Kelkay, the market-leading manufacturer and distributor of aggregates, is launching new pumps and lights at Glee 2015. The new products will further enhance the company’s best selling water feature brands easyfountain® and Henri®. 

Four new pumps, with capabilities of 450, 750, 1100 and 1500 litres per hour, are now available to power small and large water features. They’re easy to install, have an adjustable flow rate and an anti-clog foam free inlet. A 10-metre cable makes them highly versatile and will give consumers complete confidence and peace of mind. 

Kelkay’s new range of water feature lights includes three kits all low voltage, easy to install with 20,000 hours usage. Each kit includes either 2, 3 or 4 led light strings each with a 4 led ring per string. Also included in the kit is a weather proof transformer and 10mt cable. 

The pump and light ranges are available to retailers on a stand deal including PoS. 

Antony Harker, managing director of Kelkay, said: “Kelkay premium water features are highly regarded by retailers so we’re expanding the ranges with more essential accessories. The new lights will make any water feature the focal point of its surroundings, while the pumps will keep water clean and maintain its natural glisten.” 

Kelkay ensures industry leading stock availability and delivery lead times, especially at peak periods. It offers a £500 carriage paid order service across the UK through its transport logistics department. This ensures customers receive their orders within three days - and in many instances, two. 

Kelkay’s brand portfolio includes Borderstone®, Build Mate, easyfountain® and Henri®, providing retailers with a single source of supply for a wide range of garden products. These include aggregates, stone, water and garden features, paving, edging and walling, building materials, horticulture, growing media and winter garden products. 

By promoting aggregates, paving and fountains with eye-catching point of sale, merchandising units and display stands, garden retailers have seen sales grow in these categories. 

Taking place at the NEC, Birmingham from 14 to16 September, Glee 2015 will host over 500 UK and international wholesale garden suppliers. Kelkay will be on stands 19 A10 – C11 and 20 G06 – J07. 

For more information, visit www.kelkay.co.uk.

Like Kelkay on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Johnsons Lawn Seed will announce at Glee that sales of one of its most popular mixtures will raise funds for the Greenfingere charity for the third year running.

In the past two years from sales of 500g cartons of General Purpose lawn seed have raised more than £5,000 for the charity, which creates gardens for children's hospices throughout the UK.

It is through donations like this that Greenfingers is able to continue to install gardens in children's hospices. The funds also helped to kick-start the charity’s 'A Million Moments' campaign, launched this summer.

Guy Jenkins from Johnsons Lawn Seed said:  "The work Greenfingers does is close to all of our hearts at Johnsons Lawn Seed, not only because many of us have children of our own, but also because of the way the charity is run, and how far they are able to stretch the funds raised. With the new 'A Million Moments' campaign being launched this year, we thought it now more important than ever to continue to support the Greenfingers team in their ongoing efforts to provide much needed gardens for children's hospices.  In addition, with General Purpose being relaunched as a new and improved formula ahead of the 2016 season, we are hoping for an even greater total to donate for 2016."

Linda Petrons, head of fundraising at Greenfingers, said: "A huge thank you from everyone at Greenfingers to Johnsons for the generous donation of £5,000 from sales of its lawn seed.  We are extremely grateful for Johnsons support which has directly contributed to our recent garden project; and we are delighted to know children who spend time in hospices around the UK will continue to benefit from Johnsons ongoing support with future donations being channelled into our recently launched A Million Moments Appeal."

The appeal aims to raise £1 million to enable a further 5,000 children in the hospice system to benefit from the inspiring gardens and outdoor spaces created by the charity's team.

The newly relaunched 500g General Purpose Lawn Seed is available to retailers via wholesalers throughout 2015/2016, and has been selected once again as it offers retailers a strong impulse-buy opportunity as well as excellent linked sales potential.  

Find out more

To find out more about Johnsons Lawn Seed, visit www.johnsonslawnseed.com, email consumer@dlf.co.uk, or telephone (01386) 791113.

The popular Mainframe Modular System, which allows gardeners to create their own bespoke fruit and crop protection cages off the shelf, will be strengthened with a range of Mainframe Starter Kits, including a Walk-in Fruit Cage, to encourage impulse purchase and remove the need to select individual elements of the system, for those that prefer to pick up and go.

A new feature this year will be an exhibition area adjacent to the International Buyers’ Centre which will be hosted by the PetQuip association, the division of The Federation that helps pet care firms increase their international business.   The PetQuip Business Village will be open to all suppliers of pet care products. There visitors can also learn more about how PetQuip helps firms increase their business internationally on the PetQuip information stand (17N66),

The ‘International Buyers Connect’ meetings that were introduced at the show in 2014 will be held again this year on the first two days of the show. The 10-minute introductory exchanges between exhibitors and overseas buyers open up the possibility of more extensive meetings on the exhibitors’ stands during the show.  To date, nine buyers have confirmed their participation in timed sessions on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 September. These include two German mail order / internet sales companies, a US wholesaler and mail order company, an Austrian internet sales company, a Swedish distributor, an importer / distributor and a wholesaler from Finland, a Swiss distributor and a distributor from The Netherlands. Exhibitors can contact theresa@gardenex.com or theresa@petquip.com for further details and for appointments.

Commenting on the show’s export facilities this year, the director general of Gardenex and PetQuip, Amanda Sizer Barrett, confirmed: “Glee 2015 will provide a wide range of opportunities to help existing and aspiring exporters of garden, leisure and pet products to open up and expand sales to overseas markets.  In addition to the popular and beneficial business facilities available to international buyers in the International Buyers’ Centre, we will be distributing the latest Gardenex Directory of British Garden & Leisure Products and the PetQuip Buyers’ Guide to buyers visiting the exhibition.  

"The two multi-lingual publications are definitive directories of major UK suppliers of garden, leisure and pet products who are ready to export. These publications are used extensively by buyers in markets across the world to identify appropriate British suppliers with whom to work.

"In addition to distributing the directories to international buyers and distributors at various international garden and pet trade shows during the year, the Federation mails copies of the directory to its extensive database of overseas buyers, international press and to commercial staff at British Embassies and Consulates throughout the world, generating business leads throughout the year. 

“UK Trade & Investment will add further support at Glee by inviting regional and international trade advisers to meet with exhibitors. The Gardenex federation will also be presenting some of the export related seminars being organised by UKTI.  We look forward to meeting with suppliers of garden and pet products at Glee who are seriously contemplating exporting and encouraging them to take advantage of the many export opportunities on offer at Glee this year.”

