In This Issue
Investment company set to buy Kent garden centre
Hampshire garden centre sold for undisclosed sum
Half-term spending in garden centres hits a high
10 great ideas for Garden Re-Leaf Day fund-raising
Grange Fencing's new Harwich hub creates 30 local jobs
Hare Hatch Sheeplands finally loses battle with planners
Bord na Mona is Wyevale group's supplier of the year
Chance to attend PlantFest at Hereford nurseries
Doris doesn't mess with Europlants
Andy McIndoe receives top horticulture award
Gardman's daffodil bird feeder campaign aims to top £200k
Dobbies and Decco CEOs to speak at GIMA day conference
New Dubai garden company to meet suppliers
Cardwell GC offers free meeting place for local community
A new lease of life for Longburton Flower Show
The Great Garden Re-Leaf Day Walk will be a doodle for this pair
Plant Assistant Manager
Plantaria Assistant – Lincoln
Garden Centre Manager
EPOS Manager (Staffordshire)
Garden Centre Manager (Kent)
Sales Support Advisor - Amenity (Hampshire)
Amenity Account Manager South (Home Counties)
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Plant feeds light up gardening sales
Death of former Country Gardens director David Good
Turtle Mat bought by Kleentex
SBM invests in marketing to drive growth
Young plants and herbs boost Veg-2-Gro sales
Manure sales up as gardeners get active
Primula lead the way as sales more than double
Thrive announce second charity ambassador
Scotts new charitable foundation will focus on environment and communities
BOPP achieves Resembling Status to GLOBALG.A.P.
New partnership with Thrive and Chiltern Seeds produces stunning Zinnia ‘Lilliput Purple’
Wilkinson Sword support charity attacked by arsonists
Pictures from the Greatest Christmas Gold-winning teams
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Special Afternoon Tea Party at Squire’s Hersham
Pugh's granted permission to build new farm shop
Four award winning products from Casual Dining Show
Situations Vacant
Plant Assistant Manager
Competitive salary
 
Read more»
Plantaria Assistant – Lincoln
Salary to be discussed at the interview
 
Read more»
Garden Centre Manager
A Competitive Salary
 
Read more»
EPOS Manager (Staffordshire)
Salary: £20,000 - £25,000
 
Read more»
Garden Centre Manager (Kent)
Salary: £30,000 - £32,000
 
Read more»
Sales Support Advisor - Amenity (Hampshire)
Salary: £18,000 - £22,000
 
Read more»
Amenity Account Manager South (Home Counties)
Salary: Excellent package
 
Read more»
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news. 

Email neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk, or trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 01733 775700


Four award winning products from Casual Dining Show
These could also be winners for garden centres too


Despite the ravages of storm Doris the GTN Food Xtra team managed to get to London on Thursday last week to check out the Casual Dining Show at the Islington Design Centre.

Whist the show is mainly taregtted at the pub and restaurant chain market, the clue in the name of Casual Dining means there was plenty of interest for garden centre folk looking for new ideas.  After all it is possible that garden centre's represent a bigger share of the "Casual Dining" market.  The show guide lists the Top 20 Casual Dining brands - Pizza Express at No 1 and Giraffe at No 2 - who have 3,033 outlets between them.  Assuming a universe of 1,500 garden centre restaurants puts us at the same size as 50% of the Top 20 Brands.  And if Wyevale Garden Centres were included as a Casual Dining Brand, they would be at No 7.

With so much to see we've focussed on 4 of the Innovation Award winners who were voted for by visitors on the first day and then had to pitch to a panel of judges on the Thursday.

Grab a Pizza the action - easliy...



Ascentia won a Gold Innovation Award for their F1 countertop "rapid cook" stone bake pizza oven.  With no extraction required and it doesn't use microwaves this could be the ideal way to add fresh pizza to your menu without having to build a full scale pizza oven.  The smaller version (see picture gallery below) can even be used using a normal 240V supply so that would be great for a "pop up" cafe out in the planteria this summer.  E-mail: neil.mantle@ascentia-fse.co.uk.  Website:  www.ascentia-fse.co.uk

Double Dutch - Refined, high quality soft drinks and mixers



If you're looking for a different range of mixers to sell alongside your wines, spirits in your food shop then the 100% natural, british made, range from Double Dutch could deliver with fruity and botanical links to boot.  Double Dutch Pomegranate + Basil makes a slightly sweet on the tongue drink comined with gin or vodka.  Cucumber + Watermelon is refreshing and soothes your gin or vodka.  Double Dutch Premium and Slimline Tonic Waters are made with the highest quality quinine and a subtle twist of botanical flavours.

E-mail: sales@doubledutchdrinks.com  Website: www.doubledutchdrinks.com

Fun pasta for "little customers"



With catering for young children becoming an even bigger opportunity on the back of soft play installations in garden centres the Amichetti with cheeses by Laboratorio Tortellini Kids could be a great way of keeping children and parents happy while eaing well and healthy.  All of the ingredients used to prepare the Amichetti are organic.  They are filled with cheese because "all kids love cheese" and the turtles, geckos, fish and ducks can be combined with almost any sauce to make meal time fun time.  We can see this on soft play cafe menus as well as special items for summer kids activity days.

E-mail: surgital@surgital.it  Website: www.surgital.it

Karma Cola is a Natural Winner



Karma Cola, Gingerella ginger ale and Lemony lemonade were Gold Award winners at the show and we reckon this range of 100% natural soft drinks can be a winner in any garden centre wanting to maximise on environmental, ethical, natural and wellness concepts.

The Karma Kola story began on a beach in New Zealand but since the cola nut comes from Africa a company was formed to find ingredients that were good for the land, good for the people who grow them and good for the people who drink and eat them. Karma Kola have built a bridge in the village where the project started in Africa and now provides funding to encourage other entreprenurial activities from the community that grow the ingredients.

Oh, they taste great too and boy were we happy to have some bottles with us to drink as we sat on a very slow train home.  As the Karma Cola story says "What goes around, comes around."

Email: sam@karmacola.co.uk  Website: www.karmacola.co.uk




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