Vivagreen is crowned the 2016 GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund winners
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Since its launch in 2014, the GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund has already witnessed great success. It’s first two winners have both gone on to enjoy great commercial success; going from new brands to established and growing suppliers within the garden retail market. This same success is expected to be achieved by the 2016 winners.
The lucky recipient of this year’s prize package is Dublin based, Vivagreen. Impressing the judges with its MossOff product, Vivagreen beat off stiff competition to secure this year’s win. As winners they will receive support up to the value of £6,000 to help with development and marketing costs associated with entering the UK garden retail market, plus a year’s full GIMA membership, and a wide range of business support tools.
MossOff is a multi-surface concentrate that offers a new and totally unique biocide-free way of controlling moss and algae on all outdoor surfaces. The unique technology is chemical free and completely safe to children and pets as well as plant life and even fish and ponds. The concentrate dilutes easily and is simply applied using a garden sprayer or watering can fitted with a fine rose. The product is also available in a separate variant designed to take advantage of the specific lawn care market and provide dual merchandising opportunities as well as maintain rates of sale throughout the season.
Both products answer the growing consumer demand for garden control products that are easy and safe to handle but deliver consistent and reliable results. No special equipment is required to apply MossOff, consumers just need to choose a dry day so that the product has ample opportunity to dry to take full effect.
GIMA Director, Vicky Nuttall said: “We’re incredibly pleased to confirm that Vivagreen is the 2016 winners of the GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund. A truly innovative product, the judges were impressed with the simplicity of the product, as well as its dual-use that delivers results, whilst providing peace of mind for consumers. The fact that the product is also biocide-free and yet still beats chemical based competitor products, really stood out as a key USP. I’ve no doubt that Vivagreen will quickly become a core product for any garden retailer.”
In addition to choosing a winner, the panel also selected three highly commended companies. Those just missing out on the highly coveted title were:
Kikka Digga with its namesake product, the Kikka Digga: The Kikka Digga is a digging attachment tool for all garden forks and spades, which adds a footplate lever to the tool itself. The footplate is designed to reduce the physical strain associated with digging, as well as improving posture. Made from super strong material, the Kikka Digga won't break or bend, and makes it easier to dig compacted or hard ground.
easyMulch with its namesake product, easyMulch: easyMulch is a new, unique and innovative pelleted plant mulch made from natural organic British straw. It is easy to use and unlike most wood mulches easyMulch will not deplete soil nitrates. easyMulch pellets are made specially for garden plants, and are highly absorbent, retaining up to 300% water by volume. The pellets are pH balanced so will not have a negative effect upon the condition of soil. easyMulch can be used throughout the garden on borders, raised beds, planters and on fruit and vegetable plots, making it an organic, eco-friendly, carbon neutral alternative to wood, coir or artificial mulches.
Banbury Innovations with the Fabrik Wall: This textile façade can be fixed to any wall to create an instant show of colour. Using artificial plants, the Fabrik Wall can add greenery to any wall, offering an eye-catching addition or privacy where needed.
As the winner, Vivagreen is now set to receive funding and help with the development and marketing of their product, together with support from experts within the industry.
To find out more about the GIMA Innovators’ Seed Corn Fund please join GIMA on-stand at Glee 2016, Hall 20, stand H40-J41.
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