The Gardenex and PetQuip teams will be present on the International Buyers’ Centre and the PetQuip Business Village throughout the show and they look forward to meeting both member and non-member companies at either location.  The Federation will also outline its comprehensive programmes of garden, leisure and pet sector initiatives for 2016 and firms can sign up for its next ‘Meet the Buyers’ event on 21 October 2015.

Companies wishing to apply for membership and access to the export sales leads, expert advice, market information and practical export support that the Federation offers, should come and meet the team. 

Appointments can be made during Glee (where a discount on membership is being offered) or after the show ends. The Federation of Garden and Leisure Manufacturers can be contacted on: telephone:  +44 (0) 44 1959 565995  or  fax:  +44 (0) 1959 565885; e-mail:  info@gardenex.com  or visit the Gardenex website on www.gardenex.com

A new collection of Colourful Bulb Gift Bags launched by Taylors Bulbs for Autumn 2015 will make a compelling centrepiece on the company’s Glee stand (19G02) next week.

Designed to help retailers make make the most of the growing potential of bulbs as gifts, these new bags feature vibrant, glossy printing and colour coded rope handles. With eye-catching photography illustrating four different carefully selected blends, they make excellent impulse purchases. Suggested retail prices are £6.99 or above.

Also on the stand will be a selection of new added-value gift kits (pictured below). Taylors say that garden centre stockists who take care to display added value bulb gifts in the same manner as they would other gift lines, not necessarily in the bulb area but in gift or houseplant areas, have reported impressive sales increases.

Don’t miss the next edition of Glee Daily News – scheduled for Sunday 13 September – for news of more new gift products from Taylors and a top tip on how to develop this sales opportunity.

Find Taylors Bulbs on stand 19G02.

We catch up with i2i’s Matthew Mein, event director at Glee, to find out more about what is in store.

“The changes that were made to revitalise Glee were incredibly well received and have stood us in good stead for the 2015 show. 

"The move to the new location within NEC halls 17-20 has not only created a vibrant layout, which is helping buyers to walk the show and ultimately source new suppliers, but it is also inspiring exhibitors to think differently about their stands.

"As a result we’re seeing more and more exhibitors book bigger stand spaces, as well as talking to us about how they can maximise their presence at the show. It’s fantastic to work with so many focussed and passionate companies, and have no doubt that this enthusiasm will pay dividends when the show opens in September.” 

Matthew concluded by saying: “Glee is in great shape, in fact it is close to capacity, with only a handful of stand spaces left to sell. We are well on track to see in excess of 530 exhibitors, including a phenomenal 350 new exhibitors and over 75 international brands. I’ve no qualms in saying that Glee 2015 is set to the one of the most exciting shows for some time!”

Whether you are looking to source the latest innovations or core best sellers for the year ahead, Glee will offer it all. Encompassing eight dedicated product sectors, Glee is the leading annual showcase for the whole of the garden industry and an essential diary date for any garden retailer, landscaper or merchant.

Glee Garden Care is Glee’s most thriving area, and represents the biggest area of growth within the show.  As always Glee’s Garden Care sector will feature everything from growing media, compost, fertilisers, and GYO products to garden machinery, garden tools and accessories. 

Key exhibitors for Glee Garden Care include Westland, Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Gardman, Smart Garden, Bord Na Mona, Burgon & Ball, Briers, Town & Country, Kaemingk, Elho, Agralan, Scheurich, Barenburg, Belstane, Black Country Metal Works, Artevasi, Bosmere, Malton Plastics, Maingate Ltd, Mr Fothergills Seeds, PotMagic, Oakthrift Corporation, Rollins Bulldog Tools, Sinclair Horticulture, Spear & Jackson, Stax, Taylors Bulbs, Copely Developments, DLF Trifolium, Doff Portland, Elho, Fallen Fruits, Garden On A Roll, Garland Products, Haws Watering Cans, Vitax, Vegtrug, Neudorff, Westwood Global, Whitefurze and Wildlife World.  

Lapsed companies making their return to Glee in 2015 include Stewart Plastics, Fiskars, Draper Tools and Parasene.   

Hozelock has also confirmed its return to Glee following a break of several years. Talking about this Glee’s Matthew Mein said: “Hozelock’s return comes at a time of growth for Glee, so it’s great to see that the changes we’re making are appealing to those brands that may not have seen value in exhibiting at Glee in recent years.  Being able to welcome so many of them back is testament to the hard work and ongoing commitment to change that underpins all our development plans for the show. I’ve no doubt that the return of Hozelock will add an exciting new element to Glee’s overall offering, whilst also providing retailers with even more reasons to make visiting the show an essential part of their year.”

Garden Design & Landscaping provides an unrivalled showcase of influential brands and leaders in garden and landscaping design, and represents an area of significant growth at Glee during 2015.  Featuring stunning displays, this area of Glee is a must-see section of the show, featuring many best-practice examples of how to cross-sell products in situ. From hard landscaping and aggregates to fencing, garden buildings and decorative accents such as pots, structures, soft landscaping, statuary, water features and timber supplies, Glee Garden Design has everything to help garden retailers, builders’ merchants and landscapers to maximise those products that create the framework of every garden. 

Exhibitors confirmed so far for the 2015 show include Woodlodge, Deco-Pak, Lafarge Tarmac, Apta, Kelkay, Global Stone, Grange Fencing, Zest 4 Leisure, Albany Shed Company, Artform (UK), Blakeway Stone, Cadix, Hedge UK, Ivyline, Deroma UK, Luxform, Meadow View Stone, Melcourt Industries, Powys & Marches Stone, Vivid Arts, Fitrite Fencing & Decking, and Hamac Trading. 

New and lapsed companies will include Eden Halls Greenhouses, Elite Greenhouses, RockinColour, and UK Garden Buildings.

Glee Garden Leisure is the place to source products that really enable people to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle, and will feature the best from the industry’s leading companies, making it the ideal opportunity for buyers looking to source next year’s ranges and tap into growing leisure demand.  Showing everything from garden furniture, barbeques and parasols to chimeneas, conservatory and indoor furniture, play equipment and camping essentials will be Premier Decorations, CPL Distribution, Minster Stylish Living Ltd, Maze Rattan, Suntime, Aspire Outdoors, and John Adams Leisure.  Look out for new and returning brands such as Ascalon, PKL Leisure, Masters Outdoor Leisure Limited, and Rosker UK.

