plants, seeds and bulbs ‘Seeds are exciting’


Plants, seeds and bulbs are a key component of any garden centre’s offering.GCUspoke to suppliers to see how the market has been performing


W


e’ve seen a really positive start to the 2015/2016 season with autumn seed sales running 8-11% up on last year’s figures, giving us a confident outlook for spring,” says Thompson & Morgan head of retail sales Neil Sharpe.


Even more optimistic is Franchi Seeds of Italy 1783 director Paolo Arrigo. “We are up again, this year 30%, and a Franchi seed stand always pays for its space and often drags an outlet’s seed sales up,” he says. “We don’t (and won’t) sell the ‘standard’ varieties like Moneymaker, Sungold, Gardener’s Delight etcetera as we don’t want to water down our offering of regional varieties which customers really appreciate.”


There have been a variety of factors behind the category’s performance.


“Mild weather has certainly helped, but we put the strong start down to our continued development of innovative, high-impact point of sale to support our core range of premium seeds,” Neil explains. “We have also put a fresh focus on themed feature displays aiming to increase client turnover through impulse and targeted sales through 2016.”


That emphasis on retail merchandising has focused on key times of year. “Our themed displays tie in with current trends and industry marketing campaigns,” Neil says. “Many have a seasonal aspect allowing retailers to refresh their seed offering through the year, generating seed sales outside the traditional windows of opportunity – our Sow Now hot spot display can be used to generate impulse


M&M Timber M&M Timber says its new merchandising


range of plant display and staging units has attracted a record number of enquiries and orders following its Glee showing. Pressure treated with Tanalith E preservative, the units


include benching for bedding and houseplants, tiered displays, trellis panels and dividers, product display tables, promotional end units and hexagonal and square modular table systems.


All are available as single units or multiples. M&M Timber also offers a bespoke design and manufacturing service, and will carry out on-site installation if required.


01299 832611 www.mmtimber.co.uk 20 | www.gardencentreupdate.com


seed sales every week of the year.” Paolo believes that consumers have reacted to Franchi’s approach and philosophy. “Franchi Seeds are just so exciting,” he explains. “Each one comes with a traditional use or recipe attached to it, and they are genuine – it is not marketing for the sake of marketing. Italians are passionate about food, we revere it; Italian regional food comes from the local varieties grown for generations and this passion comes across to our customers, they are inspired by our brand and the other products we offer which are made in Italy, not in Asia. “20 years ago people never looked at labels in supermarkets and shops but now things have changed and people are much more conscious about the provenance of their food,” he continues. “This is just feeding through into the seed market now and people are often shocked to hear where the seeds in their packets come from. But they know that Franchi Seeds are producers of about 80%+ of our own varieties and Franchi are guardians of over 150 varieties which are completely exclusive to us. Our varieties are unique and while all the other seed companies compete with the same varieties, our varieties are local regional varieties with provenance and not the mass produced varieties found in seed packets these days.”


Paolo also believes that people appreciate the company’s wider ethos. “We have lots of tie ups which help, so for example we are the only seed company actively promoting Vegetarianism in the UK,” he expands. “We are the only seed company that are members of


Empathy


Contains rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi. Using empathy BULB STARTER ensures the ideal biological conditions for bulbs to germinate, grow and flower. As well as rootgrow, BULB STARTER includes vermiculite to ensure good drainage in the basal root zone, seaweed meal to stimulate root development and humates as a source of organic acids for both the treated bulb and to enhance soil micro- organisms.


Simply sprinkle into the planting hole - Treats up to 50 Bulbs 01795 411527 info@plantworksuk.co.uk


GCU November 2015


the Vegetarian society and work closely with them and exhibitors at the Just V show, for example. We are the only seed company in the UK approved by Slow Food and we are the only seed company in the world who have ever exhibited at the Slow Food show ‘Salone’.


“We work closely with the Eden Project for whom we produced a seed range this year and we work with partners like the RHS. And that is not to mention the work we do with the Abergavenny food festival compering or speaking on stage, working with chefs and restaurants. We are very much ‘from seed to plate’, so for 2016 we will have everything from San Marzano


In-store merchandising can focus on benefits for gardeners, such as plants which are ‘perfect for pollinators’


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