Garden and greenhouse seed firm buys out Chempak

Garden and greenhouse seed supplier Thompson & Morgan has completed a takeover of a stricken plant food company.

Protracted negotiations came to an end last week when the firm completed the buy-out of Chempak, which has been in financial trouble since late 2009, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

The company had already been saved by a management buy-out after its parent firm went into liquidation after losing a major customer.

However, the deal appears to have secured the future of Chempak, which stocks specialist plant foods for palms, fuchsias, orchids and tomatoes.

Thompson & Morgan will review the firms product list before eventually offering the items in its catalogue and garden centres.

The company revealed that it intends to keep the majority of Chempaks products, despite a planned re-launch of the brand.

Meanwhile, the RHS recently paid its respects to respected fruit grower Hugh Ermen, who passed away in December.