Cultivate '16 featured more than 600 exhibitors and attracted 10,000 attendees from all 50 states and 24 countries. "The Cultivate show is the largest and most important annual show for our horticulture business segment," said President Mike Vallafskey. "It's the only place in the United States where we see all the major players in the industry when it comes to equipment, services, structures, and products."
In previous years we used the Cultivate show as a platform to display our products and support our distribution channels. "This year we changed our mindset, transforming the show into a selling-and-order-writing platform," said Vallafskey. The shift in focus paid off.
"Cultivate '16 was a big success," said National Sales and Strategic Business Development Manager Doug Laubenstein. "Changing our strategy to a selling venue produced excellent results in new sales to both domestic and international customers. Many other opportunities are now on the table as a result of Cultivate '16."
We focused on meeting with high-quality customers, including distributors and growers, to showcase several new and innovative products--called "purple cows" because of our unique, stand-out features that differentiate us from other products on the market:
- A prototype of a 128-cell vegetable tray for primary use in Mexico yet gaining awareness in the United States for use in hydroponic growing environments.
- An 84-cell propagation tray with a unique square, open-bottom drainage system.
- A 10-count 4.25-inch round pot carry tray specifically designed for American Farms in Naples, Florida.
- An expanded Sure Roots® Elite series of plug trays targeting the bedding plant and propagative segments of the industry.
Face-to-face time with clients and potential customers at Cultivate '16 and other trade shows is crucial for building lasting relationships, expanding profits, and attracting new business. "We participate in more than 20 trade shows annually and continually strive to introduce original solutions for our customers that exceed their expectations," said Vallafskey. "We have a talented team and continue to build on this strength with new, energized, and driven industry professionals."
