L atest P r o duc ts M eet th e Br and
MEET THE BRAND
DURSTON GARDEN PRODUCTS Director Dan Durston shares the family business’ impressive growth and its ambitions for the future
How was urstons fi rst ounded Durstons has been in existence for over years. uilla urston ou ht the rst piece of land in 1860. He cut peat by hand for fuel and delivered it door to door with a horse and cart. Making a move into the growing media category became an obvious step. Throughout all of this, it has always been family owned with six generations of the family having been involved in its longevity. How would you descri e the com any A lot of changes have taken place over the last 160 years, not least the transformation of our manufacturing processes from manual to fully automated, backed by a state-of-the-art facility that has both production and packaging capabilities. hese facilities ena le us to not only ful l our annual orders but also to be highly adaptable to customer demands. Recognising that the highest possible product quality counts for a lot, the team has also made it its mission to ensure customers are fully supported with all aspects of orderin ful l ent and stoc in . hat roducts does it su ly The Durstons offering is focused on delivering quality, UK-sourced growing media products. The current range includes volume ranges such as multipurpose compost plus a leading peat-free
50
Garden Centre Retail April/May 2022
Meet the brand.indd 50
offering. Additionally, we offer four John Innes composts, specialist composts including seed and cutting, tub and as et ul re rose tree and shru and ericaceous options. Adding even more value for retailers is Durstons’ soil additives, bark, grow bags and vegetable planters. The aim is to provide a product portfolio that provides a true one-stop shop of core and added-value growing media ranges. hat are urstons’ Ps With its origins as a family business – and its desire to maintain this status – it has created a unique position within a market so often dominated by the big corporates. For the company, customer service, UK manufacturing, ability to adapt and responding to needs during the season, provides us with a real point of difference. t is proud to ha e een one of the rst growing media manufacturers to introduce 100% recyclable packaging, and is also proud of ‘Gro Boost’ – a unique organic additive which stimulates growth and features in the majority of our products. This specially-formulated blend of organic materials from renewable sources allows Durstons to be less reliant on peat whilst providing plants with a vital nutrient boost. How is it incor orating sustaina ility Durstons currently has a long-term vision for incorporating sustainability with a peat-
free future at the heart of this. The team is working hard to expand its peat-free offering without compromising on quality. ill urstons e attending any trade shows this year We will be attending Glee in June. Glee is an important part of our annual marketing calendar as it supports us meeting with existing and potential customers. The exhibition is a great way to network and engage in important conversations. hat can we ex ect in This year will focus on developing our peat-free offering with new introductions joining our portfolio. Besides this, we will be focusing on ensuring our customers’ needs are met. After two crazy years, we have been working hard behind the scenes to stay ahead of forecasted seasonal demand. We have over 40% of our annual stock on the ground and have doubled our production capacity so no matter what this season holds, we are ready to respond. ◗
Contact
Durston Garden Products Tel: 01458 442 688 Email: info@durstongardenproducts.co.uk Website: durstongardenproducts.co.uk
www.gardencentreretail.com
06/04/2022 16:50
