, with twin layers of memory foam around a lightweight EVA foam core, to create a garden kneeler of exceptional comfort.

 

There are new additions in the Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball wild bird care selection, too, with four new bird feeders. Two adorable ceramic feeders, in the shape of a pear and a pomegranate, are perfect for hanging from a tree to offer bird seed to smaller garden visitors. Then there are two decorative fat ball feeders, taking design inspiration from the delightful and very popular apple bird feeders in the range. Also in the shape of a pear and a pomegranate, these feeders feature a cup to hold a fat ball, the fastest-growing wild bird care food in terms of sales volume.

 

The new-look packaging features an understated grey, a look suited to both garden and gift environments, with accents in gold foil to add a distinctive touch and highlight the quality of the range. To show the new look off to perfection, there’s a new display stand, too, comfortably accommodating the new large tools, hand tools and ticking stripe accessories.

 

RRPs of the new items range from £7.99 to £39.99, so with the exciting new serious-but-stylish large tools, practical new gardening accessories, and decorative wild care care, the Sophie Conran is a range for everyone who loves their garden.

Find out more about the UK’s first truly sustainable firewood brand, Kindwood

With the launch of Kindwood the notion of sustainable firewood is becoming a reality. The brainchild of entrepreneur Taylor Gathercole, Kindwood is ripping up the rule book and doing everything it can to get people thinking differently about how they shop, their impact upon the planet and even the role that fire plays in their day to day life and memory making...  


Let’s be honest, the words ‘firewood’ and ‘sustainable’ aren’t necessarily two words you’d normally put together, but with the launch of Kindwood the notion of sustainable firewood is becoming a reality. The brainchild of entrepreneur Taylor Gathercole, Kindwood is ripping up the rule book and doing everything it can to get people thinking differently about how they shop, their impact upon the planet and even the role that fire plays in their day to day life and memory making. 

 

Here we catch up with Taylor to find out more about what makes ‘firestarter’ tick and what the future holds for Kindwood.

 

At the tender age of just 21 you’d be extremely wrong to underestimate Taylor. He’s already lived a lifetime of careers and has no fear when it comes to saying ‘no, this isn’t working for me’. A self-confessed ‘schoolaphobe’ Taylor wasn’t one for the education system but his inquisitive nature kept him entertained, working his way through roles within the farming community, teaching himself coding and setting up his own design agency. A natural question asker, it was during his time on the farm when the issue of sustainability first came to the fore; a spark that whilst lit burned quietly in the background until the birth of Kindwood.

 

Like many businesses, Kindwood was born during a chat with friends, where a few beers may have been enjoyed. Sitting around the firepit in a friend’s garden, Taylor noticed the way that fire had the ability to grab people’s attention, and its endlessly calming effect. Thinking about this more, Taylor starting digging into the role that fire has to play in our lives, starting from as far back as caveman times where fire was the centre of the home, providing heat, light and a beacon leading the way back to the homestead, to how fire now has an intrinsic role to play in much of our memory making – from campfires in the garden during childhood, to candlelight providing the soft backdrop to falling in love, laughter with friends and quiet, peaceful moments.

 

With fire playing a pivotal role in our lives, Taylor wanted to create a business that built on this concept and celebrated the comfort that comes from sitting around a fire. But this comfort had to be supported by another kind, the kind of comfort that comes from knowing you are doing good for the planet around you, and so began the #ComfortRevolution.

 

Kind fire, kind planet

A question Taylor admits he gets asked a lot is ‘what does it actually mean to be a sustainable firewood supplier?’. Taylor says the answer isn’t nearly as complicated as people may believe. He said: “Simply put we only use wood sourced from responsibility managed woodlands, and to reduce its carbon footprint further we only source from within an 80-mile radius of our Norfolk-based HQ. Our facilities and processes use only 100% renewable energy, whilst our onsite biogas plant enables us to utilise captured heat waste to dry our logs to less than 20% moisture content – the key to a longer, hotter burn. It doesn’t stop there, we do not use any plastic anywhere within our range or packaging; instead our products are packaged in hessian sacks and ex-fruit and vegetable crates sourced from local farms and orchards. We’re not ‘part-sustainable’, we’re sustainable all the way through, and the best bit is that it’s so easy. The choices we have made for Kindwood were conscious ones, but ones that were actually incredibly easy to implement. For our customers this means that making a more sustainable purchase is incredibly easy – we’ve done all the hard work for them, they simply need to order and then sit back and enjoy the #ComfortRevolution!”

 

When asked whether there is a need for a sustainable firewood company, Taylor has a rather definitive response: “Currently the world operates a basically crooked system, where 51% of our energy comes from burning fossil fuels; fuels that have been in the ground for billions of years and emit harmful carbon when burnt, contributing huge amounts of pollution which, in turn, accelerates the global warming crisis. Whilst we are led to believe that fossil fuels are convenient, the truth is there are so many sustainable alternatives that are easily accessed and can, quite often, be cheaper in the longer run, too.

