2020 is declared a ‘record year’ for compost by The Greener Gardening Company

Leading growing media supplier hits last year’s turnover in just six months, led by the unstoppable rise of peat-free compost and boom in lockdown gardening

Leading growing media supplier The Greener Gardening Company has hailed 2020 as a record year for sales of its portfolio of peat-reduced and peat-free growing media, despite the immense challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The company behind the innovative Happy Compost, Growise and Richmoor growing media brands hit the equivalent of 2019’s entire turnover within the first six months of 2020, as demand for compost skyrocketed due to the soaring popularity of gardening during lockdown and throughout the ongoing pandemic.

The Greener Gardening Company’s National Sales Manager, Jason Pike, said: “We have witnessed a massive increase in demand from not only from our existing customer base, but from new customers who are eager to stock the 100% peat-free Happy Compost brand, which is being doubled in size for 2021 to help retail outlets drive growth. Pre-season orders have been exceptionally strong – already double the number of orders that we would normally receive at this point in the calendar. This heightened demand is a clear vote of confidence from retailers in The Greener Gardening Company’s product offering, with current retail outlets and new stockists taking steps now to ensure that they’re prepared for the expected upturn in business when next year’s gardening season gets under way.”

Not only has demand for growing media surpassed all expectations, but the sales season has extended well beyond its traditional spring and early summer peaks – with orders for compost flooding in late into September. The company’s freshest brand, Happy Compost, has been at the leading edge of delivering growth, as Jason Pike explains: “Within the garden centre sector alone, we have seen a seven-fold increase in peat-free YTD, alongside huge rises in peat-free sold through all channels. The Happy Compost brand is at the forefront of this revolution and, by providing garden retailers with a real point of difference and a genuinely innovative and cutting edge brand, the drive to increase volumes of eco-friendly growing media has gained unstoppable momentum.”

To assist retailers in captitalising on expected growth in compost categories during 2021, the Happy Compost range will expand for next season, with new products including Enriched Top Soil, Farmyard Manure, Lawn Soil, Composted Bark and three grades of Chip Bark being added to the Happy brand, renowned for its distinctive livery and commitment to helping retailers and consumers to realise their peat-free ambitions.

Earlier this autumn, The Greener Gardening Company reported that sales in June were up by 41% compared to the same month in 2019, while July came in at 98% up on budget, as retail outlets sought to obtain additional stocks of quality growing media to satisfy huge consumer demand post-lockdown.

With Covid-19 resurgent in many regions of the UK, presenting further challenges for retail outlets in affected areas, The Greener Gardening Company is confident that its strategy of continuing with 24-hour production well into autumn will ensure that substantially enhanced levels of garden centre stock will be the ground by Christmas, enabling retailers to place orders with confidence ahead of the 2021 season.

Find out more

To find out more about The Greener Gardening Company’s leading range, please visit www.thegreenergardener.com

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