The leading gardening franchise expands its network in anticipation of a busy season
With 2023 in full flow, lawn care expert Greensleeves is expanding its network with three new franchisees. The horticultural franchise, which already has more than 108 franchises throughout the UK, has now increased its presence in East Anglia, Canterbury, and West Yorkshire to meet the growing demand for its services.
The trio of new franchisees have this week completed their franchisee training and are ready to start trading and building their businesses. Andy Dunning is launching his new territory in Canterbury and Mark Donnison is taking over in Baildon, West Yorkshire. Scott Garrod has invested in the East Anglia territory.
Formerly a manager at Tesco, Scott decided that he wanted to become his own boss and set his family up with a recession-proof business. He says: “After 40 years working for Tesco, I decided I wanted a change of pace in careers. I have always been a keen gardener and loved the idea of working outside. As well as this, I wanted to build a business that can be continued as a family legacy when I finally retire. So, taking on a franchise business like Greensleeves was the perfect fit.
“I explored several franchise opportunities before opting for Greensleeves. The brand’s Trustpilot scores were fantastic, and after talking to the head office team, it was clear they had a great structure in place to help franchisees succeed. The business plan seemed very strong and having seen how well they performed during the pandemic indicated to me that this business had something special and I wanted to be part of it.
Scott continues: “The training has been great. The first week was spent getting to grips with how the office works, and the second involved getting out on the lawn and learning how to execute our treatments. I’ve been really impressed with everything so far, especially coming from a corporate company like Tesco where I have seen how a successful model operates. I can comfortably say Greensleeves is ahead of its competition when it comes to technology. Their intranet and Live app are both amazing and really help the network’s efficiency.”
Greensleeves has proved itself to be in high demand, with three consecutive record-breaking years for the horticultural franchise network. As spring approaches, both enquiry levels and new customer acquisitions are set to increase, making it an ideal time for the new franchisees to bed themselves in. Last year alone, the franchise network serviced over 80,000 lawns in spring, making it one of the busiest times of year for Greensleeves.
“We are delighted to welcome Andy, Mark and Scott to the network this month,” says David Truby, managing director at Greensleeves. “The last few weeks have been spent getting them up to speed and helping them understand how we operate. They have joined at a fantastic time because the market is buoyant, and with longer days and the improved spring weather just around the corner, it’s a great time to invest in a franchise in the horticultural sector.”