 

“It’s safe to say we’re attempting to mix up the firewood sector and drag it well and truly into the 21st century – something that is long overdue! Goodbye gross green plastic sacks of rotten logs, hello a whole new product category that inspires consumers at the point of purchase and elevates the role of fire into an aspirational part of outdoor (and indoor) living.”

 

 

In a nutshell - the Kindwood Difference

  • All Kindwood wood is kiln-dried to less than 20% moisture content which means it burns at a high temperature with a long and natural flame
  • Every piece of wood is dried using 100% captured waste heat from a biogas plant at Kindwood’s Norfolk-based yard
  • The drying process and wood choice also means that Kindwood products are low in tar, so better for your appliance
  • Kindwood products are ideal for wood-burning stoves, multi-fuel stoves, pizza ovens or traditional open fires
  • Kindwood is big on recycling which is why its products are supplied in rustic ex-fruit/veg crates and hessian sack from local farms and orchards, both of which are perfect for repurposing around the home and garden as storage or decorative accents
  • All Kindwood wood is carefully sourced from responsibly managed woodland in the UK within a maximum radius of 80 miles of its HQ

 Website: https://kindwood.co.uk

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/kindwooduk/

Honeyfield’s and RSPB are going on the road

Marriages are going on the road with their bird care brands, Honeyfields & RSPB. The specially designed exhibition truck is filled with samples of the Honeyfield’s new range of hardware, from feeders and dining stations through to their range of Bird Tables which were launched for this season. That is not all, RSPB, who are distributed and packed by Marriages, have an area within the rolling showroom showcasing the charities range of bird care...

 


Throughout the Covid-19 situation, Marriages have supported the gardening and pet industry through high service and consistent stock levels to keep the industry trading. This consideration and care for their customers' needs during this time has extended to their plans ahead of Glee’s cancellation, queueing a new Roadshow!.

 

Marriages are going on the road with their bird care brands, Honeyfields & RSPB. The specially designed exhibition truck is filled with samples of the Honeyfield’s new range of hardware, from feeders and dining stations through to their range of Bird Tables which were launched for this season. That is not all, RSPB, who are distributed and packed by Marriages, have an area within the rolling showroom showcasing the charities range of bird care.

 

In the show-truck, you will be in an environment where you can socially distance yourself easily, there will only be one member of their knowledgeable team along with you in the space. Thus protecting you and keeping you safe. Sam Marriage, owner of Marriages Millers, said of this new roadshow: "We were planning for there to be no Glee exhibition this year and began putting plans in place to keep our customers safe whilst ensuring they are able to see our ranges for the 2020/21 season. Throughout the Covid-19 situation, safety and supply has been our priority, we know how precious our customers' time is and we don’t want them to waste any time in long car journeys to visit us, so we will visit them!"

 

Honeyfield’s are caring for the birds, their customers and the planet.

Honeyfield’s is a brand of bird care products backed by nearly 200 years of bird and agricultural feed expertise. This means that every seed mix, treat and straight has been carefully formulated and sourced to ensure the best value to the customer, the best health for the birds and the best for the planet (where possible) due to their relationship with Fair to Nature.

 

Driven by innovation and high quality standards, Honeyfield’s became the first supplier of Fair to Nature Bird Seed in the UK. This is no mean feat because to be awarded the Fair to Nature accreditation, companies must commit to, where the ingredients allow, using cereals and other seeds grown on Fair to Nature farms. This means that Honeyfield’s Wild Bird Food not only feeds the birds in the garden but looks after the birds in our countryside too!

 

Sam Marriage, Managing Director of Honeyfield’s explained: "In today's modern world, 61% of consumers say they’re likely to switch to a brand that is more environmentally friendly than their current brand. So, our commitment to reducing waste and providing Fair to Nature products truly resonates with the consumer’. The Honeyfield’s brand truly lives and breathes their commitment to nature friendly bird care at every stage of the supply chain."

 

If you would like to book an appointment to see all that Marriages have to offer, please contact your local agent or call Marriages on 0845 257 0232.

Bosch and Gardena establish battery alliance

Bosch and Gardena will form an alliance and together with other leading brands, will offer a cross-brand battery system for products in and around the entire home: The Power for All Alliance. The basis of this Alliance is Bosch cordless technology...

 


Bosch Power Tools is opening up its 18V battery platform of the “Home & Garden” division to other manufacturers, thus setting a milestone: Bosch and Gardena will form an alliance in future and, together with other leading brands, will offer a cross-brand battery system for products in and around the entire home: The Power for All Alliance. The basis of this Alliance is Bosch cordless technology.

