Diversifying into multiple income streams is essential for garden centres seeking to future-proof their businesses.
One such income stream could be electric car charging and this week's guest on the HortWeek Podcast believes tapping this rapidly expanding market is the perfect way to "make existing space work harder commercially".
ElectRoad is an independent electric vehicle charging network and infrastructure specialist and founder Richard Seppings believes “garden centres already have the ingredients that make EV charging work: accessible car parks, customers who naturally spend time on site".
He explains how their business model differs from "traditional" Charge Point Operators by working "in partnership with retailers," enabling them to retain ownership of their charging infrastructure and customer relationship. Meanwhile ElectRoad manages installation, monitoring, maintenance, payment administration and 24-hour support.
Seppings adds that retailers should stop thinking about EV charging as a piece of infrastructure and start treating it as part of the wider retail proposition so that the car park "can become an income-generating asset in its own right".
Podcast presenter: HortWeek editor Matthew Appleby
Podcast producer: HortWeek digital content manager Christina Taylor
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