Glee Plants is where buyers can shop for the best in nursery stock, bedding plants, house plants, cut flowers, trees and shrubs, herbs and florist sundries from both UK and international growers; as well as seeing the latest plant trends and merchandising techniques. 

The Glee Green Heart will also be returning in 2015.  Located at the entrance to Glee within the atrium area of the NEC, this new area will see 60 growers come together to create a leading showcase for both British and internationally grown plants, and will put ‘green’ right back into the centre of the show. This year the area will be supported by a new programme of activities led by The Garden Works’ independent garden centre consultant, Kevin Waters. Throughout the show Kevin will lead a number of guided tours around the Green Heart and wider sections of Glee, to demonstrate how cross merchandising and clever displays can highlight a continual year-round association with the plant offer, thereby making plants accessible – and loved –  by all who visit centres, no matter the time of year.

Key exhibitors confirmed for Glee Nursery & Planteria, and Glee Green Heart include Wyevale Nurseries, Darby Nursery Stock, SeedCell, Bristol Tropical Centre, Javado, Laurica Plants, Morleys Nurseries, Northumberland Nurseries, Plantworks, SP Trading (Scotland) Ltd, The Christmas Cabin Company and Wharton Nurseries.

Glee Home, Gift & Clothing is a key place to explore additional profit-making opportunities, something that many forward thinking retailers have already maximised.  As the garden retail gift market continues to grow as many garden centres become ‘destination centres’, Glee Home, Gift & Clothing brings together a huge selection of product ideas to help your gift offering stand out.  Added to this, the section also features additional, added value product lines such as clothing ranges, picnicware, seasonal decorations plus games, toys and books. 

Exhibitors already confirmed for Glee Home Gift & Clothing in 2015 include Premier Decorations, Aigle, Brakeburn, Boodywear, Creekwood, Klass, Fairgoodies, Fordville, Fountasia, Home & Garden UK, Opal London, Italian Bag Company, Kaemingk, Luxa, RJB Stone, Moonshine Drinks, Noel Tatt Group, QMT Windchimes, Ravensburger, Regatta, Heavenly Feet, Sincere UK, Stewart’s Gift Tins, The Great British Card Company, The Original Metal Sign Co. and Woodstock Chimes. 

Glee Garden Retail Services is not to be missed by anyone wanting to maximise the profitability and efficiency of their own store.  Packed full of the latest innovations, technologies and equipment for tomorrow’s retailers – including EPoS, shop fitting and display stands, structures, software solutions and garden centre design – Retail Services is an essential part of Glee. 

Exhibitors who have already confirmed their place at the 2015 show include Clearview Greenhouses, Creative Products, CSY Retail Systems, Davidson-Richards, DC Payments, Fargo, Garden Connect, Gilbert Evans, Malcolm Scott Consultants, MP Buildings, NedFox B.V, National Structures, Pleydell Smithyman, Quinton Edwards, Salepoint, Smiemens Projectan, Stagecraft, Thermoflor and G7 Swan.

Manufacturers of pet products and accessories will also have a stronger presence at Glee 2015 thanks to the introduction of the PetQuip Business Village.  This exciting new area will see PetQuip - the UK’s leading trade association for suppliers of pet products, accessories and services - bring together member and non-member pet suppliers to create a leading showcase of those pet brands wanting to build a presence within garden retailers.  Under the leadership and support of PetQuip, the Village is expected to be home to over 20 companies, with additional PetQuip members such as Gardman and Westland also featuring throughout the wider show, all coming together to launch and showcase their 2016 ranges to garden retail buyers and key decision makers.

The New Product Showcase and Glee Awards

The New Product Display is the place to head to see the most innovative, unique and commercial products from the hundreds of suppliers at Glee. The competition sees new designs and products perfectly displayed for your consideration with the best of each category receiving the accolade of a ‘Glee Award.’ Show visitors can also cast their vote for their favourite, awarding one lucky entrant with the title of ‘Retailers Choice Award’.

Food & Catering Zone, in exclusive partnership with Catering Design Group

Focused on one of the fastest growing profit opportunities for garden retailers, the Glee Food & Catering Zone - now in its fourth year - is designed to give garden retailers an unrivalled opportunity to gather best practice examples, advice, contacts and products to help them initiate or improve their catering offering. 

This year The Food & Catering Zone seminar content will focus on key themes such as ’how to grow your restaurant successfully’, 'how to take inspiration from and compete with the high street', and 'how to increase revenue and profit'. There will also be a special session on ‘How to use your café as your USP, and a way to generate loyalty, PR and differentiation’.

Knowledge Hub, in association with The HTA

Business guidance is at the heart of the show’s dedicated education and learning centre, ‘The Knowledge Hub’.  With a raft of seminars designed to help you improve and grow your business for the year ahead, this area is the perfect place to relax and learn during your time at Glee. 

The Garden Industry Marketing Board

The Garden Industry Marketing Board will be showcasing unique garden leisure designs for small spaces that will appeal to 30-45 year olds that want to do more in their gardens and outlining ideas for a 2016 industry wide campaign. Through seminars in the Hub there will also be the opportunity to hear about the latest consumer research which highlights the wants and needs of these younger gardeners and, importantly the key hooks for getting them into their gardens and garden centres.

Glee Innovators Zone

Launched in 2009, the Glee Innovators Zone has already helped more than 150 companies break into the garden retail market.  This special area is designed to help nurture valuable grass-roots product development and one-off design ideas, whilst also bridging the gap between market-ready new product launches from established companies and pre-commercial product ideas.  This year Glee’s Innovators Zone will be home to over 30 brand new companies.

GIMA Business Village

The GIMA Business Village is home to a great selection of up and coming companies exhibiting with the support of GIMA.  Glee is also pleased to present the GIMA Business Lounge, an ideal place to take a break, arrange meetings and catch up with key suppliers. It is also home to the “Buyers Connect” speed networking sessions which will see selected exhibitors meet with show visitors for 10 minute slots for a power-networking session.

International Buyers Centre

International visitors will find the UKTI International Buyers Centre (IBC) in partnership with Gardenex a useful resource.  Located in Hall 18, the IBC will be led by the team at Gardenex, who will be on hand to provide support and advice as well as translation services.  The International Buyers Centre will also be home to “International Buyers Connect”, a special speed-networking event. 