 

“We are opening up our system to other manufacturers, thus offering users more flexibility than ever before. In future, they will be able to use one and the same 18 V battery to operate power tools, garden tools and home appliances from Bosch, as well as products bearing the Gardena, Emmaljunga, Gloria, Wagner and Rapid brand names,” said Henk Becker, President of Robert Bosch Power Tools GmbH.

 

This will save users money, space and time when purchasing products from the Power for All Alliance in future. A pile of incompatible batteries and chargers from different brands will therefore be a thing of the past. The common goal is to offer users the largest cross-brand battery system and thus, the widest application range for their home: DIY tools, garden and cleaning tools, home appliances, products for surface coating, for leisure and camping – and many more.

 

Pär Åström, President of Gardena said: “Our users are looking for a strong, reliable and versatile battery they can use for many purposes in and around their home and garden. This is why we at Gardena decided to join forces with Bosch to found the Power for All Alliance.”

 

“We are convinced that cordless and, flexible working is the future. The Power for All Alliance is a win-win situation for everyone,” confirmed Markus Kress, President and owner of Gloria House and Garden.

 

Bosch continues to adhere to the backwards compatibility until 2007, which is important for the user: The more than 20 million Bosch batteries for 18V DIY and garden tools that are already on the market will remain compatible like the corresponding chargers. Bosch already offers a broad portfolio of cordless DIY and garden tools, and will systematically expand it in the coming years. Gardena is converting its entire 18 V product range to the Alliance battery system for the coming gardening season. All other partners are either already represented on the market by solutions powered by Bosch batteries or are gradually expanding their product range. In the Power for All Alliance, the companies will jointly drive forward the new flexibility for the entire home in future.

 

The opening and expansion of the cordless segment creates substantial added-value for the user and is an important growth driver for Bosch. “The demand for cordless tools is increasing continuously. In five years down the road, their share will already have risen from about 40 to 60 percent. The investment in our battery system is an investment in the future,” said Henk Becker. The establishment of the Alliance is the prelude to a partnership with strong brands. Further manufacturers are already under discussion.

 

You can find further information about the Power for All Alliance at www.powerforall-alliance.com

Sipcam Home & Garden becomes the exclusive distributor of Blumen International’s leading product portfolio in the UK and Republic of Ireland

Sipcam Home & Garden, the company behind the innovative ecofective® and RHS Garden Care ranges, has signed a deal with Blumen International Ltd that will see Sipcam appointed as the exclusive distributor of Blumen’s product portfolio across the UK & Republic of Ireland...

 


Sipcam Home & Garden, the company behind the innovative ecofective® and RHS Garden Care ranges, has signed a deal with Blumen International Ltd that will see Sipcam appointed as the exclusive distributor of Blumen’s product portfolio across the UK & Republic of Ireland.

 

Blumen International is best known in the UK for its Fito brand of plant fertiliser and drip feeders and Get Off range of animal repellents, insecticides and natural detergents targeted at environments where domestic pets such as dogs and cats are present. The new deal will see Sipcam and Blumen International combine to strengthen their presence in the gardening and pet care sectors, setting the stage for an ambitious expansion plan that will help retailers to deliver growth in these key categories.

 

As Italian-owned companies, both Sipcam and Blumen International have identified natural synergies between their product portfolios that will benefit the entire supply chain. The new collaboration opens the doors to an exciting joint programme of new product development opportunities that will enhance and expand the combined offering over the coming years.

 

Sipcam Home & Garden is owned by the Sipcam Oxon Group, a large £500m+ turnover family-owned business with a leading reputation for pioneering ‘greener’ technologies in biocides, plant nutrition and plant protection across the globe. Blumen already supplies a substantial number of UK retailers, so combining Sipcam’s expertise in the rapidly expanding naturals sector with Blumen’s market-leading position in flower and vegetable seeds across Italy and Europe has set the scene for a future that will deliver product innovation backed by a mutually beneficial strategy of growth.

 

Nigel Thompson, Head of Sales at Sipcam Home & Garden, said: “Sipcam is delighted to be working with Blumen International at a time when the natural gardening and pet care categories are powering garden retail ahead, underpinning our confidence in these markets despite this season’s Covid-related turbulence. The new agreement will allow our customers to easily access combined product portfolios with an excellent synergy from one single supplier. When we factor-in Sipcam’s existing new product development plans that are already in the pipeline for 2021, we are confident that this new combined offering will go from strength to strength. We’re thrilled to have the Blumen portfolio on board.”

 

The Sipcam Team has welcomed Fiorella Rampello, Blumen International’s Sales Manager, to work alongside its team and develop the business in the UK.

 

Matt Jones, General Manager at Sipcam Home & Garden, added: “We are delighted to be ahead of our financial and strategic targets this year, despite the challenges, and the new deal with Blumen fits in perfectly with our plans to bring uniqueness and innovation to the markets we operate in. Our growing team is key to success, and we’re looking forward to working closely with Fiorella. The Blumen business in Italy has much more to offer the UK in terms of product development, and we will work closely with Fiorella and our retail partners to deliver the best opportunities to the UK market.”

