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Simply Beautiful Retail Reports
Retailers
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Report Archive
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Below are past issues of the Simply Beautiful® Retail Report. Feel free to browse, download and print. |
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December 2010
Retail Report December 2010: Consumer Research Results – Vegetables & Perennials
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October 2010
Dynamic web content at your fingertips!
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September 2010
Retail Report September 2010: Flourish! – An Inside Look
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November 2008
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The amount of money spent on vegetable gardening was up 20 percent in 2007 and a recent article from the National Gardening Association, www.garden.org, estimates there may have been a 10 percent increase in the number of vegetable gardeners in 2008. The final numbers won’t be released until next spring, but there’s no doubt edible gardening is a major trend. Reports from garden centers across North America indicate vegetable and herb sales were up this year and growers are forecasting increased demand and placing seed and plug orders as we speak.
This edition of the Simply Beautiful Retail Report focuses on edible gardening, offering lists of products, expert advice and a spotlight on three new, unique patio veggies to help you capture the most sales while the trend is hot.
Expert Advice
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| Jayson Force |
Jayson Force, a product manager and vegetable seed expert with Ball Horticultural Company, has years of experience selecting top-performing vegetables and herbs from around the world. We tapped into his expertise to help identify some opportunities for independent garden centers as the veggie/herb, patio produce and ornamental edible trends continue to grow.
Q: What advice do you have for independent garden centers (IGCs) interested in differentiating their vegetable and herb selection from the competition (i.e. big box, supermarket, etc.)?
A: Selection and variety. The big box stores seem to have a limited offering. This is where I see IGCs separating themselves by offering more varieties.
Q: What are some trends in veggies and herbs that have you have seen over the past few seasons?
A: Sales have increased a lot over the past year, especially herbs and patio container/small garden type vegetables. With food shows so popular right now, consumers see how to use fresh herbs and vegetables in their cooking. They want to emulate what they see on TV.
Q: As an expert in vegetable and herb plants, what are a few tips and tricks you feel independent garden centers can use to help promote these popular items and increase sales?
A: Consumers also want to grow what they buy in the stores – items such as grape tomatoes and specialty peppers. As an IGC, I would move my herbs and vegetables to the front benches in the store and not hide them in the back as in years past. Get creative! Make a display with kitchen utensils, appliances, pots and pans. Remind customers that vegetable gardening is not only healthy, saves money and teaches sustainable behavior - it’s fun, too!
Spotlight: Unique Picks
Here are three fun, new varieties that are sure to grab your customers’ attention:
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Tomatoberry Tomato
These unique strawberry-shaped tomatoes have a super-sweet taste and aroma. Gardeners will love the high yields of shiny, deep red, one-bite fruit, each about one-inch long. |
Hottie Pepper
Everyone has customers that want to have the hottest peppers on the block. Here’s the habanero to sell them. Earlier to mature than others on the market, Hottie is perfect for small-space and patio gardens. |
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Boxwood Basil
Here’s a fun annual herb that epitomizes the term “ornamental edible.” It’s compact, small-leafed basil that looks like a boxwood and remains much more uniform than other basils. Great for pesto and other culinary uses, Boxwood Basil is also attractive in monoculture or mixed containers. |
More than 400 vegetable varieties for any appetite!
Gardeners will be hungry for vegetables this spring and now is the time to prepare for this growing market. If you grow your own veggies and herbs, it’s time to place seed and plug orders. If you don’t grow, contact your preferred suppliers and put together your offerings for next spring so you are prepared for what is sure to be a great year for edible gardening.
With 46 classes and over 400 varieties, Ball carries more home garden vegetable varieties than any other full-line vegetable distributor. Take a look at these three vegetable groupings designed to start or rejuvenate your vegetable offering. |
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Getting Started
This is a collection of must-haves for any standard selection.
| Class |
Variety |
| Bean |
Blue Lake Bush; Kentucky Wonder |
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| Broccoli |
Packman F1 |
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| Brussel Sprouts |
Royal Marvel F1 |
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| Cabbage |
Stonehead |
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| Cauliflower |
Snow Crown F1 |
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| Cucumber |
Burpless #26 F1; Bush Pickle; Bush Crop F1 |
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| Eggplant |
Black Beauty |
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| Herb Basil |
Sweet Large Leaf Italian; Boxwood |
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| Herb Catnip |
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| Herb Chives |
Onion |
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| Herb Cilantro |
Santo |
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| Herb Dill |
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| Herb Mint |
Spearmint |
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| Herb Oregano |
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| Herb Parsley |
Extra Triple Curled; Italian Dark Single |
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| Herb Rosemary |
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| Herb Sage |
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| Herb Thyme |
Winter (English) |
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| Lettuce |
Buttercrunch; Romaine Parris Island; Red Sails; Simpson Elite |
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| Melon |
Ball 1776 F1 |
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| Onion |
Yellow Sweet Spanish; White Sweet Spanish; White Bunching |
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| Pepper |
Jalapeño M; Hungarian Yellow Wax (Hot Banana); Better Belle F1; Sweet Banana (Sweet Hungarian); Red Beauty F1; Cayenne Long Thin |
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| Pumpkin |
Howden; Big Max; Jack-Be-Little |
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| Squash |
Ball’s Zucchini F1; Golden Summer Crookneck; Butternut Waltham; Multipik F1 |
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| Tomato |
Early Girl; Sweet 100; Better Boy; Super Fantastic; Jet Star; Champion II; Big Beef; Sugar Snack |
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| Watermelon |
Crimson Sweet |
I Want More
Just some selections to make your offering more interesting.
Go Gourmet
Unique items to make any standard selection new and improved!
Got Veggies?
Get more information on these and other vegetables, including Organic Seed, Asian Vegetables, Hot Peppers, Patio Produce and Ornamental Edibles varieties from the Ball 2009 Seed Catalog. As many of these varieties are Ball exclusives, growers should contact your Ball sales rep or 800 870-BALL, or visit ballhort.com and log into WebTrack™ Plus for more information. Retailers, remind your suppliers to request these varieties from their Ball rep.
Get Listed!
One of the coolest parts of the ballhort.com web site is an easy-to-use retail locator that will help drive customers to your store when they search our consumer sites, simplybeautifulgardens.com and wave-rave.com. Click HERE to get your store listed. Please take a few minutes to check off the specific varieties you carry in order to rise to the top of zip code searches! You also have the ability to insert your garden center logo to increase visibility.
It’s time to order plugs and cuttings! Talk to you soon,
Bill Calkins
Independent Garden Center Business Manager
Ball Horticultural Company
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