Tell us about your brand; what inspired you to start your brand? Where did you get the idea for your products?

I was inspired to start GFK by a chance remark from a pupil in my biology class (long ago in a different life I was a secondary school Biology teacher!).  He asked “oh god Miss, what’s the point of plants?”  I was stunned by this and started a little side hustle to sell gardening products for children and hopefully teach them that plants were not pointless.  Fast forward eight years, with a pandemic catapulting our website to the top of google, a whole new range of own brand growing kits for children (no-one else supplied what I wanted), finalists of the GOTY 2023 and a fledgling wholesale business – the GFK you see today.

What’s your biggest highlight of owning your brand? Why do you love what you do?

Getting top reviews from customers saying they were delighted with the products and expressing amazement that the seeds were actually growing – often their first taste of gardening with children.  Also reaching the final of the Gift Of The Year competition, that was a fabulous validation of all the hard work we’d put in developing our growing kits, it was great that someone else thought they were good too.

Looking back, what advice would you give to yourself when you first started out? 

I know it’s probably a cliché but keep a very close eye on the finances!  Yes, I know it’s the least glamourous and most tedious part of running a business (well, it is for me and I suspect I’m not alone!) but keeping on top of costs and expenditure is vital.  I wish I’d been more ruthless with keeping costs down early on.  Know your numbers – profit margins etc.  You can only efficiently grow and understand your business and products if you have this data to hand.  It’s taken me a while to learn this, but I feel in control now and it’s a good place to be.

What can we look forward to seeing from your new collections that you are bringing/launching at Home & Gift? Do you have any personal favourites?

We will be bringing our new ‘Grow Something Different’ range of growing kits, these have proved a real hit with our retail customers, especially the cucamelon and mimosa varieties.  We will also have a brand new growing kit based around microgreens, so excited to launch something very different different to what we already do.

Can you describe the experience that buyers can expect when visiting your stand at Home & Gift?

Lots of bright colours, interesting plants, lots of exciting things they won’t find anywhere else.  A friendly and knowledgeable welcome from the business owners Mark and Louise.

What are you most excited for when exhibiting at Home & Gift?

Meeting lots of lovely exhibitors from amazing businesses like ours and being inspired by them.  Meeting buyers from all over the country and hearing about their businesses and what they are looking for.

How do you operate your brand sustainably?

Our pots are plastic-free, made from recycled bamboo waste.  All growing media is peat-free, cardboard is recycled and recyclable.  We mostly use cardboard and paper packaging, any small mailing bags are recycled plastic.