Visit the UKTI International Business Zone

To really find out how you can export to build your business just head for the UKTI stand, where International Trade Advisers (ITAs) will be on hand to discuss every aspect of what it means to export, where and how. There will also be case studies from businesses that have already succeeded, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and discover more about the options available. A range of seminars from UKTI and UK businesses will also be hosted on the stand, and by joining these you can learn about the support available to you and some vital advice from those that have already successfully started exporting overseas.

Glee 2015 takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, from Monday 14^th to Wednesday 16^thSeptember and opens between 9.00am and 6:00pm (Monday & Tuesday) and 4:00pm (Wednesday).  To find out the latest news and to register for free entry, please visit www.gleebirmingham.com.  For details on exhibiting at Glee, call 0203 033 2160.

Glee takes place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, and is easily reached by car, rail and air.  If you are arriving by car, follow regional signs to the NEC where visitor car parking is plentiful and free.  All halls are within walking distance, but a free shuttle bus service is also available from car parks to the Halls.  Rail travel is equally convenient with Birmingham International railway station located on the NEC site.  For international visitors Birmingham International Airport (BHX) is linked to the NEC by the free SkyRail, departing every few minutes and taking just 90 seconds.  National Express Coaches run a regular service to and from the NEC covering most UK locations.

Don’t forget Glee’s new opening days in 2015

Announced shortly after the close of Glee 2014, it was confirmed that Glee 2015 will benefit from new weekday opening pattern, starting on Monday 14^th September and closing on Wednesday 16^th September. 

Best Buy for raising young plants was the company’s Growise Multipurpose peat-reduced which was tested with a number of different plant types including pelargoniums where it achieved particularly excellent scores for colour, size and quality.  At GLEE the company will be majoring on the Growise brand with a brand extension and three new specialist blend products.

Commenting on the plan, Charles Farmer, head of consumer for Bord na Móna UK said, “The Which? recognition has been great news for us and great news for peat reduction in general.  It demonstrates that the performance quality of our peat-free and peat-reduced now outstrips that of conventional product in every area, including for the first time raising young plants.  We have therefore decided to build on consumer endorsement and launch additional products into the range.

 “Bord na Móna UK is all about one stop shop, market leading quality peat-based and peat-free growing media that gives trade customers the reassurance of buying best in class, while ensuring that the consumer gets great results every time.  Our mission is to ensure the consumer can buy the very best performing product whatever the task in hand and whatever their preference in terms of peat and peat-free.” 

Bord na Móna UK trades peat–reduced and peat-free growing media and soil improvers through garden centres nationally and is the largest own brand supplier of compost and bark in the UK.  It is part of the Bord na Móna plc, which specialises in eco-fuels, growing media, recycling, resource recovery and renewable energy.

As the company gets set for its second year as official logistics partner of Glee, we catch up with FCL Global’s commercial director Paul O’Malley to find out more about the company.

Can you tell us a little bit about FCL Global?

"We are the fastest organically growing logistics company in the UK. At FCL Global we specialise in the movement of goods by Air, Sea and Road. Our rapid growth is down to our commitment to building long-lasting, meaningful and sustainable relationships with both our suppliers and customers, and these relationships are the cornerstones of our success. Our philosophy is simple:  To add value to our customers business through personalised logistics solutions"

How important is the garden retail industry to your business?

"The garden retail industry plays an important part in our business. We currently work in partnership with a number of major players within the sector. In addition we are the official logistics Partners to Glee & GIMA. For the second Year running we are the main sponsors of Glee & Official Logistics partner to the show. This underlines the support we offer our partners within the sector by helping bring together buyers and sellers at this show. Our goal in 2012 was to become the premier Logistics Provider to the Garden and Retail Industry. I am very proud to say we have made great strides forwards and it is our firm belief that by the end of 2015 we will have achieved that goal."

As the Official Logistics Partner to Glee what benefits can you bring to Exhibitors?

"We’ve spent a great deal of time getting to grips with the seasonal challenges that companies in the garden retail industry face, particularly those involved in importing from the Far East. We’ve designed and implemented complete solutions to solve these problems & ultimately save our customer’s time and money. We are passionate about adding value to our customers businesses and would welcome the opportunity to consult with all Glee exhibitors to demonstrate how we can improve their current logistics arrangements & help them to achieve their goals."

www.fclgf.com

The revolution theme continues with Fiskars presenting design-led ranges that combine design aesthetics with ergonomic principle and technology, resulting in tool ranges that take the hard work out of gardening and put the passion back in.

“It’s great to be back at GLEE this year and really exciting that our new brand ambassador, James Wong will be with us on the Fiskars stand,” says John Grayson, Regional Director of South West Europe at Fiskars.

“We’ve had some tremendous developments at Fiskars recently with new product launches and some attention grabbing and educational new point of sale to further support our retailers.  We look forward to introducing these to the trade at this year’s show.”

Next revolution of axes

The next generation of Fiskars Axes will be available for the trade immediately. This revolutionary range of virtually unbreakable 4th generation axes feature a new 3D grip for faster speed swing and increased safety. The new range has been awarded the prestigious Red Dot Award 2015 for high quality design. 

Fiskars has been an expert in making durable axes since the 17th century. The Finnish company has continually improved the design and quality to match consumer needs with the latest advancements. The latest generation of Fiskars axes is developed to guarantee the best experience by matching each tool to task and skill level. In recognition of the high standards achieved, the 4th generation Fiskars axe range comes with an extended 25 years warranty. 

The new Fiskars Light range

The new Fiskars Light range is launched at GLEE, a 2016 collection that showcases Fiskars ongoing commitment to develop ranges that make gardening easier and increase enjoyment of tasks. It is another perfectly timed and on trend introduction.

Recent research from Fiskars show that over 90% of consumers considered gardening to be a heavy task. The new Fiskars Light range equips retailers with the tools needed to educate consumers about the pleasure of gardening.

As a further benefit, an increased interest in a healthier lifestyle and home grown food, alongside a rise in urban gardening has shown the need for smaller and lighter garden tools for kitchen gardening.

The new Light tools are slightly smaller in size than standard ranges, making them more suitable for smaller spaces. Equally, the new tools are perfectly designed for more elderly gardeners along with younger generations keen to get growing outdoors. Fiskars is keen to kick start a new generation into loving their garden and enable older generations to continue to gain pleasure from gardening.

The range includes a digging spade, planting spade, digging fork, leaf rake, soil rake, weeding knife, weeder, cultivator, hoe and a new weed puller.

Next generation of Weed Puller

The innovative and universally recognised Fiskars Weed Puller has created a whole new market category, with sales of over 4 million units and trade sales up 200%. These impressive figures have assured Fiskars the market leader status in Europe.