 

Fiorella Rampello, Blumen International’s Sales and Marketing Manager, said: “I’m delighted to be working with the Sipcam team. It is a very impressive business, and with exciting plans to invest and innovate across the brand portfolio, I’m very much looking forward to working with Nigel and our retail partners to grow our unique product offer in the market.”


To find out more about the leading product range from Sipcam Home & Garden, visit www.ecofective.uk.com.

Seeds of change in Wild Bird Care

There are seeds of change running through the GTN Bestsellers Wild Bird Care chart at the moment.  This week last year only 7 of the Top 50 Bestselling lines were not from Gardman/Westland and this year lines from other suppliers had infiltrated to the extent that they have taken 19 of the Top 50 sales positions and accounted for 34% of the total Top 50 sales volume...


There are seeds of change running through the GTN Bestsellers Wild Bird Care chart at the moment.  This week last year only 7 of the Top 50 Bestselling lines were not from Gardman/Westland and this year lines from other suppliers had infiltrated to the extent that they have taken 19 of the Top 50 sales positions and accounted for 34% of the total Top 50 sales volume. 

  • Henry Bell Superior Fat Balls 50 Tub are the highest new entry at No 13 while the regular Henry Bell Fat Balls dropped from No 1 last week to No 4.  Henry Bell Fat Balls, packs of 6 were the highest chart climber, up 37 places to No 8.
  • Tom Chambers Classic Seed Blend 3.75kg is the highest re-entry of the week at No 16.
  • Smart Garden’s Chapelwood Original Squirrel Proof Seed Feeder was also a re-entry at No 47.

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.

 

 
Merchandiser/ Area representative
M4 Corridor Oxford/Buckinghamshire/Berkshire, Full-time, £21k pa

We are currently seeking a hard-working, dedicated full time merchandiser/area representative to merchandise our dedicated In-store TV display stands. Previous merchandising experience is preferable, as is some experience of customer service, although full training will be given.

 

You will be responsible for approximately 60 customers who will need visiting every 4-6 weeks. These customers are a mixture of garden centres, High Street retailers and out of town retailers.

 

The work can be physical.

 

This vacancy would suit a person with experience of FMCG.

 

Sales or merchandising experience in the Garden Centre retail sector a distinct advantage.

 

You will be confident, have a smart appearance with the ability to develop good customer relationships.

 

The candidate should hold a full clean driving licence. Some overnight stays will be required as well as visits to our head office in Lincolnshire every 3-4 weeks.

 

Company van, telephone and laptop provided. Company Pension Scheme also offered.

 

Starting salary in the region of £21,000 with a potential increase after completion of successful 3-month trial period.

 

Apply in the first instance along with your CV to Sally Ginever Sally.Ginever@creativeproducts.ltd.uk

 

 
Plant Area Manager, Goonhavern Garden Centre, Cornwall.
Full time, permanent, £21k - £24k depending on experience

This is a new position for our independent garden centre as we are in need of someone to manage and maintain the plant area department. Over the past few years, we have expanded and successfully installed a covered canopy in our plant area and subsequently seen an increase in sales. We are now looking for someone to assist the garden centre manager in the day to day running of the plant area and take our garden centre to the next level.


We are looking for someone enthusiastic about horticulture but most importantly has a passion and knowledge of retail and customer service. They will need to lead the plant area staff and bring them together as a team to create outstanding displays and drive sales.


Main responsibilities will include:
• Managing the plant area department team
• Plant buying
• Waste management
• Responsible for health and safety within the plant area and for COSHH
• Managing all outdoor displays, labelling and point of sale
• Stock control - responsible for stock taking all goods using the EPOS system
• Liaising with the garden centre manager to create plant promotions and plant based 'events'

 

Qualifications & Experience Required:
• Must have previous garden centre experience
• Excellent leadership skills
• LEAN management awareness
• Exceptional plant /horticultural knowledge
• Commercial awareness
• Previous plant buying experience
• Knowledge of EPOS systems and stock control
• Excellent IT skills

 

Salary: £21,000 - £24,000 depending on experience


FULL TIME, PERMANENT.

 

Please apply in writing with a CV and covering letter to manager@goonhaverngardencentre.com

 

Goonhavern Garden Centre
Newquay Road
TRURO
Cornwall
TR4 9QQ


www.cornwallgardenshop.com

 
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Two thirds of Garden Products sales gap made up

Even though there are plenty of gaps on garden centre shelves, sales of garden products continue to run at an all time high...


Even though there are plenty of gaps on garden centre shelves, sales of garden products continue to run at an all time high.  As far as the GTN Garden Products Top 50 volume sales is concerned the deficit has dropped to 14.2% from the 51.7% position just before re-opening.  Could a vibrant Autumn gardening sales period see this sector getting back to parity?

