GTN July 2016

garden Advice and information for garden centre professionals

JULY 2016

www.gardentradenews.co.uk

trade news

SOLEX 2016: it’s the biggest and best yet Tuesday 5-Thursday 7 July, NATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE, BIRMINGHAM

editorial@gardentradenews.co.uk

garden trade news • SOLEX PREVIEW • JULY 2016 SOLEX 1

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SOLEX 2016 exhibitor round-up

Barlow Tyrie (stand 315)

Style and comfort from the world’s oldest teak specialist Barlow Tyrie, which recently celebrated its 96th anniversary, is making its ninth appearance at SOLEX, having supported the show since it started.

The company is the world’s oldest manufacturer of teak garden furniture but also makes ranges featuring stainless steel, powder-coated aluminium, and hand-woven synthetic fibre. Ranges often feature a combination of materials; chairs with a stainless steel frame and teak seat and back, for example, or tables with a powder-coated aluminium frame and a teak top; a ceramic tabletop on an aluminium frame, or cord on its teak Monterey chairs.

“Whichever materials we use, we make sure to source the best available, and to combine ergonomic design with manufacturing expertise,” a spokesman told GTN. “Our aim is to make outdoor living as comfortable as it is stylish. www.teak.com 01376 557600

Cadac (stand 500)

Cadac reports strong UK growth Cadac, the South African barbecue company, continues to show rapid sales growth in the UK. With a range of easy to build, easy to use and easy to clean barbecues these clever, versatile modular barbecues continue to gain market share in the UK. The award winning Braaimaxx has enjoyed its’ strongest sales yet. Featuring two independent cooking areas with a complete range of drop-in modular tops included, the Braaimaxx is a real hit with the professional outdoor chef. www.cadac.uk.com 0333) 2000 363

Cadix (stand 655)

Cadix diversifies into furniture Cadix, best-known as a leading supplier of contemporary pots and planters for home and garden has launched a range of garden furniture for the 2017 season. To be previewed at SOLEX, the range aims to offer something different to fill a gap in the market. Cadix say the modern garden is now more than just an addition of status or value to the home; it is an extension of living space to enjoy with family and friends and requires furniture, planters and accessories to satisfy this trend. Cadix is planning a range of accessories such as lighting, statues, mirrors and clocks to complement its furniture and planters. www.cadix.co.uk 01440713704

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5-7 July, NEC Birmingham

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Char-Broil (Stand 335)

Best Buy barbie headlines 12 new products from top US supplier Char-Broil and Dancook will be showcasing more than 12 new products.

Centre stage will be the new-to-market Char-Broil T-22G gas barbecue, which has just received a Which? Best Buy. Char-Broil, a family-based US company, has been making barbecues since 1948 and offers a brand portfolio of gas and charcoal grills plus the Big Easy SRG – an all-in-one smoker, roaster and grill – plus a comprehensive range of matching grill accessories.

The company is also an innovator in infrared cooking technology. Its industry-leading TRU-Infrared™ ensures an even distribution of heat every time, without flare-ups and locks in flavours.

Ian Railton, Char-Broil and Dancook’s European MD believes the Which?

Best Buy proves that Char-Broil technology makes a real difference to the cooking and flavour of barbecued food. “Our Char-Broil and Dancook ranges for 2017 are set to be our strongest yet,” he said.

The Dancook range is founded on the Danish tradition of cooking outdoors. The simple, unique products are manufactured in solid materials in a stylish design. www.charbroil.co.uk 01993 705217

Leisurebench (Stand 235)

Furniture designed for the rough and tumble of commercial usage Leisurebench’s Tolix Style range is made from extra thick plate for commercial strength and durability. Unlike most on the market, the steel has been electrogalvanised before powder coating. The galvanising helps to prevent rust, even if the outer powder coating is damaged.

The chairs can be mixed and matched

editorial@gardentradenews.co.uk

and are stackable. There is a choice of blue, grey and red colours (size w44 x d45 x h85 cm). The table is grey (w80 x d80 x h75cm ISOTOP table tops are new thin edge sleek designs with an elegant and comfortable smooth satin finish that will match any decoration and are new additions to our range. Resistant to all types of

weather conditions, scratches, cigarette burns and stains, they are also dampproof and heavy enough to withstand gusts of wind. The table top is also customisable with digital printing. www.leisurebench.co.uk 01949 869511

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SOLEX 2016 exhibitor round-up

Norfolk Leisure (stand 215)

Watch out for new collections in best-selling LIFE range Norfolk Leisure has gone from strength to strength since last year’s SOLEX, with innovative new ranges and a move to new premises at the beginning of this year, enabling further improvement in customer service levels.

New collections for 2017 are being readied for launch at the show. MD Nick Anderson believes the new LIFE collections are the most exciting Norfolk has shown for several years. “It has taken a huge amount time and effort to put together the new products we will show,” he told GTN. “LIFE garden furniture is now a proven best seller with its unmatched design and unique features and this year’s new launches will not disappoint.”

Committed to staying ahead of seasonal trends in the garden furniture industry, Norfolk will launch a collection called “Handpicked”, an eclectic selection of ‘must have’ lines for 2017.

A new catalogue will be available and the company says it will display its distinctive ranges with all the flair its customers have come to expect at SOLEX.

Above: Tahiti lounge set. Below: King six-seat set with taupe cushions.

www.norfolkleisure.co.uk 01553 811717

La Hacienda (stand 115)

There’s more fire in Casablanca...

La Hacienda will be launching additions to all its ranges for 2017 at SOLEX, building on this season’s successful lines to drive the outdoor heating and outdoor living categories forward.

Following recent trends in outdoor heating, it will launch several new chimeneas and firepits, some designed to hold more fuel and thus increase the size of the fire. Among them is the Casablanca contemporary chimenea (left), currently selling well for La Hacienda in Australia for a market leading retailer. New firepits include further models with deeper bowls and the addition of cooking grills, including the Moroccan inspired Moresque design. Other developments in Magnesia firepits, clay chimeneas, outdoor lanterns and garden décor will be introduced www.lahacienda.co.uk 01285 762060

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5-7 July, NEC Birmingham

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Outback (stand 325)

Newcomers all set to shine...