Despite these impressive figures, there is still a large market share available. However, traditional weeding tools remain the implements of choice for 53% of lawn owners, often leading to poor results and increased physical strain. Additionally, 58% still use herbicides as the main defence against weeds, these include toxic substances that can impact on health.

The next generation of Fiskars Weed Pullers is tailored to suit the criteria of core ranges for Xact™ and the  and the new Fiskars Light ensuring that Weed Pullers can be matched with individual requirements.

The Xact™ Weed Puller benefits from an optimised ergonomic grip and new pedal design to reduce unnecessary strain and increase durability.

The new Light Weed Puller offers reduced weight with a shorter shaft profile and the introduction of a new colour combination in White and Clay.

‘Marketing through Education’ is to be Wildlife World’s theme at this year’s Glee 2015, with its stand taking on a series of informal ‘blackboard style’ notes.

It’s a philosophy that Wildlife World has always found successful and is now informing how the company can help all retailers and garden centres to gain more business from its popular range of habitats for all types of wildlife.

In addition to no less than 12 new products being launched at the show by Wildlife World, the company will also have two new ‘supersize’ products as part of the educational theme. A Giant Bee & Bug Biome and a Giant Solitary Bee Hive, both standing 1.5 metres tall, have been designed to act as a focal point feature outside stores and garden centres and draw more customers. Both are working insect habitats and join the similar sized Pyramid Insect Hotel.

“Making the link between seeds, plants, habitat and food is the key to generating more business on wildlife habitats such as bird boxes, bee & bug biomes, and hedgehog shelters”, says Wildlife World Managing Director Norman Sellers. He adds,“ We devote about two thirds of our time to answering questions about wildlife in general from consumers and retailers alike, and this brings about understanding of how and why our habitat products are designed the way they are from extensive field research”

To reinforce the message, on the Wildlife World stand there will be a 15 minute mini seminar at 11.30a.m. on Tuesday 15 September from ecologist Chantal Brown on the beneficial connection between education and retail business for all those who wish to attend.

Amongst the many new products on the stand, Wildlife World will be displaying a new Ladybird House, a new Ladybird & Bug House and a new Swing Seat Feeder. Along with many established products from the range, Wildlife World’s very successful Urban range will be on show as a winner of a Glee award last year, a European Consumer Choice Award, and was just recently a GIMA finalist.

As one of Europe’s leading designers and manufacturers of wildlife products, Wildlife World continues to ensure sustainability in all that it does, using only environmentally friendly FSC certified timber and water-based paints for the safe protection of wildlife species. The company fully researches and tests the design of its products at its Gloucestershire base and its Devon farm.

National Conifer Week will be among the events promoted at Glee by the HTA (20H10-J11)

Visitors will learn why it’s a great opportunity to increase sales of these low maintenance, attractive forms of year-round colour.

The conifer is also the HTA’s Plant of the Month for October.

National Conifer Week, organised by the British Conifer Group (BCG), runs from Saturday 26 September until Saturday 3 October. The aim is to provide support for retailers to inspire customers about the many benefits of growing conifers in the garden.

Whether planted in a container on a balcony, in a domestic garden or featured in acres of grounds, conifers can work as a backdrop, standalone features, or in a mixed border. Their amazingly diverse range of shades, textures, shapes and sizes makes them extremely versatile.

 Team GB rower and 2012 Olympic Gold medallist Alex Gregory (pictured) says, conifers have been a part of his life. “From the early days of climbing in their branches, to the family pilgrimage we took to the Californian giant redwoods. There's something fascinating about the variety of sizes, colours and shapes conifers provide. They really are a feast for the senses. Every garden should have at least one conifer.”

Recommended RHS AGM varieties include:

• Picea abies 'Acrocona'
• Larix decidua 'Puli'
• Thuja plicata 'Atrovirens'
• Taxus baccata 'Icicle'
• Recommended companion plants include:
• Acer ‘Osakazuki’
• Colchicum speciosum
• Erica ‘Springwood White’

Electronic Point of Sale and supply-chain software developer Advanced Retail (17S63) will be at Glee to demonstrate how its retail systems can help boost sales and build more efficient stock control. You can check out supply systems for garden centres and other related businesses.

MD David Billingham and national sales manager Chris Potter will be on the stand explaining how retailers achieve their goals by driving operational efficiencies and automating many of the processes that cost unnecessary time and money.

"Improving profits, business growth and cost efficiencies are the most important drivers of any retail business - not the technology it uses," said Mr Billingham. "We work as trusted partners with some of the best-known names in retail, helping them to build point of sale and back-office systems which work together to deliver real business benefits."

Advanced Retail’s clients include Trowbridge Garden Centre, Tate Galleries, Boden, Pets Corner and Latifs

Durston Garden Products return to Glee this year with a brand new 10-litre handy-pack of Multi Purpose Compost with carrying-handle. 

This brand new handy pack will compliment the company’s already extensive range of composts and garden feeds for which Durstons is so well known and will be available to order from Durstons Stand K02 in Hall 18 at the show.

Durstons offer a minimum order quantity of just 5 pallets, per order, which comprises of 240 bags of the 10litre product per pallet, however, should you not require all the same product in one order Durstons will supply five pallets with different products.

The new 10 litre pack, with carrying handle, has been specifically designed for use in homes with no gardens, and is ideal for planting up tubs and baskets for use on balconies and terraces. It’s also much easier to handle when transporting to a car from the garden centre and can even be carried home on the bus!

For more information about placing an order for the new Durstons 10 litre Multi Purpose Compost, or for information about any other Durstons product, visit Stand K02 in Hall 18 where there will be some exclusive deals on offer.

Glee exhibitor, wholesaler and trade supplier Stax Trade Centres (18L65) launched its new responsive website this week. It is designed to optimise visually across all devices including tablets, smartphones and desktop computers.

The new site, which instantly recognises the device that is viewing it, renders the website perfectly to the screen size, making mobile usage much easier than before.

New features include Best Sellers, Most Purchased, New Products and the recently launched Shopping & Picking List tool, whereby customers can produce a shopping list and print it out in the most logical branch location order.

Online retailer Discount Warehouse said: “This is a huge time saver for our business. The range Stax carries is massive, so sometimes that means finding what you want can take longer than desired. With the new Shopping List tool you find the bay location of every product and it even allows a full shopping list to be printed with the quickest route planned out for you! So with the three or four visits we pay to Stax every week we estimate it will save us around 10 hours per month!”

