Small Spaces, Big Margins

Tim Duffin

Burpee, a known and trusted brand in the marketplace, has had long-standing consumer recognition since 1876. The company goes back to when gardening wasn’t considered a luxury—it was a necessity for producing fresh vegetables to feed your family. Times sure have changed, but the demand for eating local, fresh produce has not. What began as an annual seed catalog has evolved into an e-commerce website, along with retail racks of packeted seed, and now a branded plant program to make life easier for today’s new gardening customer.

But who are these new customers? Surprisingly, it’s a mix of both older and younger adults. These two age groups are massive forces in the marketplace. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the current and rising generation of Millennials is poised to be the largest to come of age since the Baby Boomers in the 1970s and ’80s. It’s projected that 21.6 million households will be headed by Millennials by 2018. So, not only will their numbers influence housing demand in the near future, but they’ll also, with their different tastes and preferences, drive trends in the types and locations of housing that will be built (Demand Institute 2014, “Millennials and Their Homes: Still Seeking the American Dream”).

In addition, Boomers are staying healthier and living longer than ever before. By 2030, one in five people will be at least age 65. The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard reports that accessibility is essential to older adults’ health and safety, as their physical and cognitive limitations increase.

So what does this have to do with selling vegetables? Burpee is glad you asked! One of the socio-demographic characteristics Millennials and Boomers share is the preference for smaller, more efficient homes (think about the rise of “tiny homes” or the increase in “age-in-place” communities). These types of residences are usually positioned closer to amenities or in urban locations, which ultimately means less backyard space to grow a sprawling veggie patch. That may seem like a death knell for your edibles department, but Burpee has the answer: Growing and selling Burpee vegetable plants in patio-ready pots is an easy way to satisfy this new customer base.

It’s all about small-space gardening
The Space Saver collection from Burpee is specially selected to appeal to the consumer with limited space and/or time to grow vegetables and herbs. Because retailers can offer them in sizes from small (4-in.) through large containers, Space Savers give shoppers the fastest way to harvest the freshest vegetables by growing on their patio. The collec-tion is also a great entry point for greenhouses and retailers who are interested in the benefits of growing a branded vegetable program and want to move into higher margin sales.

Beyond the excellent list of container-friendly tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and more, the Space Saver program has distinctive, large tags with a bonus recipe on the back to inspire gardeners’ inner chef. Burpee also offers free point-of-purchase signs and bench cards featuring a contemporary design to help retailers capture the attention of the modern shopper.

Enjoying the (small) outdoors
According to this year’s American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trends Survey, both outdoor living space and blended indoor/outdoor living space continue to dominate homeowner investment on their homes’ exteriors. This means North Americans are enjoying their free-time time outdoors. Among their favorite yard splurges are fire pits and fireplaces, outdoor kitchens and grills, as well as gardening spaces. Since 2009, more than three-quarters of consumers (83%) have grown edible plants (Garden Trends Research Report, October 2014).

Homeowners looking to maximize their outdoor oasis need hard-working containers to give them the harvest they seek. New for 2017 are Burpee’s Take 2 tomato combos. This concept combines a delicious slicer tomato with a sweet cherry variety in one container. They ripen at the same time with the same size plants for a steady supply of great-tasting tomatoes. Take 2 is best suited for 14-in. (35-cm) or larger patio pots, which offers a premium option for you to sell at retail. There are three combos available for next spring:

Lights (BushSteak + Patio Choice Yellow)
Camera (Homeslice + Sweetheart of the Patio)
Action (BushSteak + Baby Boomer) (pictured)

For customers with smaller garden footprints, creativity is essential. From the kinds of containers they use (e.g., reclaimed materials or colorful pots) to the places they grow to find the sun (e.g., vertical walls, rooftops or window boxes), today’s small-space gardener likes to make it personal. And with the Space Saver collection from Burpee they don’t need to sacrifice their taste buds. The lineup of veggies and herbs match many culinary palates and gardening styles. From the quick kitchen herb garden to the full-on canning and preserving aficionado, Burpee knows today’s gardener and is ready to fill your benches with flavor!

Signing up to be a certified Burpee grower or retail customer is easy. Contact your Ball Seed or Burpee
program representative today or visit BurpeeHomeGardensBrand.com to learn more about getting started with the Burpee Space Saver collection. GT

Tim Duffin is Burpee Brand Manager for Ball Horticultural Company in West Chicago, Illinois.