Four additions to the Outback barbecue range – in the latest exclusive stainless steel design – are set to shine at SOLEX. Buyers have already signed-up for the new top-of-the range Outback Signature Series, with four4- and six-burner models exceeding their sales targets in the first three months following their UK launch. The Signature provides the ultimate in grills, griddle, roasting and rotisserie cooking, and is delivered pre-assembled on its own pallet.

Responding to three-year research results, Outback have also introduced stainless steel versions to the Jupiter 4 and 6 burner barbecues (right), where up-to-date design includes a new roasting hood and sear side burner, auto ignition and a digital meat thermometer. www.outbackbarbecues.com 07795 422871

Supremo (stand 520)

New sustainable material shows the way forward Supremo’s success with ‘Colour your life’, its innovative fabrics and parasols in pastel colours, placed it on the map as a supplier of something different, while keeping design and comfort to the forefront.

For 2017, there are fresh new ranges and a greater emphasis on ecological issues. The new Resysta by Supremo Collection, uses a material that has been 10 years in the making and has all the good-looking attributes of wood without the inherent drawbacks. Resysta is low maintenance, salt water resistant, weather resistant, frostproof, resistant to pest infestation and fungal decay and, importantly, no impact on tropical rainforests. This material is made into high quality furniture that leads the way in design and durability, together with other products suitable for the garden.

Visitors to the stand will be among the first to see this new innovative new product and discuss it with the Supremo team.

Above: Bari lounge dining set with Lemon scatter cushions and Mint parasol.

Right: Resysta eight-seat table and chairs set.

www.supremouk.com 01952 671100

Woodlodge (stand 255)

Woodlodge to debut with new garden furniture range Woodlodge, the UK’s leading supplier of garden pots and experts in horticulture products and gardenware, will be unveiling its new outdoor living collection at SOLEX. The unique range includes charming sets of tables, chairs and benches and has been designed as part of Woodlodge’s Heritage Garden range, encompassing elegance and originality, inspired by English garden culture and the need for comfort and practicality.

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An impressive collection of bespoke firepits will also be unveiled at SOLEX. The distinctive designs, ranging from fibre-resin structures to rustic cast iron basins, built to suit diverse garden styles whilst bringing a touch of originality to any outdoor space.

Michael Wooldridge, director at Woodlodge, said: “The horticulture industry continues to evolve as gardens and patios are utilised in new ways. We pride ourselves

on responding to these developments, creating products that meet users’ needs whilst exploring new design concepts in line with our reputation for quality and style.

“This is our first year at SOLEX, and we’re thrilled to be presenting our growing ranges amongst the high calibre of exhibitors and attendees.” www.woodlodge.co.uk 07836 741401

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SOLEX 2016 exhibitor round-up

Napoleon Grills (stand 120)

Patioflame Tables turn up the heat New Patioflame Tables are launched this year by Napoleon Grills to complement its range of charcoal and gas barbecues. The five models provide a choice of styling; traditional (the Victorian), and modern (the Hamptons).

The Victorian range offers three models; Rectangular (81cm x 127cm x 63.5cm), Square (106cm x 106cm x 63.5cm) and Round (dia 106cm x 63.5cm) and all have a bronze finish, with an SRP of £699.99.

The Hamptons comprise Rectangular (81cm x 127cm x 63.5cm) and Square (106cm x 106cm x 63.5cm). Both come in a contemporary grey finish at SRP £649.99.

Made of aluminium, they all have a single stainless steel burner with electronic ignition. The flame height is adjustable for both warmth and ambience and a thermo couple valve shuts off the supply when the flame is extinguished. Other features include a protective lid and adjustable feet for

uneven floors. Additionally the propane tank can be concealed inside the table base.

Martin Sobey, UK sales manager, said: “Wolf Steel has been producing stoves and heating appliances for over 30 years so it was a natural progression to expand its existing barbecue line to include outdoor

Leisuregrow (stand 515)

Customers get a say on 2017 launches Buyers will be treated to a choice of new products for the 2017 season from LeisureGrow under its LG Outdoor brand. The team has worked carefully to expand on this year’s bestsellers and respond to customer feedback in the new products.

New for weave in 2017 is the grand LG Outdoor Saigon Grandé (below) which offers an extra-large, grand lounging/dining option, with deep, luxurious cushions. Also on show will be LG Outdoor’s new glass-topped tables in its Cast Aluminium range, which were inspired by new trends coming from the USA. NEW for 2017, LeisureGrow is delighted to launch NOMA Garden Art. The NOMA Garden Art brand uses the technological expertise from Christmas lighting experts NOMA to create a stylish and exciting new range of outdoor solar and battery-operated lighting.

heating. We hope this range will help extend the time that consumers can enjoy being outdoors, either grilling at the barbecue or socialising.” www.napoleongrills.co.uk 01676 522788

solex snips Historic brand Primus will showcase its new ‘CampFire’ range, a collection of portable double burner stoves, 18/8 stainless steel pots and high quality accessories for the camping, outdoor and garden markets. See them on the stand of sister company Rosker, a long-established Primus distributor. www.primus.eu

www.leisuregrow.com Information: 01462 744654

Pagoda by Munro (stand 445) Pagoda rattan, steel, aluminium and Textilene products will be on display, along with new barbecues. Munro has been able to reduce prices on the Toulouse rattan range without sacrificing quality. All products are rigorously checked by inhouse inspectors. www.pagodafurniture.co.uk

Kadai (stand 250) New for 2017 is The Kadai Trunk, to keep firebowl and accessories safe and secure. Available in three sizes – for Kadai’s 60cm, 70cm and 80cm firebowls – it is a functional space saving design with a separate tools compartment. www.kadai.com

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JULY 2016

INSIDE T H I S I SS U E

SOLD! With Dobbies being sold to Private Equity, but not to Wyevale owners Terra Firma, and rumours that Notcutts is definitely not for sale, GTN’s chart of the leading garden centre groups by number of outlets has a familiar look to it rather than the dramatic change we had speculated about in the past two months.

The successful bid of £217m for Dobbies came from a Private Equity Fund, Midlothian Capital Partners, set up 18 months ago purely with the intent of acquiring the 35 garden centre business from Tesco plc.

Director Neil Currie told GTN: “We couldn’t be more thrilled.

Dobbies is a great business that is a lifestyle concept, not just a horticultural and catering business. We see this as a long term opportunity and investment.”

