MEDIA RELEASE – 24th May 2018
TurfBreed announces the discontinuation of Platinum Zoysia Star™ – a sub-license of its market leading Empire™ Zoysia – with Lawn Solutions Australia (LSA). This cancellation is a direct response to TurfBreed growers wishing to retain control of quality and marketing of this hugely successful and popular grass into the future.
TurfBreed Chairman, Sandy Bauman, explained that the company had cancelled LSA’s agreements in February this year, ending their ability to sell TurfBreed products from February 2019. “Our commitment to our growers is second to none and we’ll always act in their best business interests,” he
said.
“We’ll always defend our grower’s rights, using all legal and commercial avenues – now and into the future.
“We have faith in our product and our growers. We wanted to give back their market advantage and promote their growth.”
In announcing the introduction of Platinum Zoysia™, LSA claimed that Platinum Zoysia Star™ had been retired due to performance issues outside South East Queensland.
The news came as a surprise to Mr Bauman who explained that Empire™ had the biggest growth share in the market.
“There’s been almost a doubling of the area planted on the Eastern seaboard within the last year,” he said.
Less surprising was LSA’s decision to enter the Native Zoysia market. Despite the company’s decade-long resistance to the variety, its increasing popularity has proved impossible to ignore.
Mr Bauman described it as a positive move for LSA and the Australian turf industry as a whole.
“Orders for Nara™ Native are coming in faster than TurfBreed growers can supply them, so there’s plenty of room in the market,” he said.
“And while LSA releases their first Native Zoysia, we’ll be unveiling our second.”
For more information on TURFBREED contact Managing Director, Steve Burt:
M: 0419 007398
E: Sburt@turfbreed.com.au
W: www.turfbreed.com.au