Yoder Toddington has been trading for over 30 years to the horticultural wholesale sector. The business was started in 1963 by Keith Butters and Ron Fouracre, to grow chrysanthemum cuttings for the UK market. It was 22 years later, in 1985, that Yoder Brothers purchased the business, from which point the Company began trading as Yoder Toddington. In 1998, Yoder Brothers sold their European Operations to Kirin Agribio, a subsidiary of Kirin Brewery, Japan . Yoder Toddington is now part of the Southern Glasshouse Produce Group in the UK, which is also wholly-owned by Kirin Agribio.

So what does Yoder Toddington do?

Yoder Toddington now has two distinct business units.

Chrysanthemum cuttings. Yoder Toddington Plants

Yoder Toddington supplies UK growers with chrysanthemums from the Kirin Agribio Kenya, production farm. Yoder Toddington has an 80% market share, which means that if you buy UK-produced cut or pot chrysanthemums, there will be a very good chance that these plants passed through the hands of Yoder Toddington at some stage in their life.

A cutting from Kenya

Rooted Cuttings

Ready to be Harvested

Chrysanthemums in a Supermarket

Chrysanthemum cutting production is highly specialised. In the mid 1960's, UK growers produced their own cuttings, but this was inefficient, and produced very poor quality cuttings over the winter months. Companies then started to move chrysanthemum cutting production to warmer climates such as Malta, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. However, the climates of the Canary Island and Malta are still not perfect due to the relatively cold nights and warm days in the winter months. These day/night temperature differentials can produce thick, uneven cuttings. The best natural climate in the world for producing high quality cuttings, where the day and night temperature is very similar throughout the year, is on - or close to - the equator.

In the 1980's Yoder Brothers developed a chrysanthemum cutting production unit in Kenya to supply all its European companies. By the mid 80's it became feasible to fly chrysanthemum cuttings weekly to Europe. The site in Kenya was chosen due to its excellent climate and the availability of high quality water. Yoder Toddington had a major input into the development of this farm. The Yoder farm in Kenya was purchased by Kirin Agribio at the same time as it acquired Yoder Toddington.

Kirin Agribio Kenya, KAT, is now managed by Fides BV, another subsidiary of Kirin Agribio. A large number of the chrysanthemum varieties supplied by the KAT farm are developed by Fides Goldstock Breeding, FGB. FGB produce some of the world's leading pot and cut varieties.

Yoder Toddington's largest Chrysanthemum customer is its sister company, Southern Glasshouse Produce (SGP). SGP are the largest growers of cut flowers in the UK, and supply Sainsbury's, Waitrose, John Lewis Direct and Budgens.

Yoder Toddington is also proud to supply the UK's largest and best chrysanthemum pot 'mum producers in the UK. Pot 'mums grown from Yoder Toddington cuttings can be found in almost every major supermarket chain throughout the UK.

At Yoder Toddington we take pride in both the high quality cuttings and the high level of service we give our customers.

Container Plants Yoder Toddington Plants

Yoder Toddington produces garden plants, which are sold through the co-operative, Farplants Sales. Farplants is the largest UK supplier of garden plants to the horticultural industry. If you go to a leading garden centre, the chances are you will see the distinctive Farplants logo on a huge variety of plants. Farplants is a co-operative made up of five West Sussex nurseries - Yoder Toddington, Star Plants, Binsted Nurseries, Fleurie Nuseries and Walberton Nurseries.

Yoder Toddington has over 25 acreas of production area. We have two main sites: Toddington Lane, Littlehampton and Old Lake Lake, Barnham. We employ 35 staff all year round and increase to over 120 staff during our peak sales weeks in April and May.

Yoder Toddington is currently the UK's largest Ceanothus and Osteospurnum grower. We also grow a wide variety of other plants from Geramiums to Choysia to Ornamental Cabbages. We also grow chilli peppers and we are the main supplier to the West Dean Gardens Chilli Festival each year. We are also branching out and are currently developing a 'Designer' hanging basket and Christmas Wreath range - only available through Farplants.

We now focus very hard on 'New Product Development' and we are always looking for exciting new garden plants to extend our range, so if you notice any unusual mutations or sports in your own garden please contact us at Yoder Toddington. You never know... you may have found the next big thing.