Stewart Garden propagators help drive increase in grow your own

Stewart Garden, the gardening products division of UK manufacturer, Stewart, has seen sales in its electric propagators increase by almost 30% in the last year.

This growth coincides with an increase of over 40% across the company’s full propagator product range, reflecting the upsurge in popularity of grow your own.

Independent research commissioned by Stewart suggests that keen gardeners under 35 are driving the grow your own movement. Nearly 30% of the money spent by respondents in this age group goes on seeds, propagation, pots and hanging baskets.

The Stewart Kitchen Garden collection, launched in 2013, is ideal for the novice gardener. Essentially a mini greenhouse, a propagator is a vital gardening tool. The electric models manufactured by Stewart Garden enable gardeners to set and maintain the temperature required to grow a wide range of plants from seed. The full range can be found at http://www.stewart-garden.co.uk/14-premium-propagators.

Studies show that children are confused about how food is produced. Only 19% of five to eight year-olds know that potatoes grow underground, with 10% believing they grow on bushes or trees. Grow your own can raise awareness of where food comes from to how it reaches our plates.

Stewart Garden supports this educational process by providing tools to produce fresh fruit and vegetables. Growing produce brings families together and keeps children active with hands-on activity. Grow your own also exposes young people to vibrant colours and new textures as they nurture their produce.

With the increasing popularity of grow your own and concerns about seasonal eating, shopping bills and the environment, Stewart Garden’s commitment to the gardening sector is stronger than ever. The company has major investments in new technology, new products and expanded merchandising and POS support for retailers planned. Stewart also works closely with the Carbon Trust to maintain high levels of efficiency and social responsibility.

For more information about Stewart Garden, visit www.stewart-garden.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter @StewartGarden

Like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/StewartCompany

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Stewart - backgrounder

Stewart is the UK market leader in the manufacture and supply of technical plastic moulded products for the gardening, home and professional catering sectors. The company offers an extensive portfolio of products ranging from garden planters and propagators, to food containers and specialist storage products. Three specialist divisions also work across the aerospace, automotive and medical industries.

The company employs 70 permanent staff and 30 seasonal workers at a purpose-built 178,000 sq ft facility in Banbury, Oxon, which opened in September 2012. The factory and distribution centre includes state of the art machinery giving Stewart a world class advantage over its UK competitors.

It enjoyed a turnover of £13 million in 2010.  

Stewart is headed by CEO Richard Butler who built his career in the technical plastics and rubber sector and has worked for leading manufacturers in the aerospace and automotive sector.

Originally established in 1945 the company was the subject of a BIMBO (buy-in/ management buyout) in June 2011.  ECI, the mid-market private equity specialist, invested £12 million in the company in a deal that valued the business at £17 million.

Stewart Garden produces grow your own products, watering, pots, propagators and garden accessories and sundries. These are available in over 1600 outlets across the UK and Eire including major DIY outlets such as Homebase and Wilkinsons and garden centres across the UK such as Dobbies and Klondyke/Strikes, The Garden Centre Group and some 600 plus independent garden centres.

Stewart Garden plays an active role in the gardening and leisure industry through its membership of:

• GIMA – the Garden Industry Manufacturers Association
• Gardenex – the Federation of Garden and Leisure Manufacturers Limited
• HTA – the Horticultural Trades Association

Stewart won the House Beautiful Best Product Garden Category in 2005 and the Klondyke Dry Goods Supplier Award in 2010. The company was a GIMA Awards - POS Finalist in 2009, and Best of British Finalist in 2011. It’s Heat and Grow Thermostatic Propagator was top in the Which? Gardening Best Buy test on windowsill propagators 2011.

Stewart Home provides food storage and homewares products. These comprise of the Refine, Essentials and Seal Fresh food and drink storage collections, offering hygienic storage in a wide range of colours and shapes.

Stewart Catering supplies the Gastronorm and Seal Fresh food storage ranges to the catering industry and specialist cook shops via wholesale and cash and carry outlets.

Other Stewart divisions are:

Stewart Aerospace

Stewart Automotive

Stewart Medical

Each division of Stewart is BS ISO 9001-2000 and TS16949 accredited and operates from the company’s manufacturing, warehousing and distribution centre in Banbury, Oxon.

For more information visit www.stewartlimited.co.uk

For editorial enquiries, pictures, interviews and samples, contact Emma De Maio on 07921 160 134 or email emma@redheadpr.co.uk