What do the Glee New Product Awards 2026 tell us about the future of garden centres?
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Every September, the New Product Showcase at Glee gives buyers a quick read on where garden retail is heading, and this year's awards were no exception. Judges worked late into the night whittling down more than 300 entries, with shortlisted exhibitors pitching their products in person before 19 winners were crowned on day one of the show.
Matthew Mein, Event Director for Glee and Autumn Fair, said: "Innovation is always at the heart of Glee, and this year's New Product Showcase has once again demonstrated just how much creativity, ambition and fresh thinking there is across the garden retail sector."
So, what does the winners' list actually say about the future of garden centres?
How is sustainability shaping what garden centres stock?
Sustainability ran through the shortlists this year, and nowhere more so than in growing materials. The host of the ceremony described it as "the most competitive of all the categories".
The category went to Kelp Shot from TerraMara, while the overall Sustainability Award went to the Eco Slow-Feeding Ramial Mulch from Eco Crops. Vitax Water Less also made the shortlist, and it's easy to see why water-saving products are resonating right now.
The latest GCA Barometer of Trade described August as a difficult month for gardening, with continued heat, no rain, and widespread hosepipe bans. Products that help customers keep plants alive on less water are likely to be a real sales opportunity for garden centres heading into 2027.
Is food now a core garden centre category?
If there's one message the industry can't ignore, it's that food is no longer a side offer. The Food and Drink category was won by Datekin’s Wheat & Bran Date Cake.
In August, catering was the strongest performing category for GCA members, up 9.15% year-on-year, with food hall and farm shop sales rising 5.3%. Back in January, catering accounted for 36% of total sales among GCA members, which shows just how central the café and food hall has become to business models.
How is outdoor living driving premiumisation?
The Leisure and Entertaining category was a snapshot of how far outdoor living has moved upmarket. The shortlist included a fire pit and grill, a pergola seat and a lounge chair set, with the Sahara Outdoor Kitchen taking the win. Outdoor kitchens are a clear example of customers treating the garden as an extension of the home and being willing to spend accordingly.
Furniture and BBQ sales grew by more than 28% among GCA members in May, and they stayed strong through the summer. For buyers working with barbecue suppliers and garden furniture wholesale suppliers in the UK, the message is that customers are happy to trade up when the product feels like a genuine lifestyle upgrade.
The premium theme carried over into home and fashion too, where the Nightlark coverless duvet set in Dusky Rose picked up the award, showing how far garden centre ranges now reach into the home.
What do the winners say about labour, costs and the garden centre experience?
Some of the most telling winners weren't flashy at all. The Growing Accessories award went to the Potting Mat from Creative Products, while the overall Glee New Product award went to the Kent & Stowe Landshaper K-Shock Shovel from Westland Horticulture.
Practical, well-designed tools that make gardening easier are always going to sell, and the host noted, "We had more entries in tools and machinery this year than we've had for a long time." A robot mower on that shortlist was also a reminder that automation is finding its way into the garden shed as well as the back office.
Meanwhile, the Retail Services award went to EV charging from Electroad.
The Best of British award
This year the Best of British award was renamed the Andy Bunker Best of British Award, in memory of Andy Bunker, who judged at Glee for many years. Presenting the award was his Father, Derek Bunker.
The award went to Frank P Matthews for Apple Legacy. As well as being disease resistant, it holds its fruit on the tree until mid-January, giving gardeners fresh apples through the winter and birds a valuable food source when they need it most.
There was also a one-off category marking the National Garden Scheme's centenary, won by the NGS Dahlia Border Collection from Taylors Bulbs.
How can you find the next award-winning product for your garden centre?
If you're asking where to find garden suppliers who are genuinely bringing something new to market, the New Product Showcase is one of the most efficient places to start. It puts hundreds of launches from wholesale garden suppliers in one area, from wholesale pots and planters and wholesale garden decor to plants, pet products and food.
That's a big part of why Glee is regularly named among the best garden trade shows for buyers. Whether you're refreshing your outdoor living range, building out your food hall or looking for more sustainable lines, you can see, handle and compare products side by side before committing.
If you like what you've seen here, why not join us in-person for the retail event of the season? Glee runs from 6-8 September 2027 at the NEC, Birmingham. Register your interest here, and join our newsletter for the latest updates before the show.