Discount grocer Lidl said it is expanding its outdoor Garden Center concept to 76 stores in nine states in the coming weeks.
The Germany-based retailer piloted the Garden Centers, which feature a variety of flowers, plants, soil, hanging baskets, planters, and other gardening accessories, at a store on Long Island, N.Y., in 2022, in partnership with local plant grower Gabrielsen Farms. Last year, the retailer expanded the department to additional locations in New York.
Lidl said the garden centers will launch in three phases in select stores:
- March 27 – May 14: Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina
- April 10 – May 14: Virginia and Maryland
- April 24 – May 28: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York
In addition to Jamesport, N.Y.-based Gabrielsen Farms, a family-owned company that traces its history back to the 1800s, Lidl is also partnering with Orange, Va.-based American Color Inc., and McAdoo, Pa.-based van Hoekelen Greenhouses to supply plants and flowers for the Garden Center rollout.
The rollout of outdoor gardening centers, just in time for spring planting season, helps position the company in more direct competition with traditional supermarket operators, which often add such seasonal displays, as well as with other price-focused operators like Walmart, which has an extensive Patio & Garden department.
The lawn and garden market in the U.S. surged during the pandemic, with sales rising from $89.67 billion in 2019 to $123.9 billion in 2021, although sales leveled off in 2022, according to a Statista report. The market reached $129.3 billion in 2023, and is projected to reach $133 billion in 2024, the report found.
A report from research firm Mintel projected ongoing growth in the U.S. lawn and garden market.
“The pandemic jumpstarted growth around home-based and sustainable activities, including gardening,” Mintel said in a summary of the report. “Although many will give up the hobby, Mintel predicts that others will be drawn to it due to the economic and health benefits of homegrown food, as well as the emotional rewards of making their yards beautiful and tranquil.”
Lidl said it would focus on sharp pricing in the gardening products category.
“We are excited to bring the Lidl Garden Center concept to even more customers this year,” said Tammy Roberts, director of purchasing for floral at Lidl US. “At Lidl, we are relentlessly focused on quality and freshness at low prices, and our Garden Centers are no exception.”
Lidl, which has more than 12,000 stores in 32 countries, currently operates about 170 stores in the Eastern U.S.
