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GIMA
GIMA’S LATEST
A new product round-up from o r rst s ow o t e seaso
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Another successful Garden Press Event is under our belts and the early-spring sunshine which shone on the event was hopefully a herald of a great season to come in the gardening world.
There were so many excellent new launches fro e ers rst amongst which was the winner of this year’s Best New Product Award, Wildlife World, for its Natural Rubber Cell Trays. With the Plastic Packaging Pledge uppermost in our minds ahead of the new government tax this April – and sustainability leading the agenda for consumers, retailers and manufacturers alike – the timing of the launch could not have been better.
The large contingent of garden journalists and editors who attended the event obviously agreed and voted in their droves for this hero product.
The Real Soil Company, which is riding high on the sustainable wave with its peat-free SuperSoil, has extended its product range with an all-new 100% organic and natural Vegetable & Fruit Topsoil, a rich blend of topsoil and soil improver which enables plant crops
to thrive from day one and deliver higher yields. The Real Soil
Company found themselves inundated with inquiries from press keen to support this sustainable alternative to peat, as did neighbouring stand-holder, Carbon Gold, which also offers excellent peat-free growing media and was keen to show journalists exactly what its organic topsoil is made of.
New GIMA member, GUANORGANIC, was deli hted to e at its rst showcase, presenting its unique organic fertiliser which comes with a compelling backstory, having been utilised in Peru for hundreds of years, since the time of the great Inca civilisation. Nutrient dense and 100% natural, the non-polluting fertiliser consists of easy to apply and safe to handle Guano pellets – excrement of seabirds – which combines well with any type of topsoil or compost and is suitable for use on soil anywhere on an allotment or garden, within growing containers, veg trugs or plant pots, either outside or in the house.
Johnsons Lawn Seed exhibited its market leading lawn seed range, complete with brand new digitalised packaging featuring scannable QR codes on the front and back of all their grass seed boxes. The packaging retains Johnsons’ distinctive and instantly recognisable branding whilst incorporating the new
technology designed to facilitate the customer experience.
Another new GIMA member, Hex Living, was present with a large stand on the round fl oor of the usiness Design Centre, close to the spectacular display put together by Dobbies Garden Centre. An offshoot of parent company, Alpha Manufacturing, Hex Living is offerin a enuine ade in ritain ran e of steel garden sheds, boxes, bin shelters and planters, which come with a lifetime guarantee.
Its hero product, Hixon, is the ultimate stora e solution a aila le in e
substantial sizes and ideal for storing bikes, garden furniture, garden equipment and other household tools. Constructed from a 0.5mm thick, high grade, powder coated, galvanised steel, Hixon is ultradurable and maintenance free. Suited to a myriad of garden and patio environments, it is modern in design and comes in two stylish yet subtle colourways, anthracite grey and sage green.
Spear & Jackson launched new line extensions and reinforced its move to sustainable packaging ahead of April, when the Government’s plastic packaging tax comes into play. “We are getting rid of as uch superfl uous pac a in as possible and where we can be replacing
plastic with cardboard, including labels, and using less adhesive,” said Karen Abbott. “We have reduced the plastic packaging used in transit and at point of sale and have also changed the packaging on certain product SKUs, including secateurs, which no longer have full plastic blisters, only the tops are covered. It’s more of a challenge on larger items which need more securing to stay in place.” The Kew Garden range is leading the sustainable charge for Spear & Jackson.
Whilst the scale of the plastic free challenge for many manufactures is si ni cant aren elie es it could e even harder for garden centres to replace single use plastic plant pots with good, affordable alternatives, and to make the transition to peat-free soils.
Jardinopia had a raft of new launches on display, including bamboo eco-pots, reed diffuser ornaments, tools, workwear and bags, some of which formed part of its new Beatrix Potter licensed range, following on from the successful launch of its Peter Rabbit and Friends potty feet at Glee. The range also includes high quality secateurs, gardening gloves, gift sets and other items, all complete with the fully recycled, plastic-free packaging which Jardinopia has used since its launch four years ago. Acknowledging it was ahead of the game with its plastic-free pledge, Jardinopia national sales and account manager, Mark Hewitt, commented: “More and more customers are demanding zero plastic packaging, with the National Trust and RHS, for example, both looking at entirely plastic-free supply chains within three years.”
Jardinopia also introduced its rst isney licensed ran e at the show, which involved painstaking work with the licensor but will surely “open the door to all retailers”.
Leon Boots Co. was busy throughout the event as journalists queued to nd out ore a out their ultralight wellingtons, with the ankle boot design proving especially popular with consu ers and fl yin off the shelves at garden centres up and down the country.
Woodlodge presented a lovely new collection of solar lanterns alongside new garden sundries and extensions to the Emberwood range, all designed to capitalise on the booming outdoor living trend, extending evenings outside with atmospheric lighting.
Woodlodge’s new Honey & Wild additions are also poised to set the trend for garden décor in 2022, with brand-new insect hotels and bird feeders that will e ene cial for wildlife and ecolo ical balance in the garden. Then there is the Wooden Hedgehog House to help protect Britain’s favourite native animal, whilst the reignited love of garden birds for many people will see sales of the new range of wooden bird houses soar. Also brand new at the show were solar mirrors in both contemporary heart and gothic church designs and solar wall art in the form of utterfl ies and dra onfl ies. lso on display were new designs in the RHS licensed collection of pots and planters, which are sure to be a hit with garden centres throughout the country.
For long a sustainable-living star, Primeur was een to e tol the ene ts of its unique borders that bend, non-slip stepping-stones and ultra-lightweight decking, all made from recycled rubber tyres. he new ulty ec range was also on display, showing how it can be the ideal solution for all manner of outdoor jobs, from full-scale patio and terrace projects to offering a tidy decking space for bins or offering muddy ground protection outside a shed or caravan. Another highlight for fans of sustainable living could be found on the Sipcam Home & Garden stand, where the ecofective® range is proving more popular than ever. Best known for its ‘Child and Pet Safe’ credentials, the ecofective® range has won the favour of le ions of shoppers as the ene ts for both the family, wildlife and planet are easy to see.
Nigel Thompson, head of sales at Sipcam Home & Garden said: “More than e er retailers are loo in to nd supply partners that have a transparent approach to not just product development but also sustainability and positive environmental practices, with ecofective® repeatedly hitting the mark. It’s an exciting time for the brand.” ◗
More than ever, retailers are loo ing to fi nd supply partners that have a transparent approach
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