“We’ve been to every store and know where we can get growth with love and attention, plus England is our oyster. At the moment we don’t have a presence in Manchester, Leeds and London, and that’s just the start.“ The team may be US and UK based but they certainly seem to have done their homework. Neil explained: “We’ve not loaded the business with debt, we’ve set editorial@gardentradenews.co.uk

Celebrating Greatness Who triumphed in GTN’s Greatest Catering Awards?

Full results & pictures p2

our stall out with room to grow and allowed for a lot of seasonal flexibility. We know there can be years like 2013.”

So what now for Wyevale Garden Centres? Terra Firma boss Guy Hands made no secret of his determination to buy Dobbies. It was seen as a vital part of the company’s growth before sell or float.

The rumours about Notcutts appear to be unfounded as GTN has been told of two other approaches from potential purchasers that have been firmly rebuffed.

So how will the state of the nation change going forward?

Will the other suitor for Dobbies, Edinburgh Woollen Mills, look to buy Wyevale instead? Will Wyevale sell off some of their

smaller sites and concentrate on the more profitable destination centres?

From the feedback received

by GTN many suppliers have breathed a sigh of relief with the news of the Dobbies sale and the ongoing security of the Edinburghbased head office team.

We wonder who are the wealthy UK investors who have backed the Dobbies purchase.

Could some of them have UK garden centre experience and knowledge? Would Sir Terry Leahy, who was CEO at Tesco plc when Dobbies was bought in 2007, have a stake in the business that he always said had great potential?

Below: Leading garden centre groups by number of outlets.

June 2016

May 2015

Group

Outlets

Change since May 2015

1 2 3 4= 4= 6 7 8= 8= 8=

1 2 3 5 4 6 7 10 = 8= 8=

Wyevale Garden Centres Dobbies Klondyke Blue Diamond Notcutts Squires Hilliers British Garden Centres Cherry Lane Hillview

153 35 24 18 18 15 12 10 10 10

6 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 1

8=

10 =

Home & Garden

10

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GIMA Charity Golf Day Who won this year’s GIMA golf day? Find out in our full report p8

Smell the coffee Discover the secrets of success when it comes to great coffee p16

Service with a smile

How to make sure your customers are greeted in the right way p20

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Celebrating The Greatest!

Lisa Faulkner, cookery author, presenter and actress, presented GTN’s Greatest Catering Awards at the HTA Catering Conference dinner last month.

The 2010 Celebrity MasterChef winner first established herself as a leading actress starring in numerous high profile TV dramas including Holby City, Spooks and Dangerfield. In 2010 Lisa won BBC 1′s Celebrity MasterChef and has since gone on a remarkable food journey.

Co-host Trevor Pfeiffer, Managing Director of Garden Trade News, said: “Our team of experts have travelled thousands of miles from Caernarfon to Norwich and from Aberdeen to the South Coast to meet more great catering teams than ever before.

“The Greatest Catering Awards are all about teams of people, for catering teams that excel in garden centres. From the many teams we met, garden centre catering standards are being pushed higher and higher – with teamwork and the drive for excellent customer service giving our customers some of the best dining experiences in the UK. Garden centre catering is simply great.”

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The Greatest Garden Centre Catering Teams Finalists: Barton Grange, Bents, Chessington, Deepdale, Fron Goch, Green Pastures, Loch Lomond, Mains of Drum, Perrywood, Planters Tamworth, Poppies Oban, Squires Badshot Lea, Stratford Garden Centre, Timmermans, Tong, Trentham Blue Diamond, Walkers Nurseries, Woodside Plant Centre.

Team with less than 150 covers: Bronze – Woodside Plant Centre, Silver – Poppies, Gold Award – Green Pastures.

Team with 150 to 300 covers: Bronze – Timmermans, Silver – Mains of Drum, Gold – Fron Goch.

Team with more than 300 covers: Bronze – Squires Badshot Lea, Silver – Trentham Blue Diamond, Gold – Bents.

The Greatest Afternoon Tea Experience Team Finalists: Fron Goch, Green Pastures, Mains of Drum, Perrywood, Poppies Oban, Squires Badshot Lea, Walkers Nurseries, Woodside Plant Centre.

Winners: Bronze – Woodside Plant Centre, Silver – Squires Badshot Lea, Gold – Green Pastures.

The Greatest Garden Centre Coffee Team Finalists: Deepdale, Fron Goch, Loch Lomond, Poppies Oban, Tong, Trentham Blue Diamond.

Winners: Bronze – Deepdale, Silver – Fron Goch, Gold – Poppies Oban and Trentham Blue Diamond.

The Greatest Garden Centre Chef Team Finalists: Barton Grange, Bents, Green Pastures, Mains of Drum, Perrywood, Squires Badshot Lea, Timmermans, Tong.

Winners: Bronze – Tong, Silver Award – Green Pastures, Gold – Timmermans.

The Greatest Garden Centre Front of House Team Finalists: Barton Grange, Chessington, Fron Goch, Mains of Drum, Squires Badshot Lea, Stratford Garden Centre, Timmermans, Tong.

Winners: Bronze – Barton Grange and Chessington, Silver – Timmermans, Gold – Fron Goch and Squires Badshot Lea. SECRETS Of SUCCESS Smell the coffee p16 It’s time for tea p18 MasterChef p19 Service with a smile p20 editorial@gardentradenews.co.uk

in touch Big Boost Challenge proving the big flower gains!

More and more people are taking the Baby Bio® Big Boost Challenge and seeing the amazing difference for themselves.

Along with bloggers on The Growing Family [http://growingfamily.co.uk], The Middle-sized Garden [http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk] and The Blackberry Garden [http://www.blackberrygarden.co.uk] our own consumer adviser, Anita Dent is taking the challenge. The results are dramatic. A small change to the watering routine delivers BIG flower gains.

Taking the Challenge is easy Just plant 2 similar containers: 4Water both throughout the season as normal.

4Add a little Baby Bio® Outdoor to the watering can for one container every fortnight.

Then sit back and see the difference!

Taming the beast at the HTA Catering Conference Catering is a beast. The customer is king. It’s all about cake, coffee and hot food. Coffee is a culture. Casual diners still expect excellent service. Local is a given nowadays.

These were the sounds of the HTA Catering Conference, sponsored by Vision Commercial Kitchens, that took place at The Belfry Hotel and Resort, near Sutton Coldfield.