The Best Sellers, Most Purchased and New Product features are also a fantastic new addition, as Stax Joint MD, David Hibbert, commented,

“For many of our retailers, selling the most in demand stock is of upmost importance, so being able to view the top 50 best selling lines in every category will be a very helpful tool in making decisions in terms of what their stocked range will be.”

Mike Gilbert (pictured) explains:  “GLEE gives us a unique chance to meet many visitors and personally advise on questions ranging from acquisitions and disposals to lease renewals, rating and valuations.  

“This year to date has been a positive one for the garden centre industry as a whole and values are holding up accordingly. We continue to advise many of the UK’s leading garden centre retailers and also many smaller garden centres.”

To discuss any property issues with Gilbert Evans, entirely without obligation and in complete confidence, either visit them in Hall 17 Stand Q56 or call Mike Gilbert (07540  281960) or Allen Evans (07540 268866).

Don’t miss out on a visit to stand D18 in Hall 19 where Draper Tools will be exhibiting a comprehensive collection of hand and power tools for the home and garden.

A selection of gardening tools will be on display with new digital representation of the whole gardening range as well as lighting, personal protective equipment and tools for landscaping.

The popular Heritage range of garden hand tools will be exhibited along with a new steel mesh garden cart and garden tipper cart. There will also be information on water pumps, pressure washers and general pruning products.

The company’s extensive range of electric and petrol mowers, cutters, trimmers and ground maintenance tools will be shown on digital display screens.  These touch screens will also show the Company’s collection of garden product videos.

Visit the stand for daily 'show only' offers, along with copies of Drapers latest promotions and catalogue.

Telephone the Draper Sales Desk on 023 8049 4333 for more details, or visit drapertools.com.

Commenting on the launch, operations director Tony Dedman said; “We find that Glee is an excellent launch pad for new products.  Last year we introduced around 50 new products at the show and this made a major contribution towards the 49 per cent growth in turnover we recorded in 2014, and that growth is continuing.”

New products to be launched at the Birmingham show include a new compact tidy tray and a new colander trug.  The company’s propagation range will be boosted with the introduction of a one-top electric propagator and a micro grow light garden.  New planting aids comprise two new bulb planters that have an innovative soil ejection plunger.  A green flexi tie is to join the existing brown ties.

There will be a new garden basics range of sundries with over 40 lines such as plant labels, pens, tree ties, greenhouse fittings and coils of garden wire.

Products for the patio comprise a new range of brooms that include a decking broom, a wire block paving broom plus a large patio pan and brush and patio knives.

Added to the company’s extensive thermometer range will be a new max/min thermometer, pH meter and moisture meter along with three soil test kits.

Finally, four new covers will be added: one to the bronze entry level of garden furniture covers; one to the silver middle range; plus two to the rattan cover range.  

In order to add visual in-store impact to Garland/Worth Gardening ranges, eight new counter displays are being introduced for items such as the bulk rose ties and tree ties.  There will also be nineteen new promotion bins, two pallet deals and one new display stand, all designed to support sales of the new products.

Garland/Worth Gardening’s customers are now benefitting from a new distribution warehouse, opened in February 2015.  Since its commissioning, the company has achieved record throughput, and the increased capacity of over 70 per cent more pallet spaces has meant greater stock holding and despatch of most orders on the same day of receipt or no later than the next day.

The Garland Products Group specialises in the manufacture of plastic injection moulded products and is one of the fastest growing suppliers to the garden industry.  The products available to both keen and hobby gardeners have been designed through the company’s own experience as keen gardeners.

Visitors to Glee will get an exclusive first look at the new range of six plastic tubs from Tarmac’s Cement business – a top UK cement producer – that all feature the distinctive Blue Circle logo, that have been designed for a variety of gardening and landscaping tasks. These might include activities such as laying paving slabs, fixing fence posts and doing small concreting and bricklaying projects like building a brick barbeque.

Following extensive research, the range of versatile, weather-resistant plastic tubs was designed with the gardening and landscaping market in mind, allowing users to take out just the right amount of product needed and re-seal the rest for future use- saving time, waste and money.

The newly-redesigned tubs are easy to carry and use and now include attractive, end-user-friendly instructions, application photographs and guidelines so that users can feel confident in the job at hand.

Chris Cooper, Packed ProductsStrategic Marketing Manager, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing this new range of plastic tubs to Glee. It is always a great occasion for us to meet our customers from garden centres across the UK and we look forward to welcoming them to our stand this year.

“With these products, we have brought customer-led innovation to market, responding to an increased demand from garden centres and their customers for easy-to-use, ready-mixed cement and mortar products.

Mike Lomax, Marketing Communication Manager, said: “The new packaging includes our famous Blue Circle branding which re-enforces our strong heritage of innovation. We will be supporting the launch with a hard hitting National Consumer campaign to show how these new products help make it easier for gardeners to get the results they want - in a simple ‘easy to use’ and ‘clean to carry’ solution that they have never had before.”

For more information about Tarmac Cement and Lime Limited and to get the latest news and live updates from Glee, follow @LoveCement on Twitter

Or visit ....you.tube.com /DIYcement/playlists or call the contact line on 08458126232

‘Budding Gardeners’ is a brand new sub-range of Moulton Mill tools from Gardman targeting not only children but anyone with a desire to take up gardening.

The eight items in the range – which covers all needs from small hand tools to digging tools – are smaller and lighter than their standard counterparts, making them perfect for little hands. However because they are made to the same exacting standards as all the other tools in the premium Moulton Mill-branded range, they are equally suitable for less-experienced and grown-up gardeners who simply want robust, quality tools that are easy to use. Gardman stress that ‘Budding Gardeners’ tools are the real thing, and not toys.

In a marketing initiative designed to capture the imaginations of younger gardeners, a high-profile endorsement will be announced at the show.

Packaging and merchandising material (which includes a special display stand) carries the slogan ‘For families that grow together’ to emphasise that gardening is a sociable activity that can be pleasurably shared.

•  ‘Budding Gardeners’ carbon steel: Digging Spade and Fork are SRP £12.99, Lawn Rake £12.99, Soil Rake and Dutch Hoe, each £9.99; Hand Trowel, Hand Fork and Hand Cultivator, each £2.99.

The company’s Chelsea Garden Range of horticultural aggregates will continue to take centre stage at Glee later this year, including a new look packaging design, and exciting merchandising stand updates including a selection of inspirational displays. 

