Online Gardening Start-Up Sproutl Partners With Kew Gardens

Sproutl, the new curated online gardening marketplace, has announced a strategic partnership with the world-famous plant science institution, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Kew). Their mission is to encourage more people to get into gardening.

The Sproutl concept was created during the pandemic in 2021 in response to the growing number of gardeners in the UK, with over three million people joining the nation’s gardeners. With almost half of that number being under the age of forty-five and therefore digital natives, the founders saw an opportunity to simplify the online selling process for horticultural suppliers and connect them with the consumer.

Co-founders of Sproutl, Anni Noel-Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and Andy Done, Chief Technology Officer, had careers at Farfetch, the luxury e-commerce brand prior to starting the company.

The brand partnership between a technology startup and the world’s most famous horticulture institution will enable Kew to directly connect with a rapidly expanding demographic of younger gardeners.

As well as stocking Kew goods on the platform, the partnership will also include a co-curated ‘Kew X Sproutl collection’ , to be launched later in the year. This will enable Kew’s plants to be delivered directly into people’s homes for the first time.

“This partnership is the perfect marriage of a tech startup with the world’s most famous science and horticulture institution. This will allow Sproutl customers to access Kew’s branded products and help introduce a new audience to Kew.” said Noel-Johnson of the announcement.

The renaissance in gardening in the UK shows no signs of slowing down, with outdoor plant sales in 2021 up 39% on the previous year and 29% up on 2019. Houseplant sales are also still in vogue with 29% higher sales in 2021 compared to the year prior and 50% up on 2019. According to figures from Mintel, most UK consumers have purchased a garden product in the last 12 months.

Yet not every consumer is naturally green-figured and that is where Sproutl have identified additional opportunities for sales with novice gardeners. In its aim to ‘demystify gardening’, the business has enabled users to simplify their shop, making a few selections that then generate recommendations of other products to achieve a certain aesthetic.

Be it decorating an entrance hallway with a few potted plants or a curated houseplant arrangement, the brand has identified that often consumers can be lost in a sea of thousands of plant choices. This includes a ‘compost calculator’ to help gauge the correct amount of peat needed, and aftercare tips and advice.

Sproutl was launched with a $9million seed investment led by Index Ventures and C-Suite investors from leading technology brands including Airbnb and Slack.

Kew is renowned for 260 years of plant science and expertise with outstanding plant collections that establish it as one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. It is also a Unesco World Heritage Site and a major international visitor attraction with over 2.5 million visits every year.

“We are delighted to be partnering with a dynamic and exciting new startup like Sproutl.” said Quincy Leon, Head of Licensing, Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.