One of the most innovative features at the annual Glee exhibition, the Retail Lab – new for 2017 - has secured backing from a wide range of leading suppliers, who have come on board as either a ‘Preferred Partner’ or ‘Selected Partner’. Here, ‘Preferred Partner’ Woodlodge’s Managing Director, Michael Wooldridge, tells us more about the company’s plans for the Retail Lab @ Glee.
Can you tell me more about what products you will displaying?
We will be displaying an attractive selection of pottery from our Potting Shed and Heritage Garden ranges.
Our chocolate coloured plain pots are crafted in the best quality terracotta; these pots are perfect for kitchen gardens for growing herbs and vegetables, whilst the bestselling Heritage Garden pots combine traditional design with contemporary style, showcasing in trend muted colourways. These beautiful planters work well to complement flowers, creating stunning displays for your garden.
Why did you choose to become a preferred supplier of the Retail Lab at Glee 2017?
We chose to become a preferred supplier of the Retail Lab at Glee 2017 to demonstrate that garden centres can harness the trend of being a destination that offers the consumer a real experience with nature, whilst promoting linked sales between garden pots and plants.
What changing trends are you witnessing, and how are they affecting your business? What future trend excites you the most?
We’ve noticed a significant rise in gardeners having smaller spaces or no space at all to plant and grow. This means that container gardening will always be a popular choice as there are no space constraints and they are extremely portable and relatively easy to upkeep.
Following the colours for the home and garden allows us to keep up with the interior design trend of ‘bringing the outdoors in’. Gardeners want their garden to complement their home and having matching colours allows them to do this. We also actively design new shapes and styles to ensure that there is something fresh to the market each season, taking inspiration of shapes from history and nature.
We are excited for the future and hope that we can lead the market and offer gardeners a unique product offering.
What value do you think the Retail Lab will offer retailers/buyers?
We believe that the Retail Lab will inspire retailers to bring groups together in the garden centre and demonstrate skills such as a potting up workshop, which will help to drive link sales of plants and garden pots whilst providing a fun experience for consumers that will keep them coming back.
See more from Woodlodge at Glee by visiting the company’s stand Hall 19&20, stand A30-C51 and S02-U03, or find them in the Retail Lab. More details can be found at www.woodlodge.co.uk
Find out more
Glee is the UK’s leading garden retail show, focussing on building year-round profits within core product categories including Garden Care, Outdoor Entertaining, Landscaping and Garden Design, Pet, Home, Gift and Clothing, and Plants. Each year the show attracts thousands of buyers from top retailers, such as leading UK garden centres, builders’ merchants, multiple retailers, and DIY stores. To keep up-to-date on all the latest news log onto www.gleebirmingham.com or call 020 3033 2160 to find out about exhibiting.