Visitors will also be able to see how the products appear out of the packet within four unique show gardens inspired by the company's involvement in supplying products for an award winning garden at the RHS Hampton Court Show this year.

Deco-Pak will announce a new distribution agreement of a renowned trusted brand of solid fuel, sourced in the UK.  Already well known for supplying winter and summer fuels with sale or swap deals, this new addition will be great news for customers looking to offer smokeless fuel from a top brand, and great news for stockists looking to benefit from Deco-Pak's market-leading sales support.

Deco-Pak's General Manager Rod Slater is excited to return to Glee this year: "Since last year's show we have witnessed significant growth; from taking on more customers, expanding our product offering, to adding new team members and investing significantly in machinery and stock.  

"After what has been the best year for sales that we have ever had, it would have been so easy to just sit back on our laurels - but expectations will be higher this year, so we know we will have to up our game even further.  Glee is the perfect place for us to set out our stall and demonstrate to customers old and new, our commitment to continuous improvements to the business and to our market-leading range."

New products on the cards for Deco-Pak this year include eastern water features to compliment its existing Tidal water features range.  New stone features will also be added to provide further product range diversity for retailers, whilst the Garden Bazaar range of decorative birdhouses and feeders will also receive new additions to the range, as well as new displays that showcase the full collection of handcrafted houses and feeders.

Other highlights on Deco-Pak's Glee stand this year will be new conceptual merchandise stands for paving, gravels, water features and the Easy Build range, all aimed primarily at offering consumers inspiration and easier decision making at point of purchase.

Included are many technical and decorative innovations in their market-leading Smart Solar lighting category at prices that will appeal to all consumers.

The recently added Outside In Designs® Clocks and Lanterns collection will also be showcased for the first time, as will many more fast-selling products, ranges and promotions under the Smart Garden and Smart Solar brands.

The Smart Team look forward to welcoming all existing and prospective customers and to revealing all on their stand K30-31 in Hall 18.

This year is no exception as Briers continue to lead the market, innovating and exciting their customers - highlights of their NEW launches at GLEE include…

Plenty of gorgeous NEW gloves! These are the products at the heart of the business, so bringing to market even more fabulous, innovative designs is naturally second nature to the Briers team and is in the business’ DNA.

Another triumph for the team is yet another successful design-led partnership. This time, Briers are launching NEW collections in collaboration with the William Morris Gallery: “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful”. His wise words and timeless designs are beautifully encapsulated into their NEW largest ever gifting range!

NEW boots proudly take Briers back into rubber: quality without any comprise on style. They’re great on and affordable to boot! Their gorgeous NEW clocks are beautifully packaged - all wrapped up and perfect for impulse sales and considered purchases alike! NEW Signature Ranges perfectly combine gloves, kneelers, clogs, boots and accessories in on-trend designs. More NEW Kids lines further build on the success of this proven best-selling range. Great NEW products to get those tills ringing in the run up to Christmas, into the new year, and right across 2016!

Plus, this GLEE sees Briers LARGEST EVER promotional offering!!!

The latest Google Trends statistics show Briers to be the leading brand that consumers look for on-line with the statistics proving the success of the products and also that we are a proven winner not only with traditional gardeners but also multi-generation and omni-channel.

You can depend on Briers to deliver success with the market-leading brand consumers recognise and trust.

GLEE 14–16 Sept. Hall 19, Stand H05

01963 269077 sales@briersltd.co.uk

• 44cm Round - £24.99
• 70cm Deep Trough - £29.99

Also new for 2016 will be Roundup Optima+, Roundup’s most effective concentrate formula yet, offering better performance and coverage throughout the year.

Looking ahead to Glee, Roundup’s Lawn and Garden Business Director, Gary Philpotts, commented: “We’re pleased to be bringing even more good news to retailers at this year’s show. Roundup continues to dominate the market, with four of the top five weedkiller lines in GfK’s weedkiller hit list and Roundup Gel sales passing 2million units in the UK this year. Plus, Roundup Pump ‘N Go remains the nation’s favourite RTU pressure sprayer, just behind the UK’s number one, Roundup 1l RTU spray.

“At Glee, we’ll be talking to retailers about how our latest insights, innovation and support are set to make 2016 yet another successful season.”

Viano organic plant food is a universal feed used in vegetable, herbs and fruit crops. The fertiliser feeds for three months with essential elements to enhance soil life, improve soil structure and increase the nutrients available to the plant. It’s highly effective in bringing out the best in natural flavours and colours.

Introduced at this year’s shows the professional range is split into Turf Professional and Growers Turf Professional and comprises TurfPro Start, TurfProf Autumn, Fairway and Greenboost together with MO Bacter in the Turf Professional range. For Growers there is a further split into Organic Based and 100% Organic, with the products MixProf and MixProf Bio respectively.

David Jenkins, DJ Turfcare Managing Director, says: “Last year’s shows were a great success for us, with our MO Bacter proving to be one of our best selling products, taken up by increasing numbers of garden centres throughout 2015. We very much look forward to this year’s shows with our display of the Viano organic range, which now includes the newly introduced Turf Professional and Growers organic products.”

DJ Turfcare also distributes the Viano 27L Spreader for fertiliser spreading and the Atom Golf Bunker Edger Mk 2 and Bushranger E35 edger for professionals and Local Authorities.   

Stand No.OP16A. DJ Turfcare Equipment Ltd. 01483 200976 www.djturfcare.co.uk

Following the Sinclair’s acquisition in July, Westland will be showcasing the new and strengthened brand line up at Glee.

The Westland Glee stand, 19G20-H21A, will showcase the 2016 growing range, which will include a strong J. Arthur Bowers range built on clear product benefits which will  appeal to core gardeners.

Marketing Director Keith Nicholson said: “We have acquired a number of strong garden brands and we have moved quickly to focus on what these brands mean to gardeners and the trade. In essence we have focused the brands on their core heritage. 

"Going forward we will be actively developing a strong innovation pipeline, clear communication plan and strong in-store support for J. Arthur Bowers, Growing Success, DeadFast, New Horizon and Cambark.”

"We look forward to seeing you all at Glee next week."

For more information on Westland's stand at Glee click here

Hozelock will be showcasing a range of new easy-to-use products designed to revolutionise automated home watering at Glee.

The range enables people to save time, safeguard the health of their plants and use less water by control their watering remotely.

