Diversification through the horticultural retail business targeting consumers and small-scale farmers

「For the spring home-gardening season, this business segment held gardening fairs, promotional events for vegetable seedlings from our group’s original varieties, and succulent plant fairs. … As a result, for the current interim consolidated accounting period, sales were ¥48.501 million, down 7.2% year on year, and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥5.282 million, compared with a segment loss (operating loss) of ¥6.357 million in the same period of the previous year.」

「The end of the gardening boom following the COVID-19 pandemic and continued extreme heat from June onward reduced the number of consumers engaging in outdoor gardening and similar activities, lowering sales of gardening goods and flowers. Sales of vegetable seedlings, however, increased as higher fruit and vegetable prices led more consumers to start home gardening.」

「The end of the gardening boom during the COVID-19 pandemic and unfavorable weather during events led to a decline in customer numbers, reducing sales and increasing the operating loss. In response, we developed new products through stronger external sales and in-store marketing, and will continue strengthening our own events and information dissemination while working to increase sales and improve profitability by enhancing customer attraction at our stores. As a result, for the second quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, sales were ¥61.884 million, down 2.6% year on year, and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥6.842 million, compared with a segment loss (operating loss) of ¥4.998 million in the same period of the previous year.」

「Although customer numbers declined as the gardening boom during the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, sales increased because average spend per customer exceeded the previous year. We will continue proposing products that address consumer needs and conducting marketing activities while working to increase sales and improve profitability by enhancing customer attraction at our stores. As a result, for the first quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, sales were ¥30.595 million, up 7.9% year on year.」

「This business segment undertook marketing activities including various gardening fairs, trial sales of rare flower seedlings such as pansies and violas, promotions for "Satomi," an original tomato variety of our group company むさしのタネ株式会社, and a tasting event for "Frais Limone," a new fruit with a novel texture that we recently began selling. … As a result, for the current consolidated fiscal year, sales were ¥133.795 million, up 1.5% year on year, and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥6.548 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥7.261 million in the previous fiscal year.」

「We have also undertaken marketing activities, including promotional activities for "Satomi," an original tomato variety of our group company むさしのタネ株式会社, and tasting events for "Frais Limone," a new fruit with a novel texture that we recently began selling. We continued to strengthen customer attraction and promote sales of Ehime products such as citrus fruit, as well as vegetable seedlings and agricultural materials to producers in Ehime Prefecture. As a result, for the third quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, sales were ¥101.901 million, up 1.6% year on year, and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥4.116 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥5.052 million in the same period of the previous year.」

「This business segment strengthened customer attraction by holding gardening fairs, conducting trial sales of rare flower seedlings such as rare pansies and violas, holding various events at the anniversary festival held every March, and promoting the tomato "Satomi," an original variety of our group company むさしのタネ株式会社.」

「In this business segment, sales typically decline from November to January, and customer traffic was also weak because of cold weather and snow from mid-December onward. However, sales increased as a result of holding gardening fairs and conducting trial sales of rare flower seedlings such as pansies and violas. As a result, for the first quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, sales were ¥28.365 million, up 3.2% year on year, and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥3.659 million, compared with a segment loss (operating loss) of ¥4.419 million in the same period of the previous year.」

「In this business segment, demand for household gardening, which had risen during the COVID-19 pandemic, was beginning to subside. Although concerns arose about customer traffic because of continued extreme heat after the early end of the rainy season and the effects of typhoons from September onward, we expanded our range of household gardening products and high-value-added flower seedlings, and strengthened customer attraction by holding seasonal gardening fairs and various events at our stores.」

「We also strengthened sales outside the stores. Sales increased through sales of Ehime products such as citrus fruit and efforts, together with newly consolidated subsidiary 伊予農産株式会社, to promote sales of vegetable seedlings, agricultural materials and other products to producers in Ehime Prefecture. As a result, for the third quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, sales were ¥100.266 million, up 2.5% year on year, and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥5.052 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥8.152 million in the same period of the previous year.」

「We also strengthened sales outside the stores. Sales increased through sales of Ehime products such as citrus fruit and efforts, together with newly consolidated subsidiary 伊予農産, to promote sales of vegetable seedlings, agricultural materials and other products to producers in Ehime Prefecture. As a result, for the second quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, sales were ¥65.164 million, up 9.5% year on year, and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥4.471 million, compared with a segment loss of ¥8.184 million in the same period of the previous year.」

「The retail business operates 2 comprehensive garden centers and sells a wide range of products through its stores and online, from the various seedlings produced by our company to plants, fruits and vegetables, and agricultural materials offered by local producers, serving everyone from household gardeners to professional growers. We are also focusing on sales outside the stores, actively pursuing rental sales of ornamental plants and advance sales of fruits and vegetables and processed agricultural products from Ehime Prefecture.」

「The retail business operates 2 comprehensive garden centers and sells a wide range of products through its stores and online, from the various seedlings produced by our company to plants, fruits and vegetables, and agricultural materials offered by local producers, serving everyone from household gardeners to professional growers. To expand sales outside the stores, we are also actively pursuing advance and recurring purchases of plants, fruits and vegetables, and transactions with new partners have contributed to higher sales. As a result, for the third quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, sales were ¥97.786 million and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥8.152 million.」

「The retail business operates 2 comprehensive garden centers and sells a wide range of products through its stores and online, from the various seedlings produced by our company to plants, fruits and vegetables, and agricultural materials offered by local producers, serving everyone from household gardeners to professional growers. To expand sales outside the stores, we are also actively pursuing advance and recurring purchases of plants, fruits and vegetables, and transactions with new partners have contributed to higher sales. As a result, for the second quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, sales were ¥59.511 million and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥8.184 million.」

「This business segment began operating a retail business after ファンガーデン株式会社 was included in the scope of consolidation from the previous consolidated fiscal year. The retail business operates 2 comprehensive garden centers and sells a wide range of products through its stores and online, from the various seedlings produced by our company to plants, fruits and vegetables, and agricultural materials offered by local producers, serving everyone from household gardeners to professional growers. To expand sales outside the stores, we are also actively pursuing advance and recurring purchases of plants, fruits and vegetables, and have begun doing business with new partners. As a result, for the first quarter of the current consolidated cumulative period, sales were ¥25.031 million and the segment loss (operating loss) was ¥6.105 million.」

「The rental allotment garden is adjacent to the affiliated company ファンガーデン, a comprehensive garden center, and the businesses generate synergies through initiatives such as developing seedlings and materials for household gardening.」

「The rental allotment garden is adjacent to the affiliated company ファンガーデン, a comprehensive garden center, and coordination between the businesses has generated synergies, leading to an increase in users and higher sales at ファンガーデン.」

「This business segment operates a rental allotment garden. The garden is adjacent to the affiliated company ファンガーデン, a comprehensive garden center, and coordination between the businesses has generated synergies, leading to an increase in users and higher sales at ファンガーデン.」

「ファンガーデン株式会社 directly sells high-margin gardening products, primarily vegetable and flower seedlings, and operates garden centers that can also make proposals to gardening enthusiasts and small-scale farmers.」

「ファンガーデン株式会社 directly sells high-margin gardening products, primarily vegetable and flower seedlings, and operates garden centers that can also make proposals to gardening enthusiasts and small-scale farmers. In April 2017, we also opened the rental allotment garden Bellmin Batake adjacent to ファンガーデン株式会社.」

「We established ファンガーデン株式会社 and opened garden centers that directly sell high-margin gardening products, primarily vegetable and flower seedlings, and can also make proposals to small-scale farmers.」