Big Grower January 2021 - 6

COVER STORY
ON A HEARTFELT
MISSION
As colorful foliage trends at the consumer level, Nature's Way has created a fall program to
promote crotons at Lowe's.
While Dawn
Wilson's heart is
with her plants,
she has also
found purpose
in sheltering
rescued animals.
Her love for
animals goes way
back to her father's tree farm, where stray dogs would
find their way, and she would care for them.
reaped the 40 years of sowing that Dawn
has made. "
When the pandemic hit, " We brought in a lot
of pre-finished material and held it to finish it
for our customers, " says Dawn. " Everybody was
crying for more plants, and we foresaw what was
happening. We increased our production instead
of cutting back. "
The many vendor partners that Nature's Way
Farms has worked with over the years came
through when it mattered most. When the time
came, and one vendor partner had 10,000 extra
hibiscus, for example, Nature's Way Farms was
the first phone call he made.
" Every grower in the country was calling
around looking for products, and the product
came our way because of the relationship, the
values and the ethics, " explains Beatriz. " Looking
back at everything that Dawn has cultivated
- the relationships, staying true to who she
is, staying focused on her core values - the
company was put to the test, and I think the
resounding theme that I keep going back to this
year is partnership. "
INNOVATE, CREATE ... ACROSS THE
STATES
One of Beatriz's goals when she joined
Nature's Way 10 years ago was to bring Dawn's
products across state lines.
" Nature's Way was rooted and grounded in
Florida, and they were a very strong shrub and
tropicals supplier, " she says. " But it was easy
to identify that a lot of the product, the niches,
could be taken out of the state of Florida. "
To achieve this geographic expansion, Beatriz
says they had to shift the paradigm and change
the way consumers perceived these Floridagrown
plants that could in actuality perform for
a gardener in the Carolinas or even the Great
Lakes states.
Beatriz's goal was achieved and with great
success, as they are now stocking shelves almost
nationwide. She says they developed programs,
6 JANUARY 2021
such as " The Perfect Collection " for Lowe's
and " Ready to Go " for Home Depot, that focus
specifically on plants that are perfect for the
patio, porch or deck in gardens outside of Florida.
Coming up with those perfect plants was no
easy feat. Beatriz credits their efforts in data
mining, paired with keeping a close eye on
market trends and a little bit of good ol' fashioned
gut instincts.
" We want to be one step ahead of somebody
else coming up with the next good idea, or the
next thing that is going to make our customers
successful, " says Dawn.
One strategy that has worked for Nature's Way
was to regionalize their product offering. Beatriz
says they aim to focus on what works in every
area they service. While some growers tend to
have a " one solution for all " strategy, Beatriz
says, " We believe that every area is unique -
to its weather patterns, consumers, disposable
income, whatever it may be. We listen and focus
on the different areas, and I think that's a big
differentiator for us. "
Many growers and other wholesale suppliers
may think they only need to communicate
with their direct customer - the retailer, the
garden center, the landscaper, etc. But we are
experiencing this shift in consumerism. People
want to be inspired. They want to hear the story
that comes with the products they purchase -
from the food on their table to the plants in their
garden. And Nature's Way has perfected the art of
directing the consumer to their products.
Marta Maria handles the company's social
media accounts, and has put a large emphasis on
Instagram. She interacts with consumers and is
able to direct them to their nearest Home Depot,
Lowe's or Walmart where they can find the plants
tiled on their Instagram feed.
" When I joined Nature's Way, one of the things
I was most excited about was to build all the
digital properties. There is such an amazing
history and story here to tell, " says Marta Maria.
" People want to hear a good story about your
This act of nurturing animals that needed a home has
followed Dawn over the years, and today at Nature's
Way, she continues fostering dogs and cats.
" In the last five or so years, I've gotten very involved
with one rescue called This Is the Dog, and we do
everything we can to help them, " says Dawn. " I have
different areas that I can accommodate [the animals],
and we're just kind of in a holding pattern with them.
We bring them in and maybe keep them for a couple
weeks or months until they get adopted. "
Dawn also helps the rescue with neutering and
transportation costs. " That really makes it easier on the
rescue groups, " she says. " I'm happy to pay for it. "
And Nature's Way customers appreciate this dedication
to the health and well-being of animals.
Dawn even invites her customers to visit with the
animals, as it helps the rescues interact with humans,
says Beatriz. " You'd be surprised, most people now ask
if they can play with the puppies. They know about it
and want to spend five minutes of their tour to go see
the rescue. "
Looking to the future, Dawn says she still wants to take
the rescue further. " It's time and effort, but I would like
to see it expand. "
product. They want to learn how to garden with
your product. "
She says while she has not been able to
quantify digital engagement, she is certain it has
helped drive purchases at retail. " Whenever we
launch a new program, we push, we say, 'Go
right now to your nearest Home Depot or Lowe's
to get your Perfect Collection or your Ready to
Go' and I get direct messages, which is the beauty
of social media, " she shares. " The consumer now
has a direct line to the supplier. "

Big Grower January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Grower January 2021