The Covid-19 lockdown has led to a surge in orders for South West garden supplies firm Suttons with millions of seed packets sold and 150,000 new customers since the lockdown began.
Online sales for seeds and plants have soared since March with vegetables initially coming out tops when panic buying left the supermarket shelves empty.
Managing director David Robinson said: “I’ve been told not to feel guilty about it. It doesn’t feel right that our sales have been so high when other people have not fared so well but we just have to get on and do what we can.”
The Paignton-based business has expanded its online presence in recent years, taking on The Organic Gardening Catalogue brand and National Beekeeping Supplies. Its retail sales in garden centres accounts for around a quarter of the business.
Mr Robinson said: “We had a surge in sales from the garden centres just before everything closed but of course there’s been nothing since. It remains to be seen whether there will be pent up demand now they have re-opened.
“Our business has grown online over the last two and a half years and from people I have been talking to, it is how you sell, not what you sell that has become most important.
“I have spoken to people who sell beer online who have been doing well and another cheesemaker who sells online and to supermarkets. Another sells to restaurants and they have seen their business fall away.”
A downside for Suttons has been the cancellation of this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It had hoped to win Plant of the Year for the third time with its new Jacaranda mimosifolia "Bonsai Blue". The accolade means plenty of orders but it has gone straight to market anyway.
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“We are gutted. We know it was a really strong contender this year but we may be able to consider it again for next year’s show," said Mr Robinson.
But Suttons’ core business has taken a major lockdown boost with seed sales up by 25 times at the peak.
Mr Robinson said: “It was on Monday March 16, a week before lockdown but when rumours had already started, that we first noticed. I came in in the morning and asked the IT team to double check the online order figures because I thought they had been double counted.
“In the last month we have sold around 1million seed packets. To begin with, it was lettuce and fast growing vegetables and I think that was in response to the panic buying in the supermarkets and people were thinking that they would have to grow food for themselves. Then it was things like runner beans which take longer to grow but it is the type of plant that people feel confident that they will have success with.
“We have streamlined our offer to 40 varieties to be able to cope with demand and so everyone can get their tomatoes or carrots.”
SW Covid-19 business stories
He said that with more time at home coupled with the VE Day 75th anniversary celebrations, people had perhaps taken on the dig-for-victory spirit in the face of the pandemic.
But the short-notice surge in business was stressful at first, said Mr Robinson.
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“The increase in demand came at the same time as a reduction in workforce so we had to quite quickly adapt."
Around half of the permanent staff are working from home, others shielding with a further 10 furloughed. Less staff on the packing and warehouse floor to adhere to social distancing rules meant that the firm struggled to turn around orders fast enough at first with customers dealing with a 12-day wait. But staff have been brilliant even choosing to work on the bank holiday to catch up..
“They said, no we want to work, we’re so close now', they have been brilliant,” he said.
With 150,000 new customers, Mr Robinson said he regretted that it was not able to give the level of service it would have liked to.
But there are some changes that could well transform the workplace.
Half the permanent staff are working from home with many working more effectively.
“I think that this has instigated some long term changes from our point of view, we have worked to become more sustainable as a business, we grow peat-free and along organic principles, so if we can get people travelling less, it makes environmental sense," Mr Robinson said.
“It is a key principle for our business so this has pushed us further along to a place that we would have got to eventually.”