Contact Information: CONTACTS: Corporate John Thompson AeroGrow International, Inc. (303) 444-7755 Investor Budd Zuckerman Genesis Select Corporation (303) 415-0200
AeroGrow Doubles Storefronts, Adds Major New Retail Customers
Shipping Now to Target, Kohl's, Canadian Tire and Warehouse Clubs; Broader Product Line Expands Presence at Existing Retailers; Multi-Million Dollar TV Ad Campaign Launched to Support Retail Sales
| Source: AeroGrow International, Inc.
BOULDER, CO--(Marketwire - September 16, 2008) - AeroGrow International, Inc. (NASDAQ : AERO )
("AeroGrow" or the "Company"), makers of the AeroGarden® line of indoor
gardening products, announced that it has achieved its goal of doubling
storefronts in 2008. By September 30, AeroGardens will have shipped to more
than 9,000 storefronts in North America's leading retail chains, up from
4,300 storefronts as of December 31, 2007.
In recent weeks the Company has begun the sell-in to thousands of new
retail storefronts, including expansion into more than 1,600 Target stores,
more than 900 Kohl's stores, more than 450 Canadian Tire stores (Canada's
"most shopped" retailer) and several hundred warehouse clubs. In addition,
AeroGrow's existing retail customers have begun accepting fall shipments of
the Company's new product lines, with most carrying multiple garden models
at varying price points. Existing customers include Bed Bath & Beyond,
Linens 'n Things, Sears, JCPenney, Macy's and hundreds of leading
independent retailers.
"It's exciting to roll out to this many stores, this quickly, and with so
many new products," said Jerry Perkins, CEO of AeroGrow. "In a 90-day
window we're launching a chain-wide sell-in to major new retailers and
rolling our new, broader product line into existing major retail customers.
We're also expanding with differentiated products into new markets through
nationwide rollouts into the lawn and garden channel and warehouse club
stores, while holding our retail price points. This year's expansion gives
us very broad retail coverage in the heart of where America shops, and will
dramatically increase our visibility and category awareness, setting the
stage for further expansion in the years to come."
"As a result of our very strong performance at retail last year, we've been
able to open up a wide range of new accounts that capitalize on the breadth
of our product offerings and price points," said Jeff Brainard, AeroGrow's
Vice President of Sales. "As we look forward, we see the opportunity to
continue to leverage new products to expand into new channels, including
grocery, drug, toy, office and home centers, among others. Supporting our
expanded retail effort is a multi-million dollar fall TV ad campaign that
launched on September 15. The campaign uses four new short form TV
commercials targeting gardeners, cooks and families to continue to build
category and brand awareness and help sustain and increase our sales
velocity at retail."
About AeroGrow International, Inc.
Founded in 2002 in Boulder, Colorado, AeroGrow International, Inc. is
dedicated to the research, development and marketing of the AeroGarden®
line of indoor gardening products. AeroGardens feature dirt-free
technology, allowing anyone to grow farmer's market fresh herbs, salad
greens, tomatoes, chili peppers, flowers and more, indoors, year-round, so
simply and easily that no green thumb is required. See www.aerogrow.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995: Statements by Jerry Perkins, Jeff Brainard, 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 kitchen garden appliance 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.