The newest responsible sourcing event in Europe for the gardening industry, Source Garden, has reported a very successful and fruitful first show that brought together global manufacturers with wholesalers, brands, and retailers hoping to establish the groundwork for their new garden product lines.
This week at the NEC Birmingham, Source Garden—which ran alongside Glee—welcomed thousands of visitors, including those from Sainsburys (Argos), B&Q, Kingfisher, Decco, Tesco, Blue Diamond, Aldi, Hozelock, The Very Group, Wayfair, Kaemingk, Plants and Plants UK, British Garden Centre Group, Millbrook Garden Centre, Haskins Garden Centre, RSPB, Longacres Garden Centre, St Peters Garden Centre, UK Leisure World, Smart Garden Products, Sturmer Garden Centre, Home Bargains, and many more. They came to see the quality of materials firsthand and to speak with conscientious exhibitors, all of whom had undergone auditing.
“We’re really pleased with our launch show; we’ve seen some fantastic buyers from across retail, eager to meet new, responsible manufacturers and discover new products,” says Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Garden. Visitors can feel completely reassured knowing that each exhibitor has recently undergone an audit, and reports indicate that during the last three days, many nice talks have taken place.
“As I browsed the show, I noticed many products that would be great additions to new lines, such as Dehua’s creative 3D printed porcelain vases, compostable paper seed pots, vibrant solar-powered blown glass garden lights, pet gift items that would look great in any store, wildlife houses that will bring life to the garden, and faux floral outdoor decorative designs that will look great in any outdoor area. I also noticed a lot of products that are part of the ‘grow your own’ lines. That’s before we discuss the variety of garden building tools and high-quality equipment.
In addition to being well-attended, our Ask the Expert sessions gave our show offer a new perspective. We have laid some excellent groundwork for developing further for the show the following year.
Positive feedback was received from the show floor. Ningbo Jingyou Photovoltaic Technology’s Yicong Li states, “We are a Chinese solar light manufacturer that was established in 2009.” Our specialty is low-cost, environmentally friendly solar lighting, such as high-lumen security lights, wall lights, and ground lights. Because of its perfect climate for solar lighting and plenty of sunlight to properly charge our devices, the UK market is crucial to us.We anticipate receiving orders after the event, and we’ve had several fruitful interactions at the exhibition. We can’t wait to come back next year because this show has given us a great platform.
Tainjin Lotov Industry Co. Ltd., an exhibitor, sends Laura Zhang to Source Garden with the goal of growing their brand in the UK market. We already have some British clients, therefore the UK is a crucial market for us to investigate. We produce a variety of pet supplies, such as scratching posts and cat toys. Today, we had fruitful talks with prospective clients, and a large number of them expressed genuine interest in our offerings
The Vietnam Trade Office in the UK funded a Vietnamese Pavilion, which was a first for Source Garden. “This is an excellent opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to access the international market, showcasing high-quality, eco-friendly products that reflect the rich cultural heritage of Vietnam,” says Hoang Le Hang, First Secretary of Commerce, Vietnam Embassy to the UK. Vietnamese producers showcased a wide array of items at this year’s show that are certified for sustainable forest development and created from materials cultivated in Vietnam. The items include materials, plant care technology, and garden ornaments. This has been a fantastic chance to meet new business partners, develop global product distribution networks, and promote Vietnamese businesses in the global market.
“I’m thrilled to bring our first Vietnamese Pavilion to the show,” Ellingham continued. Their reputation for producing excellent wooden furniture, both indoors and outside, is outstanding. Now that many of the biggest distributors in the UK are looking to go into emerging markets, Vietnamese companies can take advantage of this and establish enduring relationships.
“We’ve had an amazing launch event, and our platform will enable some amazing companies to grow their business.”
Go to www.source-garden.com to learn more.
