Q. Much of your experience has been with ornamental seed and young plant material sold to distributors and growers. What made you decide to start a company that produces finished plants for garden centers?
A. Tim Wada, owner of the Plug Connection, and I have known each other for about 10 years. Tim’s reputation for growing and running a successful company had me interested in working with him. Also, I think my reputation as an entrepreneur who has started and grew several operations got him interested in working with me.
Last year, Plug Connection developed and started to sell USDA Organically Certified herb and vegetable plugs. After attending some trade shows, Tim and his team saw that there is a market request for organically grown finished plants, but that our current distribution channels have not supplied that need. Tim contacted me to see if I was interested in looking at the opportunity with him. And that is just what I am doing. I am working as a consultant for Plug Connection, identifying how to bring organically grown herbs and vegetables to the marketplace under the brand name of Organiks.
Q. Plug Connection was already producing organic plugs, so was it relatively easy to take that next step to finish the plant material?
A. The certification and processes were already in place, so that part was easy. The most difficult part was nutritional balance of the plant as it continued to grow. Maintaining the correct fertilization levels for older plants and then packing those plants for shipment has been a great learning opportunity.
Q. Initially, Organiks plants were sold to Garden Centers of
A. The response from GCA members was great. It was a great program for both GCA membership and us. With the blessing of GCA, we have expanded the offering to other retail outlets including grocery stores, health food stores and farmers markets.
Q. How have the Ship & Show display boxes worked out?
A. The Ship & Show box is the cornerstone of the program. It has been an easy, convenient way for retailers to merchandise the brand. The look is modern and trendy while at the same time being functional.
Q. What’s been the biggest challenge so far?
A. I wish I could say something profound, but it’s really the normal issues that all entrepreneurs face, including developing a sound business plan, manufacturing good product, identifying solid distribution channels, finding good staff, packaging the product in shippable packaging, developing clear and attractive marketing messages and communicating all that to customers.
Overall, I am most pleased by the fact that everyone on the Organiks team is focused on developing products that are “Earth friendly.”
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For more: Organiks, (260) 982-2205; www.organikplants.com.