Catering is an unusual, exciting, fast-paced beast that operations managers need to get behind if they want to move forward. This was the call to action by Pippa McKean, Director, McKean Consulting, who opened the conference and reminded delegates that we’re now very much a hospitality industry as well.

Over the two-day event delegates heard tips, advice and case studies that they could apply to their own businesses…

4Build a team of naturally positive people who smile and good service will follow. Top tips from Fred Sirieix, General Manager, Galvin at Windows, who treats service like a religion, included: be charming first, greet editorial@gardentradenews.co.uk

your customers with five smiles, give service with a magic touch, say thank you, and have two staff briefings a day.

4Financial issues are trending in catering, but there are several ways to combat this by making cost efficiencies; the design and flow of your kitchen is a good place to start.

4Aim for fast food naturally, said Henry Dimbleby, Co-Founder of Leon Restaurants. Fast food can be good food too, but, it’s all in the detail – right staff, food cost, offering and consistency.

4Make your garden centre a place for the community to gather. To make a good cup of coffee you need to get the basics right – a good machine combo and a skilled barista. Don’t waste your milk!

4Top ten food service trends were – grab and go, have three locations (garden centre, airport, workplace), offer wellbeing, serve afternoon tea and all day breakfast, make it personalised, go with the cafe culture, adapt to technology, try global flavours, consider delivery, find a partnership, and follow the trends not the fads.

Consumers are getting involved Competitions on media platforms including Good Housekeeping, Your Home, House Beautiful, Garden Answers, Garden News, Grow Your Own and Kitchen Garden are encouraging consumers to take the Challenge. The response has been incredible!

Readers have been taking part in the thousands, keen to take the Challenge and see the amazing results for themselves!

The number of responses has regularly beaten expectations by 50% and on one occasion more than doubled the anticipated number of entries.

Consumers are getting excited about the Big flower gains they can get with Baby Bio® Outdoor.

Going crazy on Facebook We have been giving away the iconic blue watering can in the ‘crazy month’ of giveaways on Facebook. These eye catching watering cans have become synonymous this year with the Baby Bio® Big Boost Challenge and the amazing results you get with a little Baby Bio® Outdoor in the watering can – plants can achieve 70%* more if given the chance.

Find out more on the microsite: www.babybiooutdoors.co.uk The Baby Bio® Outdoors microsite is perfect for consumers. As well as giving them the information they need about Baby Bio® Outdoors it also tells them when and how to feed. Our research has shown consumers are not sure about feeding and often do nothing because of this uncertainty. We’re giving them the information they need so they can help their plants realise their full potential.

Baby Bio® Outdoor has all the nutrients plants need and its unique formulation, which contains biostimulants, means plants can take them up and use them to the absolute max. www.facebook.com/BabyBioPlantFood

www.BabyBioOutdoors.co.uk

*compared to unfed.

Baby Bio is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience Ltd.

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gtn news digest Your catch-up guide to the past month Who’s that Guy with Miss Moneypenny?

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show was a hotbed of speculation about to whom Tesco was to sell its Dobbies chain of garden centres. Most people plumped for Wyevale Garden Centres ....but how wrong can you be, as this issue’s front page reports.

When this picture of Guy Hands, boss of WGC’s parent company Terra Firma, posing with Miss Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) on the Gold Medal winning Burncose Nurseries exhibit (which he sponsors) was taken, he declined to answer questions.

Garden centres struggling says Crocus chief – What?

After winning a Gold Medal at Chelsea, Crocus.co.uk co-founder Peter Clay told listeners to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake Up to Money programme that he thought UK garden centres had “significantly struggled over the past five years.” He went on to say; “I don’t think it’s been a happy time to be in the garden industry. I think that the traditional garden sector is very dependent on key dates in the calendar so the majority of garden centres really rely on successful bank holiday weekends and all you’ve got to do is have a bit of a wash out of a weekend and that can seriously damage sales.” We politely referred him to GTN’s Bestsellers charts, on which the All Products Index has risen year-on-year for four out of the past five years, with 2015 7.1% ahead of 2011. And the weekend of 7-8 May this year was the busiest on record!

HTA to re-locate to Oxfordshire in October

The HTA announced it would be relocating to Chilton, Oxfordshire in October, after a long search for suitable premises. HTA chief executive Carol Paris said: the association had long outgrown its current premises in Theale and the new HQ would provide a better working environment and greater opportunities which members would be able to benefit from.

Hillview buy Scotland Nurseries in Derbyshire

Hillview Garden Centres announced the acquisition of Scotland Nurseries in Derbyshire, owned by Peter and Yvonne Reynolds, expanding the group to 10 centres located across middle England.

Hillview CEO Boyd Douglas-Davies said the centre, above Tansley village, on the edge of Matlock, was a well run family business that fitted well with his group’s portfolio. Douglas-Davies added that Hillview was looking to grow the group further and would welcome approaches from operators.

critical in his new role as he focuses on defining the future strategy of the operations function whilst working to maintain the company’s much improved service levels.

Sapcote centre owner buys Sharnford site

Sapcote Garden Centre owner Andrew Porwol has acquired a second centre at nearby Sharnford. Alexander Mackie Associates arranged the sale of Sharnford Garden Centre & Nursery (formerly Four Winds Nurseries) to Mr Porwol for an undisclosed sum. The 0.4ha site, with 2000 sq.m. of polytunnels and 400 sq.m. of glass, is on the B4114 Coventry Road/Bumble Bee Lane and traded largely as a wholesale nursery. Mr Porwol intends to create a retail operation to complement the Sapcote centre, which employs 50 staff.

The previous owner, Stephen Banks, is to pursue business interests overseas.improve customer experience and plan exciting projects and expansion.

Leighton Buzzard is Home & Garden’s 10th site

Leighton Buzzard Garden Centre became the Home and Garden Group’s tenth centre. Home & Garden’s owner and chairman Paul Chessum also owns Chessum Plants, one of Europe’s largest rose growers. The garden centre business is run by his daughter, Karen Gill, and son, David White. Leighton Buzzard GC, started in 1994 by brothers Stuart and Martin Hammond, will be run by Home & Garden on a 15-year lease. David White said the new operators wanted to maintain the centre’s family atmosphere and planned to invest in new stock, polytunnels and other developments to improve the shopping experience. Among the enhancements will be a new Blossom Café coffee shop.

