Proven Winners^® partners with The Plant Company to offer unique houseplants

Press Release

Tell me more about The Plant Company?

The Plant Company, founded by brothers Jason and Wes vanWingerden and Jason’s brother-in-law Frank Paul, is located in Stuarts Draft, Virginia.  The company is dedicated to transforming the indoor houseplant market in North America by producing the highest quality plants, offering innovative genetics, and utilizing innovative production techniques.

The founders, all with extensive floriculture experience, broke ground in January 2021 on a state-of-the-art greenhouse with the newest automation and growing technology available.  By June 15, 2021, The Plant Company had 5-acres of greenhouse space and a 1.75-acre production and shipping warehouse – with roughly 50-acres available for future expansion.  The first foliage plants were started at the end of May 2021 with sales beginning in July 2021.

As a houseplant foliage producer, the location of The Plant Company in Stuarts Draft, Virginia is a competitive advantage in the marketplace.  Located amidst the Blue Ridge Mountains, the high elevation and an abundance of sunny days is fantastic for growing plants.  With most foliage houseplants currently being grown outdoors in Florida, the ability to grow in a controlled and state-of-the-art greenhouse environment creates bigger and healthier plants which will make consumers more successful; they will see the value of the premium plants being grown by The Plant Company.  The greenhouse is also located close to a number of key shipping lanes to easily facilitate deliveries to the key retail markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. 

Why a partnership?

Proven Winners has been collecting foliage genetics for a number of years and was actively looking for a production partner to give the brand access to the lucrative and extremely popular houseplant market.  With so many new gardeners entering the marketplace and millions of millennials coming of age as homeowners, a Proven Winners houseplant program is a natural brand extension.  Additionally, a Proven Winners houseplant program gives our retail partners and consumers access to the Proven Winners brand year-round, further cementing Proven Winners as The #1 Plant Brand^® and The Brand Gardeners Trust^™.

As with all Proven Winners licensees, we look for suppliers who value innovation, exacting quality standards, and an unwavering commitment to creating consumer success via the best gardening experience.  The Plant Company was founded with these very same philosophies, making this partnership an easy decision from the Proven Winners perspective.

For The Plant Company, they receive immediate access to the successful Proven Winners brand and marketing programs.  From synergies with existing Proven Winners licensees, to the industry’s best retail support programs, to inclusion in the industry’s most powerful trade and consumer marketing campaigns, The Plant Company plants and products will be promoted more than any houseplant program in North America. 

What is the overall concept of this new houseplant program? 

The new Proven Winners houseplant program will give consumers the highest quality and best performing plants, available in a variety of packaging options from standard to upgraded, to beautify work and living spaces.  This will give consumers an opportunity to bring the outdoors inside and connect with nature with superior plants that will make them successful, and ultimately brand loyal gardeners.

The Plant Company’s core business will be selling high quality, retail-ready, foliage houseplants directly to retailers.  The plants are available in multiple container sizes and multiple container styles with plant genetics currently falling into three categories:  Premium, Boutique, and Ultra Boutique.

Additionally, The Plant Company produces and sells houseplants in hydroponic packaging, an innovative concept called H2O Sprouts^™. 

Lastly, The Plant Company will be able to tap into Proven Winners’ direct-to-consumer e-commerce expertise, making the products exclusively available through Proven Winners’ e-commerce platforms.