  • Gardman Ice Orb Mini Lights in packs of 2 sparkle to move up 1 place to the top of the chart.
  • Tomorite sits at No’s 2 and 3, 1 litre packs with 30% free outselling just 1 litre packs.
  • Apta’s Verona Half Pot 26cm is the highest re-entry at No 14.  One of five pot lines that saw the biggest percentage sales increases of the week.
  • Neudorff’s Bug Free Bug & Larvae Killer, Ready to Use, 750ml is the highest new entry to the GTN Garden Products chart.  In at No 31.

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.

 
“We’re on your side” - Premium Christmas Trees vows to make it easier for retailers to drive sales of Christmas Trees this festive season

Premium Christmas Trees – proud members of the British Christmas Tree Growers’ Association – has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to update and improve its retail support tools, to ensure that retailers are armed with everything they need to quickly and easily secure stock and help drive sales of Christmas trees either instore or online...

 


Following a year of unprecedented turmoil, this year’s festive season feels more important than ever as much of the population looks to Christmas as the shining beacon of hope on the horizon. With six months to go, many garden retailers will be already thinking ahead to how they can maximise this incredibly important sales period. One company who is on “your side” and is doing everything it can to make Christmas 2020 easier than ever for retailers is Premium Christmas Trees – the go-to brand for wholesale Christmas trees.

 

During recent months, Premium Christmas Trees – proud members of the British Christmas Tree Growers’ Association – has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to update and improve its retail support tools, to ensure that retailers are armed with everything they need to quickly and easily secure stock and help drive sales of Christmas trees either instore or online.

 

New website launching soon!

The shop window for Premium Christmas Trees’ range of cut and pot-grown trees, the new website, will make it easier for retailers to choose the right stock. From classic Normann Fir and Fraser Fir, to the Norway Spruce, and the very successful Nordmann slimline designs which are revolutionising the presence of real trees in smaller, contemporary homes, the company’s full offering will be easy to view via the new look website.

 

Interest in added value products such as wreaths, greenery, stands and accessories can also be registered via the site, making it a real one-stop-shop for all things Christmas this year.

 

However, Premium Christmas Trees’ Sophie Holt is also hoping the new website will help retailers to better understand the unbelievable work that goes into cultivating such high-quality trees. She said: “We appreciate that many retailers will want to simply place their orders, but we hope they will take the time to dig a little deeper into what makes us tick, and what sets our trees apart.  We are incredibly passionate about our work and ensuring we bring to market the best quality trees, backed by an environmentally responsible ethos and unrivalled professional service. Covering topics such as the growing cycle, grading and selection, and our values and retail ‘promises’, the website updates will arm our retail customers with everything they need to source the best trees and support their customers with a product that is friendly to both the earth and their pockets, whilst also providing that stunning backdrop that epitomises Christmas for many.”

 

New point of sale to help consumers make the right choice for their Christmas needs

New for 2020 is Premium Christmas Trees’ latest point of sale and merchandising support. These new resources are designed to make it even easier for retailers to help consumers make the right Christmas tree choice for both their home and budget.

 

From downloadable posters to PVC banners, the new library of collateral will include vital tree care information, details on how each tree is grown and selected, and handy information on unique products such as Premium Christmas Trees’ exclusive Slimline Trees.

 

All Premium Christmas Trees new point of sale and marketing collateral can be obtained when an order is placed. Alternatively speak to your Premium Christmas Trees contact to find out more.

 

Prize freeze & pallet deals

 

There is no doubt that 2020 has been a year that none of us could ever have predicted which is why Premium Christmas Trees has confirmed it will be largely freezing its prices for the forthcoming festive season. Sophie Holt said: “Now is not the time to be increasing our prices and as such we have promised to freeze almost all of our prices to enable retailers to better forecast budgets for 2020, whilst ensuring they can continue to deliver excellent value for money for their customers.”

 

This promise to deliver value for money can be seen within Premium Christmas Trees’ new pallet deals, including its exciting new trial pallets which give you a chance to see the quality for yourself whilst reducing your exposure.  Analysis by the company shows that almost all of those who order a trial pallet one year, significantly increase their order the following year.

 

To see the Premium Christmas Trees difference for yourself please visit www.premiumchristmastrees.com or call the company on 01257 793748 to discuss your tree requirements for Christmas 2020, and book a visit. The company has a nationwide team who can come to visit you at any time – get in touch to find out more.

 

 

Don’t forget Premium Christmas Trees’ online fulfilment service

Retailers of all sizes can also extend their Christmas offering without having to take more stock instore through Premium Christmas Trees’ updated online order fulfilment system.  The company has spent years honing this online delivery service and has a dedicated team who hand select and pack the perfect trees for all date-specific drop ship orders. Utilising a special packaging system that guarantees freshness, Premium Christmas Trees online fulfilment service is fast becoming the top choice for everyone from farm shops and  garden centres to national retailers across the whole of the UK. Find out more by visiting www.premiumchristmastrees.com, calling 01257 793748 or by viewing this video which explains more about online fulfilment.