Grange win out at GIMA charity golf day

Twenty teams battled it out for honour of being crowned the GIMA Charity Golf Day champions at Telford Hotel and Golf Resort, with Grange being presented with the winners' trophy by ex-professional footballer Steve Kindon. Steve, who starred with Wolves, Burnley and Huddersfield in the 70s and 80s, joined players on the course and hosted the prizegiving and auction in the evening. The proceeds of this year’s event will be split equally between the Greenfingers and Perennial charities.

Alyson Haywood joins Van Hage at Great Amwell

Alyson Haywood has joined Van Hage as general manager of the prestigious Great Amwell garden centre. “It’s a fantastic opportunity,” she said. “I’m sure there will be many challenges ahead but I’m determined to put Van Hage Great Amwell back at the forefront of the garden centre industry where it belongs.” Alyson has more than 25 years experience in the industry, having been MD of Moreton Park Garden Centre and regional operations manager and head of horticultural quality control for Wyevale Garden Centres.

Gardman appoint operations director

Gardman appointed Matthew Payne as operations director. His experience includes senior roles with a number of blue chip organisations including Boots and XMA (Westcoast Orion). Most recently, he was European head of distribution at Scotts Miracle-Gro, where his role saw him accountable for six warehouses and 11 transport operations across Europe. His knowledge base will be

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Full versions of these reports first appeared in GTN Xtra, our weekly e-newsletter mailed direct to registered email addresses to keep readers in touch with industry news as it happens. To register, send your email address to: trevor.pfeiffer@tgcmc.co.uk and put ‘GTN Xtra’ in the subject line.

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GIMA Charity Golf Day hailed as great success Twenty teams battled it out for honour of being crowned the GIMA Charity Golf Day champions at Telford Hotel and Golf Resort on Thursday with Grange being presented with the winners’ trophy by ex-professional footballer Steve Kindon.

Steve, who starred with Wolves, Burnley and Huddersfield in the 70s and 80s, joined players on the course and hosted the prizegiving and auction in the evening.

The proceeds of this year’s event will be split equally between two deserving causes and this year the funds will go to Greenfingers and Perennial.

The result: Teams 1st Grange, 90 points 2nd Westland A, 87 points (on countback) 3rd Woodlodge, 87 points Booby prize, Smart Graden B, 49 points Individuals Beat The Pro: David White, Brian Archibold, Mike Kynd, Mark Dedman, Steve Ainscough, Charles Stubbs, Taj Ghala, Phil Burgoyne, Greg Holden, Chris Norris, Roger Cumisky, Gary Kenyon, Gerard Smit, John Lawton, Rod Slater, Simon Neate, Neil Blake, Richard Newton, Martyn Olsen, Paul Crossley, Gary Price, Pete Bunker, Tony Blake.

Nearest the pin: Gerard Smith (2), Rod Slater, Andy Bunker.

Longest Drive: Phil Burgoyne.

Straightest Drive: Simon Hedley.

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gtn promotion

NOMA Garden Art launches at SOLEX LeisureGrow will launch its newest brand – NOMA Garden Art – at this year’s SOLEX. The brand uses the technology and expertise from the Christmas lighting experts at NOMA to create a new range of stylish, innovative and on-trend battery and solar-powered garden lighting, with floor, table, wall, and hanging lights available.

Modern Metallics: On-trend industrial-style range includes copper lanterns with rice lights, and solar-powered LED filament bulbs that stick into the ground.

Rustic Emporium: Classic meets eclectic range with metal lanterns complete with battery-operated pillar candles.

Woodland Walk: Natural, rustic and full of woodland textures, this range includes realistic ‘wood-effect’ logs and blocks with inset solar-powered lights.

Starry Nights: A touch of North Africa, with whimsical mirror-covered lanterns and monochrome designs.

Solar 360: We’ve developed our unique Fit & Forget battery technology to work alongside our new solar range of garden lighting.

NEW from LeisureGrow for 2017 LeisureGrow always aims to excite buyers and consumers with the newest trends and innovations, and 2017 is no exception, with a wide choice of new products for the 2017 season along with old favourites.

NEW WEAVE: The grand LG Outdoor Saigon Grandé offers an extra-large, grand lounging/ dining option, with deep, luxurious cushions, available in a contemporary colourway.

NEW CAST ALUMINIUM: The LG Outdoor Canterbury range features a delicate cast aluminium design and new glass-topped tables which give cast aluminium a whole new lease of life.

NEW TEXTILENE: The LG Outdoor Vienna, Andorra and Geneva collections have a fresh look, in hand-painted grey, cocoa and cream colours, and new padded textilene for a luxurious feel.

NEW LG OUTDOOR LIVING: NEW to LG Outdoor Living is the Dali Indy Swing Seat – a brand new contemporary designed textilene product which allows users to swing independently.

NEW GRILLSTREAM BBQS: Grillstream Barbecues for 2017 have all been designed with a monochrome finish, made from stainless steel and featuring unique Grillstream technology for perfect BBQ cooking and less mess every time.

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gtn promotion

2017 Showroom now open As this issue went to press, the GTN team was treated to a sneak preview of LeisureGrow’s new 2017 Hertfordshire showroom. Set across 800m2, LeisureGrow’s showroom features all of its outdoor living brands, including the full range of LG Outdoor products, its Greenroom range, Living accessories range, and new for 2017 – NOMA Garden Art lighting – making the showroom a must-visit for every outdoor buyer.

Jody Grimmer, managing director for LeisureGrow, said: “It’s great to meet new people and see new faces at shows like SOLEX but what we really look forward to is the chance to show people around our

showroom – it gives us a chance to get to know customers better and find out how we can work with them in terms of range and product development, and we hope it gives customers the chance to get a real feel for the kind of family business we are. We’re continually investing in our showroom to give buyers the best experience possible when they visit, and this year we’re bigger and better than ever before.”

Call 01462 744654 to arrange a showroom visit or get a taster for LeisureGrow’s range at SOLEX Stand 515, www.leisuregrow.com

New products on display include the LG Outdoor Saigon Grandé which offers an extra-large lounging/dining option, with deep, luxurious cushions.

Following its launch at SOLEX, LeisureGrow’s newest brand – NOMA Garden Art – is also available to view at the showroom. The NOMA team have used their technological expertise to create a range of stylish, innovative and on-trend battery and solar-powered garden lighting, with floor, table, wall, and hanging lights available.

