big grower
Staying on the Technological Edge Wenke’s greenhouse management software, PICAS, has
product, and we’re trying to fi t that bill from the input side.” Wenke’s
is doing a lot with
packaging now, from bigger tags to POP. Packaging is a “silent salesperson.” A plant is not just a plant, Andy says. Growers need to offer quality plants regardless, but it’s the packaging that helps it stand out from other retailers.
Sustaining Success By embracing change, Wenke’s has
remained at the top of its game. Opening the retail operation was a tran-
sition within itself, and that business grew rapidly. Back in the day, they were making $25 a day, says Dennis. But today, about 30 years later, they are a force to be reckoned with in the Kalamazoo market. “It was a dramatic transformation,” he says. The company continues to look at sus-
enhanced their ability to communicate availability to their cus- tomers. “It’s a production program that the largest and best young plant growers are using,” says Lisa. “We’re able to send [cus- tomers] the availability based on what we have. They order based on that availability, and we send them what they wanted.” It may sound novel, but many growers simply ship what they have
or what looks nice, without looking at what the customer actually ordered. Wenke’s tries very hard to show the customer exactly what they have and ship what the customer wants. “That’s probably what we do differently than everyone else,” says
Dennis. “For a greenhouse this size, both North and South, to be able to take small, independent garden centers and give them what they want. Generally speaking, the bigger growers were never able to do that. We found a way.” It also increases their fl exibility: “We can even contact them now
and ask, ‘While we’re out of this, do you want us to substitute with that?’” Dennis says. Wenke spends a lot of time making sure their customers get what they want, and if they don’t get what they want, they can substitute. Another big difference between their greenhouse and others their
size is Wenke’s implementation of the sorting line. “If you’re growing for a national chain, your assortment is probably a lot narrower, and going to fulfi ll orders, it’s more cookie-cutter,” explains Andy. “With garden centers — the word ‘independent’ does have a lot of meaning to it — no two orders are the same.”
tainability, both how it applies to today and for the future. This year, Wenke’s will roll out a pilot program for recycling plastic carriers. “Our customers will have the opportunity to send back their reused plastic, and we’ll sort it,” says Dennis. Internally, on the production side, they have switched
from a lot of unit heaters to mini boilers, says Andy. “They are effi cient on both ends of the season when you have to heat a smaller area; we’re seeing a lot less consumption.” Moving forward, Lisa, Andy and Dennis will continue to
handle the majority of the business decisions as Lorence focuses on other projects. Lorence has been involved with Michigan politics for the past eight or nine years and is currently running for state Senate.
A self-proclaimed pessimist, Dennis commends Lisa and
Andy for their optimism within the business. “I think that’s a generational thing,” he says. Through transformation and growth, Wenke Green-
houses’ mission is always to “plan for the best year possible,” Dennis says. “We just want to continue what we’re doing: bigger and better every year.” ■
Jasmina Radjevic is managing editor
Grower. She can be
jradjevic@sgcmail.com.
reached at (847) 391-1004
of GPN’s Big or
24 GPN 2010 Digital Resource & Buyers Guide
www.gpnmag.com
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