 
HTA launches ‘Keep Britain Growing’ Campaign

The HTA has launched its ‘Keep Britain Growing’ campaign. This follows on from the success of its ‘Keep Britain Blooming’ campaign, which was instrumental in persuading the government to reopen garden centres in the first wave of lockdown relaxation measures...


There is no doubt that coronavirus has had a devastating impact on British ornamental horticulture. However, lockdown has created an unexpected upside for the industry – which is that many more people have been encouraged into their gardens, creating a legion of novice gardeners who want to improve their outdoor space, and who’ve realised that gardening is fun! The search term ‘gardening’ was twice as popular in Google in April than it was in each of the previous four years.

 

As a result, the HTA has launched its ‘Keep Britain Growing’ campaign. This follows on from the success of its ‘Keep Britain Blooming’ campaign, which was instrumental in persuading the government to reopen garden centres in the first wave of lockdown relaxation measures.

 

HTA President, Boyd Douglas-Davies said: “The aim of Keep Britain Growing is to encourage this new wave of gardening enthusiasts to keep enjoying the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening, keep improving our local environment and keep supporting British growers and British ornamental horticulture by planting in their gardens and outdoor spaces throughout the year.

 

“The HTA will be posting content and articles throughout the year on keepbritaingrowing.co.uk to help people learn about gardening, and also to provide inspiration for journalists who are preparing copy. Environmental and wildlife gardening will be a key theme. The aim is not to create new content but to curate and provide a home for content from across the internet. Many garden centres produce their own promotional calendars aimed at their regular/loyalty customers. Many suppliers and specialist nurseries produce high quality promotional information to support the sale of their products and plants; #KeepBritainGrowing is easily shareable and is designed to be an over-arching campaign brand that can be used by any HTA member as an additional element to their own promotions, or as a campaign slogan for national media or for the HTA to use in its lobbying activity.”

 

Content will focus on five key areas:
• Beds and Borders
• Patios and Pots
• Trees, Shrubs and Climbers
• Grow Your Own
• Lawns, Ponds and Water Features

 

The HTA would like to encourage journalists, bloggers and key industry figures to use the hashtag #KeepBritainGrowing in all their output. The website keepbritaingrowing.co.uk will be active from Monday 20 July. Anyone who would like to share content on the website by providing links to owned content should email media.office@hta.org.uk

 
GIC and Haith Group bag new orders from Kelkay

GIC, the vertical form fill and seal machinery manufacturer, has this month supplied two brand new machines to Haith Group for use on its innovative mobile aggregate bagging systems which will be installed in two systems that will be delivered to Kelkay Ltd next month...


GIC, the vertical form fill and seal machinery manufacturer, has this month supplied two brand new machines to Haith Group for use on its innovative mobile aggregate bagging systems.

 

The new GIC51000 machines will be installed in two systems that will be delivered to Kelkay Ltd next month.

 

The project is the first to use GIC’s new machines which feature the latest Allen Bradley servo drives and controller, SMC pneumatic components and an improved design for mechanical robustness. GIC has also redesigned the jaw motion and the added twin servo transport belts for improved levels of jaw and film control.


With demand for Kelkay’s decorative aggregates requiring increased capacity, Richard Slade, Group Operations Director, opted to continue its relationship with Haith Group and ordered the two machines, both of which are capable of packing up to 1,000 bags an hour.

 


Haith designed its first Mobile Aggregate Bagging System in 2010 in response to customers needing a service that could be moved from site to site and would negate the need for a costly fixed line to be installed. In the last decade, Haith has sold 12 machines, with five of them in use at Kelkay’s Pollington site.

 

“Our decorative aggregates are sold through garden centres across the UK and Ireland, and in recent times we’ve seen tremendous growth in sales, so need a way to keep up with demand. The Haith mobile aggregate bagging system is highly effective and reliable,” says Mr Slade. “It is perfect for our needs and can be installed quickly and easily, without the need for a crane which is another bonus. The GIC packaging machine is also easy to use, reliable and both GIC and Haith offer excellent after-sales support, training and servicing.”

 

GIC’s machine sits at the heart of the Haith system. A feed conveyor connected to a ground hopper transfers the aggregate to the GIC5100 by dropping it through an opening in the roof of the mobile unit. The aggregate falls into a metering conveyor which can be controlled by one of two systems. Using Haith’s innovative PLC control system and HMI screen operators can select to use either a weigh hopper or volume to govern the amount of aggregate that is bagged. The GIC5100 is equipped with a thermal printer so bags can be date stamped or barcoded as needed. The packaged aggregate is lifted from the final conveyor by Kawasaki CP180 high-speed palletising robot.

