Great things ahead

This is certainly an interesting time to be part of the live goods industry. We find ourselves often challenged by the multitude of variables that can impact results — weather being one of the most unpredictable on the list. As a wholesale grower, we must gravitate toward what we can control and in many cases influence.

As I have immersed myself in this business, and now in a position to lead one of the largest wholesale growers, I am reminded of our obligation to address the needs of a key customer — the consumer. It starts and ends with the consumer, whether you own genetics, broker liners, grow trees, supply fertilizer, mold a pot or stock an end cap, the consumer should drive our behavior. Our industry could use a “shot in the arm” as we compete with discretionary spending at the consumer level.

In the great movie "Field of Dreams," there is a classic line that applies to what we do — “Ease his pain.” Translating to our demographic it should read, “Ease their pain.” We have to reduce the anxiety related to the plant buying process. We must make it easy for the consumer to make the decision – guiding them quickly to a solution. Instant gratification and ease of maintenance scream out in our research. Lifestyle applications are critical for showing how they can be successful. But above all, simplification is paramount. Ease their pain.

I would encourage us all to think about the one who ultimately pays the bills. Don’t misunderstand, competitive positioning and sales strategies all play a role in working with our retail partners. They are important, but at the end of the day the consumer votes with their wallet.

If you are in any position to influence a buying decision, join me and the Berry Family of Nurseries as we collectively place even more emphasis on consumer needs and wants. Trust me, when we solve for that level, everyone wins. Great things are ahead for this business!

On behalf of the Berry Family of Nurseries, I wish you the best of success in the 2014 season.

Best,
Randy Roush
CEO
Berry Family of Nurseries

SURVEY SAYS ...
The data on the following pages was collected by Readex Research via an online survey from July 29 to August 2, 2013. The survey was closed for tabulation on August 2 with 461 responses. To best represent the audience of interest, the results in this report were based on the 374 respondents who indicated they own/operate/manage an independent garden center.

The margin of error for percentages based on 374 usable responses is ± 4.9% at the 95% confidence level. That is, 95% of the time we can be confident that percentages in the actual population would not vary by more than this in either direction. The margin of error for percentages based on smaller sample sizes will be larger. ­ —Garden Center Magazine