The range is led by the ground-breaking Cloud Controller (SRP £114.99) which allows people to control their watering via their mobile and a refreshingly straightforward App. It uses a low-power, long-range radio to connect to the internet while the App eliminates any need for complex timer programming. The device – see illustrations on the front page – can even suggest changes to watering patterns based on local weather data. 

“In a world where 328 million Apps are downloaded every day and the typical British household already has at least seven connected devices, gardens are finally becoming a natural part of the connected home,” explained Carol Wright, Hozelock’s UK Marketing Manager. “When we first presented the Cloud Controller to international markets in April, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive and we are sure that the UK’s reaction will be similarly enthusiastic.”

The Cloud Controller is complemented by Hozelock’s new Sensor Controller range and Easy Drip watering system, providing an integrated and flexible watering solution.

The Sensor Controller is designed to sell at £35.99 and the Sensor Controller Plus (pictured) £44.99. 

Because most people like to water at dawn or dusk, the Sensor automatically adjusts the time the garden will be watered as the seasons change. The range is ready straight of the box, pre-set for the most popular duration of 10 minutes watering.  Users simply choose whether they would like the garden to be watered at dawn, dusk or both and change the duration to any period between two minutes and one hour. The Sensor Controller Plus also includes additional frequency adjustments, from daily to once a week.

 The new Easy Drip complete kits start from SRP £32.99. Their universal drippers safely pierce the hose without cutting and the new flexible pipe makes it easy to adjust positioning.

The Hozelock Easy Drip system overcomes gardener’s perception of complexity of traditional automatic watering systems. Compatibility with other systems means users can easily add it to an existing set-up.

The range includes attractively packaged kits for borders and beds and for containers and baskets

Wright added: “Hozelock has carried out a huge amount of research and worked very closely with a wide cross-section of retailers to make sure that the new range will revolutionise automated watering and successfully increase sales in garden centres and hardware stores across the country.”

Town & Country will launch a new strategy and a new look for the brand at Glee next month to fend off increasing competition in the garden gloves and footwear categories.

The brand retains strong market leadership, but comprehensive research over more than a year revealed that the trade and end users considered the brand’s image to be outdated, even though product quality and customer service continued to be highly-rated.

Collaborating with marketing consultant Jane Lawler (formerly of Gardman and Bayer Garden), the company began a root-and-branch review at the end of 2014.

Key areas identified for development were packaging, POS and display, with a general feeling that more innovation was needed to bring a fresh new look and more excitement to the brand.

Through a structured pitch process, Town & Country selected a top class strategic agency partner that has worked across high profile consumer brands including Sony, Paul Smith and the BBC.

A new brand logo and proposition was developed - "For people who love life outdoors, Town & Country provides the original range of gloves, Wellingtons and accessories to protect and support outdoor activities, created and infused with a passionate dedication to excellence and heritage".

Working with a leading patterns and trends forecaster helped shape the eye-catching new designs that will be unveiled for trade buyers at Glee, on a brand new stand (18M10). Also on display will be innovative new concepts for products, packaging, POS and merchandising displays. 

Town & Country’s chairman, Barry Page, said he was delighted with the results.   “We have worked with a vibrant branding agency and have involved retailers and consumers alongside our own highly experienced sales and marketing teams to ensure a winning outcome that will produce tangible results.  We have already had some extremely positive and encouraging feedback following some initial presentations to customers.”

The company is targeting an increase in turnover to £6.3m next year.

http://www.townandco.com/

Eighth generation gin maker Johnny Neill (of Whitley Neill Gin) will tantalise the tastebuds of Glee visitors with a host of botanical cocktails at the Halewood International stand (17W54).

From delicate gin cocktails to the latest trends in wines, ciders, beers and bottled water, the team will be on hand to guide garden centre owners and managers through upcoming consumer trends, equipping buyers with the insider knowledge to maximise margin and increase revenue.

Halewood will display 29 different products from their drinks collection, including Romanian and Spanish wine, Crabbie’s mulled wine, Eisberg alcohol free wine and Willow Water.

James Wright of Halewood International says understanding customer trends positions every cafe manager in the strongest position to increase revenue and maximise profit. “Our experienced team is available to talk you through the upcoming trends and unlock the potential of your drinks menu in 2015 and beyond.”

Brundle Gardener, exhibiting on stand 18L55, will be hoping their stunning range of eye-catching fireballs catch the eye of Glee visitors.

The wholesale garden company’s plans to push further into the European market have just been boosted by a successful debut at the Gafa trade show.

Bosses at Brundle Gardener have already signed up for Gafa 2016 after admitting their positive first experiences at the prestigious trade show in Germany has provided a “springboard” for future plans.

Brundle’s stunning range of eye-catching fireballs was a particular highlight, according to business manager Paul Smith.

He said: “We were looking forward to sampling the Gafa experience for the first time – and we were not disappointed.

“We received great feedback on our products and quality and our appearance at Gafa highlights the fact we are a credible supplier.

“We have aspirations to grow into Europe and this was an ideal springboard for those plans.

“And our investment – in already pledging our support to Gafa 2016 – shows our long-term commitment to the gardening sector.”

Brundle’s range of individually handcrafted fireballs - which include intricate portrayals of London skylines, dragons and forests – were among the attractions along with Brundle’s range of garden sheds and tepee chairs.

Paul added: “Our ethos is to offer something different and stand out from the crowd by promoting eye-catching products in gardens or garden centre displays.

“But alongside that is a friendly and flexible approach which allows us to work with garden centres and retailers to meet deadlines and targets.”

For more information on Brundle Gardener  visit www.brundlegardener.co.uk or phone 0131 335 5955.

A new Top 100 Product chart on the Glee website highlights the most popular products that buyers are currently viewing, offering a valuable insight into trends and potential bestsellers.

Constantly updated, the chart is a living barometer of ‘what’s hot’ right now, reflecting products that are sparking the interest of retailers and visitors to the Glee website.

Matthew Mein, Glee event director hopes the chart will encourage greater interaction with the site from both suppliers and retailers.  “The chart will be constantly changing, and we believe this will provide a barometer of sorts, in that it showcases which products – from the hundreds and thousands on offer from Glee’s 500-plus exhibitors are appealing the most to our visitors and therefore representing an early glimpse at next season’s bestsellers.”

The chart can be accessed from the homepage (www.gleebirmingham.com).

There will be more preview issues of The Glee Daily News this year, plus three "Live" from the show issues, and an Omnibus issue after Glee.

REMEMBER TO COLLECT YOUR FREE GLEE SHOW CATALOGUE AT THE ENTRANCES.