Other new weave products on show included the LG Outdoor Heritage Highback Dining Modular set, with its comfortable high back seats, EDEN weather-proof cushions, and contemporary bench seating.

Following a positive response to the launch of LG Outdoor Living last year, LeisureGrow has expanded the range for 2017 with some new products that are sure to be popular, including the Egg Chair collection.

Call 01462 744654 to arrange a showroom visit or come and see us on Stand 515 at SOLEX www.leisuregrow.com

NEW LOGO: We thought it was time for a change. We’re still the same LeisureGrow team, but look out for our new corporate logo on our emails and stand at SOLEX. editorial@gardentradenews.co.uk

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Bonnington Plastics

Major re-brand will set Bonningtons on “We are about to make huge changes that will make the market and our customers stop and re-evaluate us as a major supplier”

fast track

...and garden centres are key to growth

B

onnington Plastics, owner of the volume-selling Kingfisher garden and home living brand, has announced ambitious plans to accelerate turnover and widen its appeal to a more premium target market.

The company, named earlier this year as one of the UK’s 100 fastest growing SMEs, will unveil a major re-branding next month and says garden centres will be key to its plans to increase revenues by at least 10% a year over the next three years, with £50 million an achievable goal.

Turnover has soared by 60% to more than £26 million since 2012 as owner Ian Fisher has quietly re-built his senior management team to create a robust platform on which to re-launch the business.

Fisher, who owns Bonningtons with his brother Mark, says that while great progress has already been made, the developments planned will make even this seem insignificant. “The next stage is limitless,” he said.

Details of the re-branding are due to be revealed next month but visitors to SOLEX will have a glimpse of the first two brands in the new-look product portfolio, designed to meet higher quality market needs than those served by the Kingfisher brand, which is retained.

Later in the year, Fisher promises an aggressive trade marketing campaign at Glee, with significant incentives for the trade to engage with the project.

Fisher has put people at the heart of his drive to create a company that has now come of age, boasting integrity, quality and trust as its core values. He believes it’s the company’s supportive approach to staff welfare, training and development that will drive future growth.

“The Dream Team”, as the senior management team is known internally, comprises managers experienced in their respective fields and who have contributed massively to Bonningtons’ rapid progress.

They have introduced more professional and efficient systems that are appropriate for the larger corporate organisation Bonningtons has now become. They include an industry-leading trading website, a

The Dream Team Ian Fisher (joint owner and Chief Executive, above) You’ll find the declaration “I am part of The Dream Team” on the ID lanyards of all staff at the Nottingham HQ. It all starts with Ian Fisher and his people-centric approach. Fisher has provided an on-site gym, where which staff are encouraged to use free of charge. “I want people to be well,” he says. The Dream Team has allowed Fisher to relinquish some day-to-day duties – he does less buying these days and says a “more feminine touch” on the buying team has improved product selection. He is also full of praise for the way his finance director, sales director and operations manager have developed systems and solutions to ensure the company can operate with confidence to meet the increasing expectations of a growing customer base.

Navision business management system, new logistics and service strategies and the establishment of a China office with 25 employees.

In the medium term, development plans will focus on sales and marketing , with the creation of a new brand position to reflect the business’s changes and ambition, new category brands, trade exhibition presences (including SOLEX, Glee, spoga + gafa,

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Harrogate Fair and Spring Fair) and redevelopment of the 8,000 sq.ft Nottingham showroom.

Longer term, customer service and support systems will be further developed as customer needs grow.

“We are about to make huge changes in the business that will make the market and our customers stop and re-evaluate us as a major supplier,” Fisher said.

info@gardentradenews.uk.com

gtn promotion Paul Cavanagh (Finance Director) With previous experience at Spirit Group and Britannia Building Society (not to mention 10 years as a restaurant manager at McDonalds), Cavanagh joined in 2012. Since then he has installed a new Navision ERP system, and put up TV screens to feed live stock and order status all round the building, ensuring lightning quick reactions to hourly changes in the order book and deliveries. He has re-financed the business twice, most recently with HSBC. “It’s given us the headroom to expand so we are not constrained by finance,” he said. “It means we can hold plenty of stock.” A new approach to consolidating orders in China also means the company can be more responsive when demand changes (for example because of the weather).

Annie Bancroft (Customer Relations Manager) Bancroft joined Bonningtons from university as a temp receptionist six years ago and is now developing a major new customer relationship program to deliver “the best inbound customer enquiry response in the market”. “In the past customers were directed to different departments according to their needs. By centralising all customer issues within one department, we are trying to improve customers’ overall experience.” A single direct point of contact for all customer enquiries was introduced on 1 June, drawing positive feedback from staff and customers alike. Bancroft says the department, currently three people, is likely to grow massively after the company’s re-branding as customer numbers rise further.

Sergio Tartaglia (Sales Director)

Mark Mettam (Operations Manager, below)

Has been with the business since 2003 and is currently driving a complete reorganisation of the sales teams to meet the business’s ambition in the garden sector.

Joined in 2013, following experience at M&S, ASDA and Amazon, which he left because he wanted to work for a more family-orientated business. “My job was to make the warehouse operation more slick and professional,” he said. Around 30 staff report to him. “To be honest, it was a bit chaotic at first but people saw how we could improve our discipline and we saw some results very very quickly as the team grew in confidence,” he said. Next-day delivery is now a reality for most customers who order by 12 midday – and Mettam says the 98% on-time deliveries benchmark he experienced at ASDA is within sight.

Jane Lawler (marketing consultant) Has been working with Fisher for several months to develop the brand and communications strategy, as well as help support the internal change process and develop good working practices within the sales and marketing teams.

facts & figures Turnover was £26m in 2015 and is expected to reach £29m this year.

There are 80 staff in the UK and 25 in China Owners Ian and Mark Fisher are passionate about maintaining an independent business and have no plans to sell.

Currently strong in independent DIY and discount stores, the company is looking to the garden centre market for future growth.

The trade website has 10,000 visits and 250 orders each month and accounts for more than 10% of the business

The 250,000 sq.ft warehouse handles 30 inbound containers and 800 outbound pallets every week. It has 20,000 pallet spaces.

