Our 2023 Outlook: Growth Opportunities for Horticulture in the Coming Year
January 1, 2023 Everyone in horticulture has thoughts on what they’re looking forward to in the coming year, and where the biggest opportunities for growth might be. That includes our team at Greenhouse Grower. Keep reading to learn more about what excites us most for 2023.
Janeen Wright, Greenhouse Grower Editor: “I believe the biggest opportunity for growth will be for our industry to invest in its people — both present and future employees. A grower said this at our recent GROW Executive Summit, and I wholeheartedly agree. When a powerful team pulls together, there isn’t anything they can’t accomplish, no matter what the odds.
When it comes to what I am looking forward to in the coming year, on a personal level it’s time with my family, time with nature, and time to learn. On a professional level, it’s time talking with the great people in our industry. I never fail to learn something new from whoever I talk to, and I love to hear about their passion for plants and horticulture, their dreams for their businesses, and their greatest achievements.”
Brian Sparks, Greenhouse Grower Senior Editor: “To me, the best opportunities for growth lie in knowing as much as you can about your customers, even if you don’t directly interact with them. This industry has a great chance to build on, or at least maintain, the momentum gained over the last two years. It starts with promoting the wide range of benefits plants can provide, but it should end with strengthening your end consumer relationships. I’d like to see more in-store signage highlighting the greenhouses that grew the flowers people are buying.
I’ve been focusing a lot of my time on the great potential of digital content for our audience, and I’m looking forward to reaching out to and working with many of you. Have something you want to say? Let me know!”
Julie Hullett, Greenhouse Grower Managing Editor: “The biggest opportunity for growth is e-commerce/direct-to-consumer shipping. The pandemic has permanently changed the way consumers shop. They are looking for convenience, even if that’s ordering plants online from a local garden center and picking them up in store. Dipping your toes into e-commerce could boost your revenue or at least gauge if that’s something your customers are interested in.
I’m looking forward to a normalized supply chain. Growing plants seems hard enough without year-long lead times, lack of product availability for inputs, and high surcharges for products being shipped from overseas. A mellow supply chain will remove additional headaches for growers.”
Richard, Jones, former Corporate Content Director at Meister Media Worldwide: “We’ll start to see a shakeout with some of the players as the market works through inevitable growing pains, but controlled environment agriculture will continue to be one of the most promising developments in the greenhouse space in years.”
Allan Armitage, Greenhouse Grower Contributing Editor and Professor Emeritus of Horticulture at the University of Georgia: “The good news: Interest rates will come down, and with that an increase in new housing starts, and new housing plantings. The not so good news: The problem with deer is only getting worse. Unless we develop some more ornamental anti-deer plants, as is the case with Helleborus, and/or breed in a gene for deer repellent (this is not at all science fiction), we are going to continue to lose customers.”
Gregg Langermeier, Senior Account Manager, U.S. Horticulture Group at Meister Media Worldwide: “Profitability and growth may not come from new product introductions or new markets, but along the lines of what the economy is going to do in rectifying supply chain/logistics costs and solutions, and getting inflation back in-check. With interest rates sky high and new builds slowing, there will be less demand.”
I’m looking forward to seeing how AgTech plays out. There has been a lot of hype and introductions but where will it have application, and at what cost?”
Polly Dickson, Senior Account Manager-West, Meister Media Worldwide: “What I think is going to be the biggest growth industry? That would be water-saving technologies. Desalination technologies that don’t require quite so much energy or cost. What I most look forward to/hope for? Lots of rain and snow!”
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