Trade shows are great events, especially if they occur in warm but comfortable weather in January. That’s why the Tropical Plants International Expo (TPIE) is one of horticulture’s best and favorite happenings. Taking place in Ft. Lauderdale January 17-19, TPIE is way more than vendors with products for your business! FNGLA mindfully put together a line-up of speakers who address topics that help the industry navigate where today’s consumer is taking us.

I was able to connect with one of TPIE’s upcoming keynote speakers, Max Luthy, to get an idea of what he’ll cover in his presentation, “Unlock the Opportunities: A Look at Evolving Consumer Trends for 2018 and Beyond.” Max is Director of Trends & Insights at the North American office of Trendwatching, an organization I turn to quite a bit to learn what trends are bubbling to the market’s surface. What they do at Trendwatching, Max says, might seem counter-intuitive; “To better understand your customer of the future we’re looking at the innovative businesses of today.”

What trends does Max think will impact the green industry? He gave me some insights into two:

An expectation for ambient wellness. “We’ve all witnessed the wellness boom,” Max says, noting the cold-pressed juices, organic food, yoga and such. “But people are still very busy. They are always online, working, cramming in leisure, raising a family. We’re seeing a new expectation for products that embed wellness into physical surroundings. In terms of greenery, that could be hotels boasting of air purifiers, circadian lighting that helps you get over jet lag. The wellness benefits of having plants in your surroundings are well documented. As this expectation grows to bolster the physical infrastructure with wellness properties, I think that’s a huge opportunity for the green industry.

A-commerce. We’ve heard of e-commerce and m-commerce (mobile). The “a” in a-commerce stands for automated. Amazon has pioneered this but you’ve also seen it with the Dollar Shave Club, Chewy.com and other subscription services. “The whole process that you have in mind as a small business owner or retailer—that the consumer gets out of bed, gets in a truck, heads to a store, buys a product, drives it home … they are increasingly for particular products automating that whole experience. New technology will find the right product for the right person, organize the delivery at a price they can afford all on the consumer’s behalf. And if it’s a product that needs to be replenished—buying soil or fertilizers—the repeat heading-into-the-store experience may decline for some retailers.” Max says this trend can be a bit scary for some business owners, because it’s not just a product trend. “Someone is coming to eat your business model as you know it and you have to adapt to it,” Max says.

Max has several more trends he’ll present, and it’ll be a mix of trends that will impact your product strategy, your marketing strategy and how you sell and distribute. Something for everyone, for sure.

Catch Max’s session (which is sponsored by LiveTrends) during the TPIE Opening Session, 9-10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 17. It’s complimentary to all TPIE attendees and exhibitors. And if you need show and hotel information, you can find that HERE.  

The Pantone Color Institute recently announced Ultra Violet as the Color of the Year for 2018. They are calling it, “A dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade” and one that “points us toward the future.” That’s asking a lot of a color!

Says Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone’s executive director of the choice of Ultra Violet for Color of the Year, “We are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination. It is this kind of creative inspiration that is indigenous to Pantone 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level. From exploring new technology and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection, intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.”

While the press release is peppered with “kinda out there” words like “cosmos,” “discoveries beyond where we are now” and “limitless,” purple has always had this enigmatic, artistic, regal and spiritual tone to it. Purple, especially this blue-based hue, does have meaning in mindfulness and meditative practices and is associated with the crown chakra which represents our ability to be fully connected spiritually. In other words, purple elicits a sense of the sublime.

What’s it elicit for you? Tell me about it HERE.  

You should take a gander at the December issue of Green Profit. The style-themed issue put trending houseplants (and macramé, too!) right there on the front cover.

The cover story dives into the origins of houseplants’ recent popularity. In my conversation with Charlie Acevedo of Costa Farms, I think he hit the nail on the head: Urban markets are exploding with small apartments and rental units, and houseplants are, in a way, taking the place of pets.

You’ll also find a great article on color trends from Jen Polanz. Spoiler alert: The “in” colors aren’t all that jazzy.  

It’s time to start searching for the GrowerTalks/Dümmen Orange Young Grower Award—2018 edition! Going on its 14th year, the award aims to honor the best 35-and-under folks in the greenhouse business, be they owners, head growers or someone who wears every imaginable hat in the business.

Every name submitted deserves to win, but we do have to pick three nominees to be our finalists after the March 1 deadline. The finalists will write a guest editorial for the June issue of GrowerTalks, be interviewed by our esteemed judges and will be given a free trip to Cultivate ’18 where the winner will be announced at the annual Unplugged event. Did I mention they are invited to a special dinner with Anna Ball and other industry luminaries, as well as a breakfast and tour at Dümmen Orange? Each year all of the finalists say it’s an experience they are so thankful to have participated in.

So, if you have a shining example of a grower (or maybe you are that outstanding person yourself!) we welcome you to fill out the nomination form HERE. We’ve made it quick and easy but remember, the more details you provide, the more we can evaluate the nominee for finalist worthiness.

They’re doing the same thing at Green Profit too, but with garden center employees! You can find the Young Retailer Award nomination form HERE.  

Folks, if you plan on growing anything in the near future, then I’ve got a can’t-miss webinar for you. “Choosing and Using Propagation Media” takes place on Tuesday, December 19, at 1 p.m. EST, with guest expert Dr. Vijay Rapaka of Oasis Grower Solutions. Vijay will give you the details on all three types of propagation media: engineered media or “foam,” stabilized media or “paper plugs,” and bonded media or “glue plugs.” What does each offer? Why choose one over the other? Vijay will offer some tips and tricks for maximizing your rooting, and he’ll go into extra depth about Oasis’ newest propagation media, Terra Plug.

Chris Beytes will be your host, the best in the business when it comes to hosting industry webinars. And you know it’ll be entertaining, too. To sign up for this free webinar, click HERE. Oh, and it’s free!