A new consolidated supply chain service, tailored to the needs of garden centres and garden retail suppliers has been launched by a partnership including specialist in product sourcing, development and distribution, Highgrove and BRC-accredited supply chain infrastructure provider, Oakland International.
Based on the model developed by Highgrove and Oakland for retailers, discounters, convenience chains and wholesalers in the grocery sector, the garden retail version will consolidate product from multiple suppliers, store, order pick, and provide onward distribution to garden centres with a three day turnaround from order placement to delivery.

John Goodwin, commercial director of Highgrove explained the inspiration behind the scheme. "Highgrove has been supplying the UK and Irish grocery market since it was established in 1992. We have recently expanded our own portfolio to target garden retail and the supply chain challenges for the garden sector became very apparent. It's disjointed, there are fewer wholesalers, multiple deliveries from multiple suppliers pose logistical problems, and there are issues around minimum orders, carriage paid minimums and extended lead times, particularly at the height of the season.

"It was obvious that Highgrove's partnership with Oakland International - with its 28,000 pallet capacity, 250 strong team, and ability to distribute over a million cases per week - could be applied equally successfully to providing consolidated supply chain solutions to the garden market. We are now launching a first to market service which will have real benefits for garden centres and garden suppliers."

For garden centres the advantages of a consolidated supply chain solution are more frequent deliveries but with fewer inbound vehicles, access to improved range, faster and better availability of stock and simplified ordering and invoicing. Meanwhile garden suppliers benefit from a single point of delivery, improved delivery times and lower minimum carriage paid order levels, greater sales scope and complete stock visibility at all times.
The costs, terms and analysis of the consolidation scheme are bespoke to individual customers and are based on their business profile.