Well, it’s nearly 2025! After the wild ride that was November and December, I’ve finally had a chance to sit down and reflect on what has been our busiest season ever.
2024 was an incredible year for Sprouts. From being named the Bristol Life Awards Retail Winner to smashing sales records in our busiest months yet, we’ve come so far since starting in a spare bedroom back in 2020. We also ventured into new territory, participating in our first RHS show at Malvern Spring Fair, where we were thrilled to win a 4-star “Excellent” trade show award. On top of that, we had the privilege of dressing beautiful wedding venues for so many wonderful couples and were brought on by new businesses for plant maintenance services – helping offices and workplaces create greener, more inspiring spaces.
This year, we also expanded our services, re-introduced sustainable new products like our plastic-free terrarium kits, and doubled attendance at our workshops – connecting with so many of you in creative, planty ways. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, of course. I started Sprouts with no prior business experience, so every step has been a learning curve. Like many small businesses, we’ve faced our fair share of challenges, from navigating the post-Covid retail landscape to balancing growth with our commitment to sustainability. But with every hurdle, we’ve learned, adapted, and continued building the kind of business we’re proud of – one that prioritises people, the planet, and creating a warm, welcoming space for everyone who walks through our door (or browses online!).
Quarter 4 was absolutely mental – exhausting, draining, and filled with far too many late nights, long days, and no days off – but we’re so grateful for what we’ve achieved, or should I say, I’m so grateful for my wonderful Sprouts Team for being a part of this wild journey, supporting me along the way and believing in my big dream. December sales were nearly 100% higher than last year, which is just wild. Historically, December has always been busy, but never the over-the-top month some retailers describe. In 2024, it broke all the rules and expectations. I said I wanted it to happen, and with the incredible support of our lovely customers, we made it happen.
Whilst we didn’t quite hit the ‘50% of the year’s takings in Q4’ milestone some retailers talk about, we broke records, and we’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come. Of course, the reality is we’re still chipping away at a hefty VAT bill in instalments (no wads of cash sitting around here!), but we’re edging closer to being a debt-free business, and I feel like we are heading out of the danger zone that so many new businesses get stuck in within the first few years of business which can cause them to fail. Wanna know my big goal for 2025? To make Sprouts a profitable business and to be able to finally pay myself a basic salary. After years of putting everything – and I mean everything, blood, sweat, tears, cash, time, energy, everything – back into Sprouts, I’m determined to work toward financial stability this year, not only for the business but for myself as well.
Our Christmas trees flew out the door, and the feedback has been incredible. So many of you said your Sprouts Christmas Tree was the best tree you’ve ever had (I mean, we do agree, it’s why we’ve stocked these trees from the same local farm for three years!) – hearing that makes all the chaos worth it. Of course, there was that classic me moment where I accidentally ordered more trees than I had planned to in a last-minute mathematical Christmas panic, but thankfully, every last one found its perfect home.
Then there were the workshops – over 70 of you joined us for wreath-making sessions, and about the same number attended our terrarium workshops. Honestly, I’m not quite sure how I managed to fit it all in (and stay upright, maybe I didn’t, I did drink too much wine in Dec…), but it was so much fun to see your creativity in action. That said, I may have bitten off more than I could chew, as I ended up a little under the weather in early December. No regrets though – it was 100% worth it for the festive magic we created together! I hope to see some of your familiar faces for our wreath-making workshops in 2025!
We sent over 400 parcels in December alone – more than we’ve ever sent before! Some days, we were posting nearly 50 orders, with Royal Mail collecting from us seven days a week, ensuring your parcels arrived quickly. We’re so grateful to the Royal Mail staff for their hard work in helping us make this happen. And of course, a massive shout-out to Bini, our regular RM worker who collects from us five days a week!
We’ve been lucky to receive some amazing reviews recently, and I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to share your thoughts. A few standouts include:
- ‘Such decent people – and good plants!’ – Jane
- ‘Really impressed with the products, packaging, and speed of delivery. Will definitely be using them again’ – Victoria
- ‘The tree is a lovely size and fresh, bushy all round. The service was friendly too and the shop had loads of great potential presents. We’ll be back’ – Paul B
Your kind words mean the world to me and the team, and they keep us motivated through even the busiest days.
Now, with the festive chaos behind us, we’re turning our attention to the year ahead. Workshops are back in full swing – from kokedamas to forest terrariums, living wreaths, and desert terrariums, we’ve got a packed schedule of creative sessions lined up. Tickets are live now, so book your spot – I can’t wait to see what we’ll create together.
We’re also in the midst of our End of Year Sale (with up to 60% off!) to make space for some exciting new arrivals. Fresh plants and beautiful items are already on their way – keep an eye out for updates soon. And 2025 is already shaping up to be a year of exciting projects, collaborations, speedy deadlines, and plenty of behind-the-scenes fun. While I can’t share too much just yet, I can promise there’s a lot to look forward to.
As we dream up plans for the year, I’d love to hear from you – what do you want to see more of from Sprouts? Workshops? Products? Collaborations? Events? Or maybe what you’d like us to do less of? Your feedback is invaluable and helps us grow into the best version of Sprouts possible.
As I sit here (finally) catching my breath, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for you – our amazing customers, supporters, and community. Your kindness, loyalty, and love for all things beautiful and planty are what keep us going. So, here’s to a new year, and all the exciting possibilities ahead.
Thank you, so so bloody much,
Jessy
