Taking stock Each month an HTA member offers an insider’s view of the world of horticulture
Andrew Gould MD Seed Developments
Seed Developments is the world’s leading manufacturer of seed tapes and pre-sown associated products. Based in Somerset and employing up to 50 local staff, the company supplies major seed companies and distributors worldwide, and also specialises in supplying bespoke promotional seed products for marketing agencies and their FMCG clients.
www.seed-developments.com
What made you choose a career in horticulture? I am an accountant by profession and moved into the horticultural sector less than two years ago. I was introduced to Seed Developments just at the time I was looking for a new challenge. I was so taken by the business that I oversaw a management buy-in with three other investors. It has been fascinating getting to grips with the sector and evolving the business to meet the growing market for easy-to-use gardening products.
How has the industry changed? It’s an interesting time for the seed business: demand for conventional seed packets has declined, yet there is stronger demand for time-saving solutions such as plug plants, discs, carpets and seed tapes. This is especially the case with grow-your- own products as gardeners are more aware of the provenance of their food.
What do you think the future holds? Following the lead of trendsetters such as James Wong and Jamie Oliver gardeners are looking to grow more exciting varieties of seed. They want to focus on flavour rather than yield and on growing unusual produce that’s not widely available in supermarkets. These are all pleasing trends as our pre-sown products lend themselves to more diverse varieties. Our challenge is to continue to work
closely with seed companies to offer ever wider and more innovative varieties of vegetables, herbs and flowers.
Seed Developments’ innovative products make seed sowing simpler for gardeners
What will you be doing next month? We’ll be fulfilling large orders for a number of new seed companies as well as for our loyal customers who are rolling out their 2014 product lines.
What has been your most successful marketing event? We recently teamed up with seed distributor Pro-Veg Seeds and co-produced some sample seed discs for Formula 1 seeds for ASTA, a major North American seed trade conference. These samples stimulated unprecedented interest in our pre-sown seed products using a different and interesting range of top quality seeds. Simplicity is often the best and most effective marketing approach –you have to let products speak for themselves.
Do you have any advice for anyone wishing to enter the business? You have to have a head for numbers, yet be able to take risks, constantly innovate and push the boundaries. You need a forward-thinking approach to the market regarding new product lines and their applications.
How are you responding to environmental issues? Our seed products are 100% biodegradable, contain no chemicals and we are Soil Association approved to work
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with organic seeds. Our products are made from layers of biodegradable tissue paper sealed together –without glue or artificial additives –to avoid damaging the seeds or the garden’s ecosystem.
What legislation has given you the biggest headache? The different certification requirements for the export/import of seeds between countries such as Australia, USA and Canada is unnecessarily complicated. The legislation needs harmonisation asap!
In an ideal world, how would you like to see the gardening sector develop? Worldwide, consumers are increasingly keen to preserve native seeds, such as wildflowers and other traditional varieties, which is driving a demand for heritage seeds. It would be good to see this area develop to more mass-market offerings. To satisfy a personal bête noire, I would
like to see public bodies such as local councils stop using expensive plants for large expansive public spaces and, instead, use seed products, such as wildflower and perennial flower seed carpets. These products are much more cost-effective and far less wasteful.
If you would like to feature in a future Taking Stock, email
media.office@the-hta.org.uk
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