Hungry for sales

First Lady Michelle Obama isn’t the only one tending to her vegetable garden this summer. Millions of Americans have turned to edible gardening as a way to save money and eat healthier, and hardware stores are trying to get their share of this increasing business.

“Edible gardening is hot. You see it all through the business,” said Keith DeWolf, merchandise manager for True Value’s Home & Garden Showplace. “Everything in gardening is big right now. That’s the one area of the business that’s very healthy.”

According to a survey from the National Gardening Association (NGA), 7 million more American households planned to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries in 2009 than in 2008—a 19% increase. And research from NPD Group revealed that sales of seed packets were up double digits in 2008, with the same type of increase expected this year.

To capitalize on this growth, many hardware stores are creating an edible gardening section within the lawn and garden area, complete with seeds, tomato cages, twist ties, stakes and organic fertilizers. “Not only is the economy driving it, but the whole move toward organics as well,” DeWolf said.

Greg Eagleburger, manager of Westlake Ace Hardware in St. Joseph, Mo., said his store is selling more vegetable seeds and plants—particularly tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers—than ever before. He said the category started to become more popular last year, but then began to surge in the spring, with overall sales up 50% this year.

Lavender Mountain Do it Best in Rome, Ga., is reporting at least a 25% increase in edible gardening-related sales, according to horticulturalist Angela Moura. In addition to vegetable and herb seeds and gardening tools sold in the hardware store, the garden center features a wide array of fruit trees and plants—both organic and conventional.

“The increase really started last fall, and I’m sure a lot of it has to do with the economy,” Moura said. “People are trying to become more self-sufficient, and being able to grow one’s own food saves money. People are also more concerned about what chemicals are put on their food and where it comes from.”

Orgill, the Memphis, Tenn.-based distributer, has reported the following in creases this year: 20% in gardening tools; 30% in insecticides and fertilizers; and 25% in soil. However, retail programs manager Denise Sullivan said that canning is where the company has seen its biggest increases—category sales have more than doubled from last year. “Many consumers are going back to basics since the economy is so tight,” she said.

Westlake Ace Hardware’s corporate office confirmed that during the past 12 months, the 80-plus-store chain has experienced a 78% sales increase in canning supplies and a 48% sales increase in pressure cookers. DeWolf also reports a noted increase in canning supply sales at True Value and Home & Garden Showplace stores—a trend that started heating up in 2008 but saw a bigger push into the spring and summer seasons this year. In fact, the co-op is offering a 4-ft. endcap with jars, lids and preservatives for those stores that want to step things up in this area.

“It doesn’t take a lot of space, is easy to execute and is not SKU-intensive,” DeWolf said. “This is the first year we’re really talking about it as an event: an endcap, newspaper ads. It’s a much bigger opportunity.”

Winford Jones, owner of Yoder’s Hardware in Shipshewana, Ind., has carried canning supplies for more than 30 years but has seen a marked increase in consumer interest this year. The list of products he carries includes jars, pressure canners and food processors. When he saw an increased interest in seeds for potatoes, peas, beans, beets, radishes, carrots and lettuce this spring, he knew he had better put his canning supply order in early and heavy.

“This year, we’ve tried to stay ahead of the rush,” Jones said. “Canning season hasn’t even started, and we’ve already seen the products selling really well.”