 

Steve Haith, who oversees the Haith Group's industrial operations, has a long working relationship with GIC. “GIC’s packaging machines are the best we’ve found. They are quick, accurate and reliable. With GIC being just down the road from us it is very easy for us to work together.”

 

“Like the Haith Group we place a lot of emphasis on innovating and regularly reviewing our machines to see how they can be enhanced,” says Andy Beal, GIC’s managing director. “The GIC5000 was class-leading and worked extremely well within the Haith Mobile Aggregate Bagging System, but by improving the drives, controls and the jaw motion, the new GIC5100 will be even better.”

 

For further information about GIC visit www.gic.uk.net and www.haith.co.uk for details of the Haith Group.

 
PetQuip Awards will recognise industry’s outstanding achievements in an innovative format for 2020

The PetQuip Awards will be celebrating the industry’s achievements in an exciting new format this year...


The PetQuip Awards will be celebrating the industry’s achievements in an exciting new format this year.

 

Because of the Prime Minister’s announcement that conferences are unlikely to be allowed until at least October, the organisers of PATS Telford have taken the decision to cancel the exhibition this year. But PetQuip and the sponsors of the awards, including PATS itself, have agreed to launch an innovative new way to recognise the expertise and achievements of the awards entrants and winners within the pet industry in 2020. 

 

Judging of the PetQuip Awards finalist list is due to be announced in two weeks’ time, ahead of final judging in August.  

 

“To ensure maximum exposure for the winning companies and their products, PetQuip and the awards headline sponsors – APPA/Global Pet Expo, pbwnews and Natures Menu plus PATS itself – will be supporting a wide-ranging PR campaign for the finalists and award winners throughout the UK and international trade media,” confirms Pat Flynn, Trade Association Manager of PetQuip and organiser of the awards.

 

All finalists and winners will then benefit from an innovative promotion which will bring their brands and achievements to an influential UK and international audience of buyers.

 

“We are sad not to be able to meet all our awards finalists and winners in person as usual this year at PATS during our awards event and party: but we have arranged to celebrate the achievements of our entrants in an innovative way which will benefit every participant – a positive benefit in a year when our industry has been facing unprecedented challenges,” said PetQuip Director General Amanda Sizer Barrett.

 

The PetQuip Awards were due to be announced at its annual presentation evening following the first day of PATS Telford on Sunday, 27th September 2020. But with the decision to cancel the UK’s leading pet industry show because of uncertainty surrounding the re-opening of exhibition centres, the association has focussed instead on an innovative way to celebrate the industry’s achievements – more details will be announced when the 2020 PetQuip awards finalists are announced.

 

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

Email: info@petquip.com

Websites: www.petquip.com

 
The best of last week's

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


 
New Investors and re-structure at Fountasia

Following a difficult period over the last 4 months Fountasia International Ltd ceased trading and entered into administration on 30th June 2020. With new private investors and following a restructure, Fountasia Ltd began trading on 1st July 2020...


Following a difficult period over the last 4 months Fountasia International Ltd ceased trading and entered into administration on 30th June 2020. With new private investors and following a restructure, Fountasia Ltd began trading on 1st July 2020.

With a new board in place and the Weedon family still at the heart of the business Fountasia Wholesale is working towards an exciting new range re-launch for Spring 2021 with a strong focus on the same products, the same values and the same staff.

 

Craig McIldoon of Fountasia told GTN Xtra: "We look forward to the continued support of our retailers and leading the innovation in Home and Garden Décor now and through 2021.

"With stock available for immediate delivery and fresh stock arriving monthly, to place an order or for more information please contact us on 01892 838888 or by e-mail: info@fountasia.com"


www.fountasia.com

 
Face covers are bestsellers in advance of becoming compulsory

Analysis of EPoS data for GTN Bestsellers has revealed that a range of decorative re-useable face masks are already selling well in garden centres ahead of the news that the wearing of face masks in all retail venues becomes compulsory in England as well as Scotland from Friday 24th July...


Analysis of EPoS data for GTN Bestsellers has revealed that a range of decorative re-useable face masks are already selling well in garden centres ahead of the news that the wearing of face masks in all retail venues becomes compulsory in England as well as Scotland from Friday 24th July.

 

The range of Eco-chic face masks from Faye UK would rank as high as the No 6 best selling product if they were aggregated and included in the GTN Bestsellers Garden Products chart, ahead of lines such as Evergreen Garden Care Bugclear Ultra Gun 1 litre and Woodlodge Large Pot Feet.

 

In Scotland, wearing face masks in garden centres has been compulsory since re-opening.  One scottish garden centre owner told GTN Xtra this week "About 95% of our customers are coming with face masks.  Our staff don't have to police them, the other customer's do that for us."

 

After the announcement about compulsory face coverings James Clark at the HTA said:  "Garden centres have been safely trading for two months and support additional measures that protect the health of the public such as the wearing of face coverings.

