Haymarket Media Group and Green Solutions Software GmbH have announced they have acquired Amsterdam-based Garden Connect, an online marketing agency for horticulture businesses in the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium. They say the joint venture will provide an improved and expanded offering to Garden Connect and Green Solutions’ clients, customers and partners, and the complementary qualities among the three companies means they can now deliver omnichannel solutions to every stakeholder in the garden industry, from retailers and growers to nurseries and suppliers.
The active investment from Haymarket sees the company’s presence expand to the Netherlands, adding to existing locations in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore and India.
Haymarket has a long-standing position in the horticulture media, data and information space, says the publisher, being the parent company of brands including Horticulture Week and TASPO, and whose clients include Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Tillington Group of Garden Centres. Meanwhile, Green Solutions and Garden Connect are already established in their markets. The digital product offering from Green Solutions is the Cloud Software, enabling horticulture businesses to centrally consolidate all relevant channels both online and offline. This includes functionalities ranging from webshops, websites, newsletters, dropshipping, CRM, SEO, SEA, social media, to signage, apps, and customer loyalty.
Customers of Garden Connect will now be able to access the Green Solutions database, which houses thousands of photos, videos, editorial reports, plant or product data, enhancing the digital channels of the cloud software with professional content.
Over the next 12 months, Haymarket says the acquisition will see the existing platforms of Green Solutions and Garden Connect transition to become Green Solutions International.
Kevin Costello, global chief executive at Haymarket Media Group said: “Haymarket and Green Solutions have already enjoyed working together for some time, and now having Garden Connect on board completes a perfect platform to develop Green Solutions International. Our trio of skills and influence in the sector meant we all quickly realised how much more beneficial working together and joining forces would be, rather than competing in the same markets.
“I am thrilled to now build on our respective expertise, creating a truly exciting product for our clients and audiences. This unique new business offering is providing a market-leading force in SaaS - combined with Haymarket’s existing knowledge and expertise in the horticulture industry. I look forward to seeing all that we can achieve for the entire horticulture industry in the coming months.”
Alexander Kelm, managing director and CEO of Green Solutions added: “Garden Connect aligns perfectly with our internationalisation strategy, transitioning from a partner to a solid part of the Green Solutions family. With its long-standing experience, overlapping product portfolio, and a customer base built over decades, Garden Connect is poised to elevate our international business to the next level. As Green Solutions International, there is a clear plan to significantly amplify the existing growth trajectory of Garden Connect in the coming years.”
Edwin Meijer, co-Founder and CMO at Garden Connect concluded: “With the three of us, we aim to deliver the best possible experience to every stakeholder in the garden industry. These changes also mean new opportunities to significantly grow our offering - from access to thousands of new images on the comprehensive photo database, to integrating the outstanding Green Solutions signage system, so retailers can instantly create printable signages for their stores. As Green Solutions International, there is a clear plan to significantly amplify the existing growth trajectory of Garden Connect in the coming years.”
The publisher says the Garden Connect team will continue to operate from Amsterdam in conjunction with the Green Solutions cloud software and the existing co-founders, Frank de Lange, Edwin Meijer and Jeffry Breure, will retain their positions within the company.
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