The Greener Gardening Company works around the clock to meet exceptional demand for growing media

The Greener Gardening Company has experienced phenomenal growth as a result of unprecedented nationwide demand for compost – having successfully stepped-up production to satisfy demand from retailers who have been scrambling to secure stocks of quality growing media.

As lockdown eased, demand for compost soared, leading the company to report that it was 17% up on budget by the end of June, marking a 41% rise in sales compared to the same month in 2019. Consumers’ appetite for quality growing media continued to go through the roof in July, resulting in sales that were 98% up on budget.

To help retailers obtain sufficient stock to satisfy customer demand, The Greener Gardening Company is operating with 24-hour production throughout summer and into autumn, instead of scaling back to single shifts after peak season, as in normal years. The strategy is succeeding in building up healthy levels of stock that will ensure continuity of supply in the event of any future challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic – with the aim of having all garden centre stock on the ground by Christmas, ready for the 2021 season.

With supply issues affecting the entire growing media industry post-lockdown, The Greener Gardening Company has been working around the clock to ramp-up production in response to unprecedented demand. When the government allowed garden centres to re-open in May, lead times for compost across the sector extended to as long as six weeks, as consumers rushed to catch-up on springtime planting just as suppliers faced challenges in obtaining raw materials. Supplies of coir from India were subjected to delays, for example, while availability of composted bark, a key ingredient in peat-reduced compost, was also hampered as wood mills had remained closed down during lockdown.

Despite the challenges, The Greener Gardening Company ensured that it was well placed to address supply chain requirements with socially distanced production, while 24-hour manufacturing helped to successfully pull lead times back to within two weeks – a situation that’s improving on a daily basis and is assisting retailers’ efforts to replenish stock.

The Greener Gardening Company’s Sales and Marketing Director, Steve Harper said: “The 2020 season has been unprecedented in every way, but despite the challenges, our team has pulled together to overcome every hurdle, helping the business to forge closer relationships with retailers and deliver sales results way above forecasts. As the UK’s largest manufacturer of peat-free growing media, we are pleased to report that our newest brand, Happy Compost, launched in 2019, has sold well into the marketplace, demonstrating the enormous consumer appetite for 100% peat-free growing media that’s proven to perform.”

The Greener Gardening Company’s 2021 portfolio will be divided into three distinct offerings, to help retailers to cater for their customer base while delivering clear messaging for consumers. An expanded Happy Compost range will lead the way in 100% peat-free innovation, while the company’s established Growise brand will meet demand for traditional specialist growing media. The buoyant market for volume-driven, multibuy-led offers will be enhanced by the company’s Richmoor garden professional brand.

Innovative and creative point-of-sale materials, including roadside banners and Correx boards, are available across all brands, delivering powerful messaging and enhancing brand identity instore, helping to drive sales at the point of purchase.

To ensure continuity of supply and efficient operation during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, The Greener Gardening Company has invested in a fogging system, so that offices and machinery can be regularly sanitised to keep facilities Covid-secure. The company has also brought in a policy of restricting meeting sizes, to enhance staff protection, in addition to social distancing measures throughout the business.

Find out more

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

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For more information, interviews or images please contact:

Kimberley Hornby      Tel: 07851610573      Email: kimberley@hornbywhitefootpr.co.uk

Marc Rosenberg       Tel: 07931645170     Email: marc@hornbywhitefootpr.co.uk

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Editors notes

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