Garden companies double up on seed supply in anticipation of sustained demand amid pandemic
As the summer gardening season approaches, companies have doubled up on seeds and other supplies to avoid potential shortages following last year's surge in demand.
Kelly Funk, the president of Park Seed, an e-commerce gardening seed retailer based in South Carolina, said the company has doubled its supply of top-selling products to account for the unprecedented demand that took place in 2020.
"After seeing the demand we saw, as well as the renewed interest in all things gardening, we prepared for 2021 with increased inventory levels to be able to make sure we have what customers want, when they want to order it," she said. "We are ready and prepared for the season."
Tavaris Guider, floor manager at Gurney's Seed and Nursery Company, said the company ran out of seed packaging three-quarters into the 2020 gardening season, after demand increased three times over previous years.
As a result, Guider said the Greendale, Indiana-based company, has doubled up its inventory to brace for the potential onrush of orders.
"We foreshadowed this would happen, so we were able to get as many seeds in the season as possible," he said. "Definitely doubled what we did last season."
Jamie Mattikow, CEO and president of W. Atlee Burpee & Co. in Pennsylvania, one of the largest suppliers of vegetable seeds for home gardeners in the United States, said the company has also increased its supply to withstand this year's demand.
"We have increased our resources and capacity, so we are fully prepared to accommodate a sustained surge in demand," Mattikow said.
David Sborden, vice president for sales of Livingston Seed, said the Columbus-based company fully expected the demand to continue into this year's gardening season. And so far, sales are roughly on the same pace as they were after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, if not greater, he said.
Although Sborden declined to say exactly how much demand increased in 2020, he said it grew substantially.
Sborden attributes the demand to the coronavirus outbreak, which encouraged experienced and new gardeners to stock up on supplies. Like other companies and retailers, Sborden said the company has increased its inventory and is capable of making adjustments if needed.
"If sales exceed demand, we have the capabilities to produce more product for our customer base," he said.
It's unclear what demand will look like going forward, Sborden said, but he encourages gardeners to pick out their varieties now so they can properly plan ahead for the summer.
Funk doesn't expect another shortage to occur, but in case there is a spike in demand, she said Park Seed will remain in contact with suppliers and other brands in the industry.