The sales team of 16 includes a new threestrong national accounts team servicing groups and multiple customers. A field sales manager is being recruited.

info@gardentradenews.uk.com

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Alexander Rose leads the way in garden furniture design Alexander Rose has been at the forefront of garden furniture design and manufacturing since 1994, and has gained a reputation as a market leader for high quality wooden furniture.

For over 20 years the company has designed classic wooden benches and furniture sets using a variety of durable FSC hardwoods and softwoods.

The timber is carefully selected for its properties, so Alexander Rose is confident it can offer the best wooden furniture you will find on the market.

Alexander Rose is now proud to introduce the new Heritage Range, which is a collection of eight separate pieces crafted from beautiful Mahogany.

The range comprises a six-seater dining set and a four-seater lounge set, which includes both a matching coffee table and a side table.

Also available are a four and a five foot deep-seated bench with the same striking latticework design on the back. Cushions are available in a choice of either natural clay stripe or lilac stripe, to complement the feel of any garden.

As with all Alexander Rose ranges focus has been placed on design and durability, ensuring that the Heritage Range will remain a focal point in any garden for years to come.

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awards

GTN’s Greatest Garden Centre Coffee Teams

Smell the coffee!

Poppies of Oban and Trentham Blue Diamond were crowned GTN’s Greatest Garden Centre Coffee Teams.

Here you can discover the secrets of their success...

Coffee is key at Trentham Coffee is a huge part of our offerings in Blue Diamond restaurants and has been identified as key product for customers at Trentham Garden Centre near Stoke on Trent.

“Our coffees are made by specially trained barista staff so our customers know that they will get quality coffees throughout our restaurants,” says Mike McGlynn, of Trentham Blue Diamond.

The garden centre offers its customers a choice of: Americano, Latte, Cappuccino, Mocha, Expresso and Macchiato.

Shots of syrup can be added to coffees and the flavours are as follows: Vanilla, Amaretto, Mint, Orange, Caramel, Chocolate and White Chocolate.

“When these syrups are added to the coffees served and done by barista trained staff this gives our customers the quality assurance that we strive to achieve at all times,” adds Mike.

The favourite coffee at Trentham? “Based on our customer sales most will go for Latte or Cappuccino with Latte sales shading it.”

Just popping in for a coffee People will often call into Poppies for ‘just a coffee’ and end up returning home, having had a full lunch and with a car full of plants.

“At Poppies our customers are of great important to us,” say owners Gary and Marion McPherson. “We work tirelessly to provide a very high level of service while trying to be the best at everything that we do. A quality coffee plays a vital roll in our business.

“We have an amazing coffee machine and ensure that we use only freshly roasted coffee beans. However, the most important part of the jigsaw is our staff. Staff are the key to any business success story – if you look after them they look after your customers. They will travel for miles for our coffee.”

“Coffee training to barrista level is a must at Poppies. We have over 17 different coffee combinations on offer and our staff take pride in ensuring consistent quality in every one that they make.”

So what’s your favourite coffee? “It has got to be a skinny mocha,” admits Marion.

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awards

GTN’s Greatest Garden Centre Coffee Teams

It’s time for tea Green Pastures Garden Centre in Norfolk won two golds in GTN’s Greatest Catering Awards – Greatest Afternoon Tea Experience and Greatest Garden Centre Catering Team (less than 150 covers). Owner James Debbage reveals how his team did it.

How important are your afternoon teas to your catering offering?

We see it as a brilliant opportunity to grow our restaurant sales and have put a lot of effort into developing it. Although we’ve only been open a year we’re already filling up all our seats at lunchtime on a regular basis.

We’ve decided to develop afternoon trade when the restaurant would normally be quieter to bring extra income and footfall for the site. Having a very individual afternoon tea gives us a very unique marketing opportunity to exploit.

Do people meet up for your afternoon teas?

We have several large groups meeting every so often – a few of these are now opting to meet for afternoon tea instead of lunch.

What makes your overall food and drinks offering so special?

We see our restaurant as one big team effort of everyone in the business and not just the guys who work in the kitchen and front of house. Some of our farm shop and garden centre staff also help out in the restaurant, and we also involve restaurant staff in working in other departments too.

The garden centre staff spend a lot of time during their quieter months growing fresh and unusual ingredients for the restaurant and we’re also involving some restaurant

team members in this operation too so they get to grow it as well as prepare it.

Having a farm shop and a small farm also makes an incredible difference as all our activities are ‘joined up’ and involves lots of different stages of the food story. We are tremendously lucky in having a passionate and motivated team who always give 100%.

How key is catering to your overall business?

It’s huge. The restaurant is nearly 50% of our overall business and when you add farm shop sales to that it makes food and drink sales a very large slice.

Do you make teas a special event?

The way we present our afternoon tea creates a real ‘wow factor’ and makes a perfect treat. We’ve produced specific afternoon tea gift vouchers and it has proved popular. Now we have an alcohol license we are looking at offering a range of alcoholic upgrades – for instance, local sparkling wine served in an ice bucket.

What’s on the menu?

We provide a very wide selection of sandwiches and cakes with every afternoon tea. We feel the wide variety is one of the things that makes it unique. Cakes are a good variety of miniatures rather than a small variety of larger ones.

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MasterChef

awards

Timmermans Garden Centre in Nottinghamshire won the prestigious GTN’s Greatest Garden Centre Chef Team prize.

Greg Timmermans-Delves explains how his team did it.

“The secret of our success is hard work and constant input with my chefs/catering staff, although I don’t find myself cheffing full-time in the kitchen as much as I used to. Every day I do check quality, discuss ideas and make sure waste is kept to a minimum.

“I am very lucky to have some talented chefs who are passionate about what they do. We encourage them to experiment and try out different dishes, both for the customer’s experience but also to cultivate the chef’s creativity and professional development.

“I have a great team in the kitchen and I’m pleased to say that we hold each other in high regard with a huge amount of respect for one another. This is due to the fact that both my wife Sophie and I work very hard in our business, alongside our team, with strong communication and leading from the front.

“We also champion the use of local suppliers and high quality ingredients. By working with our suppliers and constantly reviewing prices, we are able to keep our costs down. This is vital as our catering offer is based on an ‘everyday luxury’ ethos, which means keeping prices reasonable and affordable for the customer while we maintain a gross margin of 75%.

“All of our dishes are

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homemade from scratch, cooked to order and our fabulous selection of cakes and puddings/ desserts are all homebaked.

