the big interview


Crest Garden won three titles at the GIMA Awards 2018, with head of marketing Natalie Searle (centre left) and sales director Andy Abraham (second left) delighted with the results


Building brands and helping gardeners


Aſter taking home a trio of titles at the GIMA Awards 2018, Crest Garden head of marketing Natalie Searle and sales director Andy Abraham discussed the business’ growth and plans for the future


he Crest Garden team had plenty of cause for celebration at the GIMA Awards 2018 in July, as the business, founded less than five years ago, took home a trio of titles.


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The company won the Gardenex Export Achievement Award for its international growth with its Kent & Stowe tools brand, the Growing, Planting Equipment and Sundries product category with the Flopro Irrigatia Eco Smart reservoir system and the award for Best Point of Sale Material for its Kent & Stowe ‘Love Your Lawn’ display stand.


“The GIMA Award wins were a real vindication of our approach,” says Crest Garden head of marketing Natalie Searle. “We’re still such a small team, with 14 people across the company, so we’ve got a long way to go. When you’re at the GIMA Awards, sitting next to E.P. Barrus, with Wilkinson Sword, and with Hozelock behind you, big companies, it was amazing for us to have our efforts be rewarded and to take home three awards.”


To win the Best Point of Sale Material award was especially pleasing, Natalie adds, as it was an area that Crest Garden has focused on. “When you’re in a garden centre, there isn’t always going to be a salesperson on hand to help you,” she explains. “It’s not such so much about drilling information at people, as it is


4 | www.gardencentreupdate.com


about helping them. The Love Your Lawn material that won tries to appeal to the many types of gardener that you get, from amateur to professional, with simple advice and pictures that help them take care of their lawn 12 months a year.


“If it’s frosty, stay off your lawn. If it’s hot and dry weather, don’t mow it. We’re not ramming information, or even the brand, at people, we’re helping them along the way.” That is indicative of the company’s wider approach, Natalie adds.


“We’ve teamed up with David Domoney, who is our brand ambassador, and you will see more from that partnership in the coming months,” she explains. “He’s done a series of really helpful videos;


taking care of your lawn, demystifying tools and, again, not saying you need to buy specific products, but just providing advice. We thought it would be a fresh way to help people – if they then choose to go and buy Kent & Stowe, great.” David’s enthusiasm for gardening has been a particular positive which comes across in the materials Crest Garden has produced. “For me, there was no other choice,” explains


Natalie. “He wants to get everybody gardening. He supports lots of charities, like the mental health charity SANE. He’s trying to get everybody excited about getting out there; it’s good for


mental health, it’s good for physical health, and it’s enjoyable! He’s so enthusiastic about it. “I’ve been there filming videos, I could be with him for eight hours, but he makes me want to go home and garden at the end of the day. He has that effect because he’s so enthusiastic and passionate.”


Kent & Stowe tools have also appeared on ITV’s Love Your Garden. Natalie adds: “Seeing Alan Titchmarsh using Kent & Stowe tools is great for us. What we want is this traditional style brand, to start to become a trusted, known brand.”


‘What we deliver is a retail solution’ The success is encouraging, and the business is keen not to rest on its laurels. There is a desire to keep improving, and to garner feedback from garden centre customers as well as gardeners themselves. Natalie comments: “An advantage of having


a smaller team is that if someone rings us, they come through to our office. If there is an issue, they can speak to the brand manager. We take feedback on board. We’re a small team, but we want to continue offering that high level of service.


“What is lovely about gardeners is they ring to give positive feedback and say how much they like products too.”


GCU September 2018


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