Garden centre group’s third honour for Woodmansterne in three years
A record attendance at Choice Marketing’s conference and trade show underlined the importance of garden centres as greeting card stockists with three publishers taking part – and Woodmansterne lifting a trophy.
Mark Timlett, Woodmansterne’s head of sales to independents, and regional sales manager Mark Curtis had the pleasure of collecting the Giftware Supplier Of The Year award last week at Chesford Grange in Kenilworth, which Choice Marketing has named its most successful event yet, with over 400 delegates taking part and £300,000 taken in trade orders.
Having previously won the award in 2022 and earned a special commendation in the category last year, Mark Timlett said: “We feel really honoured to be winners of the Choice Marketing Giftware Supplier Of The Year award, for the second time in three years.
“We strive to offer the best possible service at all times, and for this award to be voted for by the Choice members, means so much to us.”
The organisation, which has a mission to support privately-owned garden centres in enhancing profitability while safeguarding their independence, has just added Devon’s Bernaville Nurseries and Merry Harriers as members as well as new centres from Fairways and Caulders, taking it to a 61-strong group and an overall turnover in excess of £225million.
The two-day conference highlighted the strength of the supplier network, featuring 130 trade stands and exclusive show deals from many suppliers with group services manager Mike Cook saying: “We would’ve liked to include more of our suppliers, but the event sold out quickly, and we just didn’t have the space.”
As well as Woodmansterne’s stand, fellow publishers Abacus Cards and The Great British Card Company (GBCC) were among those taking part in the trade show.
