CAST 2018: Reach Young Consumers With Tattoos, Foliage, and Veggies
Greenhouse Grower got the scoop on new marketing ideas and displays, breeder initiatives to improve grower and retailer sales, and ideas for new and novel ways to reach young consumers during our visits to Ball Horticultural Co., Green Fuse Botanicals, and Floranova/Vegetalis at California Spring Trials (CAST) 2018.
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Begonia 'Canary Yellow' Display
Don’t “cage yourself in.” Ball Ingenuity wants you to “spread your wings” with this new Begonia ‘Canary Yellow’ variety. The giant cage, feather boas, and Peeps were a nice added touch to the display showing off the chartreuse foliage and complementary red flowers on this variety.
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Ball FloraPlant's Foliage Wall
Ball FloraPlant put together a wall of foliage items the company carries as a visual reminder to attendees. Seeing the trend among young consumers moving from succulents to houseplants, Ball FloraPlant wants to keep that interest in foliage going by stepping them in to outdoor foliage with plants like ipomoea and other items like coleus and coleus combinations in the MixMasters line. Global Product Manager Kristopher Carlsson says young consumers tend to be less confident in using flowers but if we continue their interest in foliage as a gateway into gardening, their confidence will improve and evolve toward different types of plants.
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Firehouse Verbena (Ball FloraPlant)
Ball FloraPlant’s firehouse and police station display ideas were quite elaborate, showing off Cadet verbena and Firehouse verbena.
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Constant Dianthus (Green Fuse Botanicals)
Moooo! Got Dianthus? Green Fuse Botanicals does, with three series of Constants - Beauty, Cadence, and Promise.
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Plug & Play (PanAmerican Seed)
Plug & Play has been developing interspecies combos and mixes for Southern growers, as well as more Thriller, Spiller, Filler combos, which research shows younger customers gravitate toward. A fun candy display offered some easy fun and interest.
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Darwin Perennials and Kieft Seed
Darwin Perennials and Kieft Seed have done all the homework for growers, with predictable, programmable perennials for early spring, spring, summer, and fall sales. Growers and retailers don’t have to continue to do perennials the way they always have, says Darwin Perennials’ Mike Klopmeyer. Instead, use the timed, programmed resources available from Kieft and Darwin to grow perennials from seed and cutting to provide fresh plants each season, rather than cut back leftovers from spring. The payoff will be worth it, Klopmeyer says, when consumers see fresh product available in stores all season long, and load up on fall décor items. In a trial program, one grower in the Northeast sold out of this product immediately, and his retailer customer put in an order for new product weekly.
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Darwin Perennials
Fall color and predictable, programmable perennials is what it’s all about at Darwin Perennials. Mike Klopmeyer says it’s time to evolve our approach when growing and selling perennials.
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Corona Dianthus (PanAmerican Seed)
PanAmerican Seed’s new Corona dianthus may be the new “king of spring.” This display highlighting the large-flowered series would be fun for kids of all ages to try out being royals with its red carpet, throne, and crown jewels.
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Friends
Laura Drotleff ran into her friend Susie Raker, at Floranova!
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CASTalks
Mike Klopmeyer of @DarwinPerennials explains how perennials breeders and growers need to expand and adapt perennials similarly to how the vegetative annuals market, to provide better plants, safer and season-long sales.
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Tattoo Vinca (PanAmerican Seed)
The Greenhouse Grower team got tatted up at PanAmerican Seed’s Tattoo vinca display. The Tattoos provide plenty of visual interest to catch young consumers’ eyes – and the tattoo idea opens the door for young customers in a relatable, approachable way.
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New Product Development CASTalks
Scott Rusch of PanAmerican Seed discusses the company's efforts toward new product development in providing more ready made product at retail, as well as developing indoor plants like veggies and succulents, and focusing on breeding for better disease resistance.
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HandPicked Vegetables (PanAmerican)
This display from PanAmerican Seed’s HandPicked Vegetables line showcases a brilliant way for consumers to grow veggie crops in small spaces.
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Ball for Fall (Ball Ingenuity)
Who doesn't want their front door to look like this, all dressed up for autumn? Ball Ingenuity's Ball for Fall display uses Morgana mums and a variety of perennials and annuals in trendy pinks, purples and whites for a refined fall look.
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Ch. Morel Cyclamen Displays
Florence Vaux of Ch. Morel is a master merchandiser with her creative display ideas. This year, it was Christmas in the greenhouse as she showed California Spring Trials attendees how to use different sizes of cyclamen varieties to create décor items with ideas that customers will love.
View all
Begonia 'Canary Yellow' Display
Ball FloraPlant's Foliage Wall
Firehouse Verbena (Ball FloraPlant)
Constant Dianthus (Green Fuse Botanicals)
Plug & Play (PanAmerican Seed)
Darwin Perennials and Kieft Seed
Darwin Perennials
Corona Dianthus (PanAmerican Seed)
Friends
CASTalks
Tattoo Vinca (PanAmerican Seed)
New Product Development CASTalks
HandPicked Vegetables (PanAmerican)
Ball for Fall (Ball Ingenuity)
Ch. Morel Cyclamen Displays
Here are some of the marketing, merchandising, and product development efforts these breeders have underway. We will have more in-depth coverage on GreenhouseGrower.com and in Greenhouse Grower‘s June print issue highlighting the major introductions and intitiatives of CAST 2018. Meanwhile, be sure to follow the Greenhouse Grower team on Twitter (@Laura_GG_Editor and @Janeen_GG) for the latest updates from California Spring Trials.
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Laura Drotleff is a former Editor for Greenhouse Grower. See all author stories here.
Janeen Wright is former Editor for Greenhouse Grower. See all author stories here.