“We have a standard everyday menu, which includes breakfast (until 12pm), stonebaked pizza (we make our own dough), house specials, ciabattas, sandwiches and treats etc. We also have a daily specials menu, which is where our chefs get to showcase their fabulous fresh cooked food using local produce.

“The restaurant is of great importance to our business as it has helped Sophie and I turn the garden centre into a year round business, accounting for nearly a third of turnover and boosting growth overall. In 2010, catering only accounted for 15%.”

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awards

GTN’s Greatest Garden Centre Coffee Teams

Service with a smile What’s the secret behind winning GTN’s Greatest Garden Centre Front of House Team? Who better to ask than Melanie Sewell, of Frongoch Garden Centre.

How important is the front of house team to your catering offering?

I believe our success is down to the equal weighting we give food quality and service quality. One without the other does not give the customer sufficient reason to return.

When you get both right, and exceed your customer’s expectations, you’re on to a winner.

How do you ensure that your staff always have smiles on the faces?

I’ve found the easiest way to achieve this is through recruiting naturally happy, smiley and confident individuals. I also ask them which station they prefer to work at, as this inevitably gets the best out of them. I am also quick to correct when poor service is given, and give an example of what would have been great service, and how that would have made the customer feel. Lastly, I’m always looking to praise great service given, or when it’s been a particularly tough day, to thank them for working so hard, and to

Do you give staff special training in this area?

Yes, absolutely. First of all we begin with staying at your station, and ensuring we greet the customer and smile before the customer does so to us. Secondly, we work on talking and asking questions in sentences, to ensure we come over as being friendly, e.g. “Would you prefer white or brown toast with your breakfast?”, as opposed to “white or brown toast?”

acknowledge what a hard day it was. I aim to praise more often than I correct less desirable behaviour.

You also won the Greatest Garden Centre Catering Team award - what makes your catering so special?

I believe we tick lots of boxes: friendly, cheerful, bilingual (Welsh!), and caring service; a pleasant and comfortable environment for customers; a fresh food offering that reflects our customer base; wonderful, all homemade cakes; and a quality hot and cold beverage offer.

GTN’s Greatest Catering Awards were sponsored by...

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back office

Business matters

Glee event director Matthew Mein poses the question...

Are you ready for Glee?

I cannot believe I am now counting down to Glee in weeks and not months. The last year has flown by and we are now on the precipice of the 42nd annual Glee exhibition. I know that for many of you now is the time that you will really start to focus your attention on your time at the show; from considering which new products will take centre stage, to developing your show-offers and prepping your team so that they are raring to go once the doors open in September.

To help make things a little easier we have compiled a list of hints and tips to help make Glee 2016 as hardworking and profitable as it can be.

Think differently about your new products Glee is the annual hub for new product launches from across the core gardening, outdoor living and landscaping sectors. Each year thousands of new products are launched to market at the show which is great for the industry but no doubt a hard task for retailers to see them all. It’s therefore really important that you consider how new products are displayed on your stand. Think of ways to create stand-out, but more than that be sure to add information in regards to POS, what’s different, why should retailers stock this product, and why will consumers want to buy it.

Retailers have only a few short seconds to decide to come onstand to view products so give them every reason to make it yours. Think big pictures, impactful branding and informative and inspirational supporting information.

DON’T FORGET! The Glee New Product display is also a great place to showcase your products.

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an unrivalled judging panel made up of key retailers and industry figures deciding on the winners in each category your product will gain real and tangible exposure throughout the show.

Make the most of Glee’s PR & marketing opportunities Behind every Glee is a team of people dedicated to making sure exhibitors get as much out of exhibiting as they can. From PR to marketing, social media and creating content for gleebirmingham.com, there is a wealth of opportunity for exhibitors to maximise – most of which is completely free of charge! Getting involved in these opportunities largely involves a small investment of time but can deliver really big results.

Team work matters From making sure that your team are all well turned out, to ensuring everyone on stand knows your product offering inside out is essential to a successful show. Buyers appreciate that sometimes part-time staff are drafted in to assist during the show, and of course they cannot know

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everything. But ensuring they know the basics will always help. Also make sure catalogues are on-hand so if a buyer has to wait they can still be looking over your product offering in its entirety, which is surely better than losing them to your competitor.

Also – and here’s me putting my parent hat on – I appreciate that Glee is a great time to network with your team but please keep the hangovers to a minimum. Nothing says ‘unprofessional’ more than a bleary-eyed employee!

Get the little details right Your products will of course sit at the top of your ‘must remember’ list but don’t forget to include the obvious things too. From business cards to a folder to keep all showgenerated leads – these are the things that sometimes make the difference between success and failure. Amazingly I have heard from buyers who say they never received a followup call post-show, and when I asked the supplier why they informed me that no-one took responsibility for the leads generated during the show and any business cards collected at Glee were most likely thrown away! So, they effectively paid thousands of pounds to stand in the NEC for three days. Don’t let this be you. Please!

Also, create a check-list to ensure you know what you will have on-stand, particularly if you have booked a shell scheme. Our onsite logistic team, GES, will be able to assist with all queries relating to electrics, lighting, furniture and storage, whilst our i2i Assist team can help with any other query you might have – simply drop them a line at

YOUR GLEE 2016 ChECkLIST 1. YOUR ONLINE PROfILE ❑ Company description & logo ❑ Product library ❑ Product descriptions ❑ keywords ❑ Product trails ❑ Press releases ❑ Social media 2. MARkETING OPPORTUNITIES ❑ Download web banners, buttons & logos ❑ Visitor tickets ❑ Send us your product images ❑ Send Glee’s PR team your press releases ❑ Social media 3. PLANNING YOUR VISIT ❑ Accommodation ❑ Travel (air, train, taxi, parking) ❑ Insurance ❑ Visa Application (international exhibitors) ❑ Venue fAQs ❑ floorplan/show layout exhibitor.help@i2iassist.com or 0203 033 2401.

Your Glee Exhibitor Manual will include information on everything mentioned, plus more! Glee might only be a few weeks away now but there is still plenty of time to boost your presence at the show, and to update your thinking to guarantee a successful and profitable Glee 2016.

FiND OuT MORE To secure one of the remaining 2016 exhibition spaces at Glee 2016 please call me on 020 3033 2160.

To register for your free entry ticket to Glee please visit www.gleebirmingham.com editorial@gardentradenews.co.uk