Mark Portman was asked how he’s ready for the upcoming 2022 season…
We’re looking forward to an exciting year in 2022 as we bring out new product ranges and continue to invest behind our leading brands, since 2019 we have 3 million new gardeners to delight and inspire.
In response to the increased demands, we have made further changes to strengthen our teams and with these new colleagues we believe we are in a stronger position to lead and support us throughout the season.
We currently have good stock levels of most of our products and are ready to be shipped to our partners, there are some challenges on raw materials, particularly on ferrous sulphate and coir which is affecting the stock levels and availability on some of our portfolio.
Looking ahead, one of the biggest challenges we foresee for the year affecting many different manufacturers and suppliers is the availability of certain raw materials and continuity of supply.
The challenge on raw material supply also shows through in increased cost pressures along with the cost inflation we all also experience across utilities, transport, fuel and labour. This resulted in the unfortunate yet necessary increase in prices across all of our Channels.
As we get ready for the season, we are looking forward to the many wonderful events where we will have the opportunity to meet customers and consumers alike; from the Garden Press Event in March to Chelsea Flower Show back at its usual time in May.
We also look forward to seeing our customers at GLEE in June and we will also be at Hampton Court in July. We will also continue to be supporting our industry-leading brands through TV and digital throughout the season.
Overall, when we look at the year ahead, it’s clear that it’s not without its challenges but we are all excited for what’s to come in 2022.
