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.
Suzanne Ellingham, Event Director of Source Garden says, “We’re really pleased with our launch show, we’ve seen some fantastic buyers attend from across retail, keen to meet new, responsible manufacturers and discover new products. Having the confidence in knowing that every exhibitor has undergone a recent audit provides total reassurance for our visitors and reports show that there have been a lot of very positive conversations over the last 3 days.
“Looking around the show, there are some amazing products that will really add to new ranges including some innovative 3D printed porcelain vases from Dehua; compostable paper seed pots; colourful solar powered blown glass garden lights; pet gifting products that would be perfect for any store; wildlife houses that will encourage life into the garden; and outdoor faux floral decorative designs that will work in any outdoor space as well as seeing lots of products that tap into the ‘grow your own’ ranges. That’s before we get to the quality tooling and range of garden building.
“Our Ask the Expert sessions were also well-attended and added another dimension to our show offer. We have created some very good foundations to continue to grow for next year’s show.”
Feedback from the show floor was positive. Yicong Li from Ningbo Jingyou Photovoltaic Technology says,“We are a solar light manufacturer from China, founded in 2009. Our focus is on eco-friendly and economical solar solutions, including wall lights, ground lights, and high-lumen security lights. The UK market is key for us because its environment is ideal for solar lighting, with ample sunlight to fully charge our products. We’ve had some productive conversations at the show and expect to receive orders following the event. We’re already excited to return next year as this show has been a valuable platform for us.”
Laura Zhang, from exhibitor Tainjin Lotov Industry Co. Ltd says, “We came to Source Garden because we want to expand our presence in the UK market. The UK is a key area for us, as it’s a great market to explore, and we already have some British clients. We manufacture a range of pet products, including cat toys, scratching posts. We’ve had productive conversations with potential customers today, and many have shown real interest in our products.”
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.
