Mar 19, 2009 13:15 ET
Nothing is More Local Than the Food You Grow Yourself
AeroGrow Expands Products and Accessories Line
BOULDER, Colo. --(Business Wire)-- Mar 19, 2009
AeroGrow
International, Inc. (NASDAQ:AERO)
("AeroGrow" or the "Company"), makers of the AeroGarden® line of indoor
gardening products, announced that it will launch the VeggieProTM,
an AeroGarden designed to grow full-size vegetables.
AeroGrow designed the VeggiePro, which retails for $179.95, to grow
full-size vegetables in addition to herbs and lettuces, thus increasing
the variety/offerings of straight-to-the-plate countertop produce. The
VeggiePro allows the consumer to control their food-growing environment
and ensure that the herbs, vegetables and lettuces they bring to the
dinner table are pesticide-free and safe.
In concert with the VeggiePro, AeroGrow introduces its County Fair line
of seed kits with full-size vegetable offerings. They include Ruby
Heirloom Tomatoes, Bell Peppers and Mega
Cherry Tomatoes – each retails for $19.95 and works with any tall
AeroGarden (VeggiePro or AG6
Elite+).
The increased demand for tea has led to the introduction of new Fresh
Tea seed kits, which retail for $14.95 and $19.95. According to
Datamonitor, the hot tea segment accounted for more than $2.4 billion or
26% of the American hot drink market in 2006 and is forecast to reach
$2.7 billion by 2011, a 13% increase. Per product testing, these new tea
seed kits can replace the need to buy herbal tea bags ever again as they
can yield up to 20 cups of tea per week. Since this is the
fastest-growing segment of the beverages category, AeroGrow is expecting
these kits to become one of their most popular.
Per customer suggestion, AeroGrow has also launched Pesto
Basil and Lots
of Lavender seed kits. Direct response catalog sales have shown the
Lavender 3-Pod seed kit has outperformed other top-selling 3-Pod seed
kits by 3 to 1. Basil is the best-selling herb in supermarkets today,
which should also drive expansive adoption of the all-basil Pesto Basil
Kit. The cutest new arrival to the AeroGrow accessories line is the “Be
the Bee” pollinator, which retails for $14.95. This hand-held bee
pollinator can be used for tomato and pepper plants. Hold the bee
pollinator to the plants – the bee pollinator vibrates/buzzes to release
pollen so plants can produce tomatoes and peppers. It's battery-operated
for portability.
Lastly, AeroGrow is excited to announce that the “Herb ‘n” accessory
line that was launched last year with the Herb ‘n Serve® salad dressing
and marinade maker has expanded with Herb ‘n Ice® tray set and Herb
‘n ServeTM
Extra Carafe, each retailing for $12.95, and Herb ‘n SaveTM
storage container which retails for $19.95. The Herb
‘n Ice is a unique way to preserve fresh herbs. Fill teaspoon and/or
tablespoon compartments with chopped herbs and add water, then freeze to
create convenient herb cubes for use in future soups, stews and pasta
sauces. The Herb ‘n Save is a uniquely designed container that is
perfect for storing just-harvested herb trimmings in the refrigerator or
on the counter. The herb stems are submerged in water so they stay
fresh, keeping your herbs tasty for days. Now you can also buy an extra
carafe for your Herb ‘n Serve so you can have two different kinds of
dressings and/or marinades at a time.
“More than 740,000 people now own an AeroGarden,” said CEO Jerry
Perkins. “Many were self-proclaimed brown-thumbs, who had never
met a plant they couldn’t kill. Now they’re growing fresh herbs,
vegetables and flowers right on their kitchen counters with fantastic
success.”
All new products are available at www.aerogarden.com
and through select retailers.
For additional press materials and images, please visit www.aerogrow.com/pressroom.
To receive additional information or images, arrange an interview or
receive samples, please contact Sylvia Bernstein (Sylvia@aerogrow.com).
About AeroGrow International, Inc.
AeroGrow was founded in 2002 by
entrepreneur Michael Bissonnette to develop the AeroGarden line of
indoor gardening appliances. AeroGardens grow fresh herbs, vegetables
and flowers year-round, with no dirt or pesticides. AeroGrow is an
award-winning*, first-to-market category leader with successful consumer
sales, industry recognition, and widespread media praise. More
information is available online at www.aerogrow.com.
* The AeroGarden was named “Best in Category” by the International
Housewares Association for its innovative design. In addition, the
AeroGarden was named on Amazon's list of "Most Wished-For"
products for 2006, 2007 and 2008 in the lawn and garden category, and
has been widely praised by the national press including “The View,”
“Good Morning America,” the “Today” show, The New York Times, and TIME
magazine.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995: Statements by Jerry Perkins, and/or the Company, statements
regarding growth of the AeroGarden product line, optimism related to the
business, expanding sales and other statements in this press release are
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on current
expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's business.
Words such as expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes, sees,
estimates and variations of such words and similar expressions are
intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements
are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and
uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results could vary
materially from the description contained herein due to many factors
including continued market acceptance of the Company's products or the
need to raise additional capital. In addition, actual results could vary
materially based on changes or slower growth in the indoor garden
market; the potential inability to realize expected benefits and
synergies; domestic and international business and economic conditions;
changes in customer demand or ordering patterns; changes in the
competitive environment including pricing pressures or technological
changes; technological advances; shortages of manufacturing capacity;
future production variables impacting excess inventory and other risk
factors listed from time to time in the Company's Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) filings under "risk factors" and elsewhere.
The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak
only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company does not
undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to
reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.
AeroGrow International, Inc
Sylvia Bernstein, 303-444-7755
VP
of Marketing
sylvia@aerogrow.com