Choice Marketing has announced the addition of 3 new garden centres to the Group. Highfield Garden World, from Whitminster joins from the 1st July 2019, and Blackbrooks Garden Centre of Sedlescombe has also added their 2 new garden centres, at Hastings and Lower Dicker, adding significant turnover to the Group.

This brings the total number of centres within Choice Marketing to 45 and a group retail turnover in excess of £135m.

Tim Greenway, Managing Director of Highfield Garden World said “As of 1st July, we are excited to join the membership of Choice Marketing. After many successful years as members of the Great Western Partnership, we now felt this was the correct time to move to a much larger buying group with a new marketing company. We look forward to meeting many of the members at various upcoming trade shows or at the Choice annual conference”.

Mark Winchester, Managing Director of Blackbrooks said “Blackbrooks is an independent garden centre with a strong family ethos. Established in 1982 as a small landscaping centre, it has now grown to a destination garden centre, employing over 70 members of staff. Being a member of Choice Marketing is extremely important to our business and we very much look forward to bringing our 2 new centres into the Group, so they can share the benefits too”.

Michelle de Lavis-Trafford, CEO of Choice Marketing said “We are delighted to welcome Highfield Garden World to the Group. They are a highly significant garden centre in the West Country, and are sure to make a major contribution to the Organisation. We are also delighted with the acquisitions from Blackbrooks, an existing member, who can further share the benefits that Choice Marketing can bring”.

Choice has also announced a change to its marketing agency, which is a significant move for the Group and its members. Michelle commented “As the group continues to expand, we felt it was time to look for a larger professional marketing agency who could develop our members’ marketing further and bring us new services and initiatives. We have found the perfect solution with Encompass, whose client base includes some leading high-street retailers and other large businesses”.

Choice Marketing was established in 2002 with 10 independent garden centres as a Buying and Marketing Organisation whose members benefit from cost effective professional marketing and enhanced purchasing power. The group has now grown to 45 centres and has become a major player within the industry. Michelle added “We are rapidly heading towards 50 members, at which point we will take a break from active recruitment whilst we consolidate our new membership”.

Garden Centres who would like to know more about the benefits of membership of Choice Marketing should contact Michelle de Lavis-Trafford at info@choice- marketing.co.uk www.choice-marketing.co.uk