 

"We welcome the acknowledgement from Government this morning that staff observing social distancing will not have to wear face coverings and do not have to enforce the wearing of face coverings by shoppers. However, there needs to be immediate full clarity, with updated guidance from Government. While face coverings are part of the measures to help promote public health, other actions such as handwashing and social distancing should continue to be observed to protect shoppers and staff alike.

 

“The HTA is seeking that clarity from the Business Department as a matter of urgency”.

 

 

 
Lockdown gap for plant sales won’t be made up

While weekly plant sales volumes in the GTN All Plants Epos data continue to run ahead of the past four years, it’s clear from our 5 years of plant sales graph that the gap for garden centre plant sales during Lockdown is not going to be made up this year...


While weekly plant sales volumes in the GTN All Plants Epos data continue to run ahead of the past four years, it’s clear from our 5 years of plant sales graph that the gap for garden centre plant sales during Lockdown is not going to be made up this year.

  • Platycodon were the highest re-entry of the week, back in at No 19.
  • Heuchera sales grew by 36% to climb 21 places up the chart.
  • Zonal Geranium remain the No 1 Bestselling plant of the summer, despite sales dropping by 52% week on week.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 
GIMA holds virtual AGM and elects Simon McArdle of Westland Horticulture as President

GIMA has announced the election of Simon McArdle of Westland Horticulture as GIMA President, following its rescheduled AGM held on Friday 10th July, 2020...


 

GIMA has announced the election of Simon McArdle of Westland Horticulture as GIMA President, following its rescheduled AGM held on Friday 10th July, 2020.

Following the postponement of GIMA’s March AGM due to COVID-19, a rescheduled event was held via video conferencing with 17 GIMA member companies in attendance.

Following his election Simon gave a short address during which he said: "2020 was to have been a celebration of 40 years of the GIMA Awards. Instead, we had to all face up to a different challenge, one bigger than any of us have ever faced before in our professional lives. And here, GIMA demonstrated its worth, by stepping in to act, to represent our members, to be the link between the CBI, the HTA and the GCA, providing timely and daily updates, just when the need for information was critical.

 

He concluded by saying: "Our next 40 years begin now, and like the last 40 they will be focused on Saving, Connecting, Promoting, Representing and Supporting our members.


"The future is going to be about WE. We are all in this together, big or small, retailer or supplier and together, supported by GIMA, we can continue to build the world class industry we are all proud to be part of.”

Simon will be joined by Craig Hall of Deco-Pak as Vice President, Mark Butler of Vitax as Secretary and Guy Jenkins of DLF as Treasurer. In addition to these honorary role appointments, Phil Harrison of Evergreen Garden Care was also elected onto the Council following the resignation of Neil Sims at the end of last year.

Phil Harrison will join the rest of the Council members making up a full council of 12 representatives from the GIMA membership.

• Simon McArdle, Westland Horticulture –President
• Richard Pyrah, Kelkay – Past President
• Craig Hall, Deco-Pak – Vice President
• Guy Jenkins, DLF – Honorary Treasurer
• Mark Butler, Vitax - Honorary Secretary
• Chris Ramsden, Hozelock
• Matt Jackson, Mr Fothergill’s Seeds
• Dan Durston, Durston Garden Products
• Jenny Douthwaite, Primeur
• Martin Tompsett, Rollins Bulldog Tools
• David Nicholson, Elho
• Phil Harrison, Evergreen Garden Care.

Nigel Thompson of Sipcam, as the outgoing Treasurer, gave a short report on the 2019 GIMA year end accounts reporting a small loss during 2019, but also reporting healthy reserves to take it through the challenges it now faces in 2020.

Membership of GIMA is open to all manufacturers and suppliers of products to the garden retail sector, with a UK or EU base.

For further information about GIMA and the benefits membership brings visit www.gima.org.uk or contact the GIMA office on 01959 564947 or email info@gima.org.uk

 
Amazing recovery continues

After yet another good week for garden product sales, up 31% on last year, the GTN Bestsellers Garden products Top 50 volume index has come back to under 16% down year on year.  An amazing recovery after centres being closed of 8 weeks of peak season...


After yet another good week for garden product sales, up 31% on last year, the GTN Bestsellers Garden products Top 50 volume index has come back to under 16% down year on year.  An amazing recovery after centres being closed of 8 weeks of peak season.

 

This week in the GTN Chart we see the first evidence of a shift to garden decoration with seven garden lighting lines in the Top 50.

  • Gardman Ice Orb Light Mini, pack of 2 was a best selling re-entry at No 2.
  • Kaemingk Clear Solar LED Bulb was the highest new entry for the week at No 39.
  • Pots continue to sell well with the Woodlodge Spang Pot 3 inch moving 26 places up the chart to No 17.

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 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.

 

 

 
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 this week are here

 

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

 

Highlights of the GTN Veg-2-Gro 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.