Backing yourself to move from markets to selling in stores with Sarah Primrose

“Primrose and Co is about putting nature first. So we put nature at the heart of our decisions about our business” - Sarah Primrose

“Going to the markets is like going to see your family every week. It’s been one of the best things for us, including getting to network with other small businesses” - Sarah Primrose

“You can get stuck on a treadmill, to keep that cashflow going, because you’re having to show up all the time in person, and then COVID comes and breaks that treadmill and you realise you’ve built a business with a lot of risk.” - Rachel Klaver

“There’s a perception of what people will pay at a market, and it’s not the same as what someone will pay for at a store” - Sarah Primrose

“I just had this moment where I thought yes, I’m ready to do this. I knew if I didn’t I was going to hate myself so I made myself do it” - Sarah Primrose

“I love working and collaborating with people, sharing knowledge. But I’m having conflicting feelings as some of what we do now I’ve worked so hard to learn and discover. Sometimes I know I need to protect my IP even though I want to be open.” - Sarah Primrose

Living by your own strong ethics around consumerism and the environment while growing a manufacturing and ecommerce business is not without its challenges.

Our guest today - Sarah Primrose, the creator and founder of Primrose and Co has managed to do just that, and successfully moved her business from one that sells at markets, to a brand that is now sold online, and via a range of retailers both here in New Zealand and beyond.

Sarah’s background as a chef, food stylist, menu and recipe developer, nature explorer, avid gardener, keeper of chickens and sheep has helped her create a business that truly reflects her own style and passions. She grows some of the flowers in her products on her beautiful lifestyle block surrounded by gardens, native bush and rolling hills, where she lives with her partner Scott and a menagerie of dogs, cats and other animals.

Primrose & Co is all about knowing where things come from, where they end up & how we can live more sustainably with Earth Mother & Our Planet. Putting nature at the heart of her decisions, Sarah’s entire brand message is seen through the types of packaging she uses, and how she aligns herself with other businesses and influencers. She’s worked hard to create product packaging that’s refillable, reusable or compostable as part of her sustainability values.

She’s definitely had to step over more than her fair share of hurdles and had to take risks to see the growth the business is now experiencing.

I’ve had the privilege to watch the progress of Sarah’s business right from the early days, personally use her products and last year we got to work alongside Sarah. I consider her one of the most “sunshiny” people I know. She truly lives and breathes her values, and this podcast will inspire anyone with big dreams and goals, but has started off small, with a tiny budget.

During this episode we discuss the following: