There is no substitute for visiting customers in their own greenhouses

The growing media sector is only as strong as its understanding of the growers it serves. For Sulinkiai, the Lithuanian growing media producer, that understanding does not begin in the factory – it begins in the greenhouse. Newly appointed Business Development Director Tadas Žirgulis has begun his role by visiting growers across Lithuania.

Experience meets a diverse grower
One of his first visits was to the flower and seedling farm of Jonata Pauraitė-Raudonė – a grower whose operation is a study in how traditional agriculture and horticulture can thrive side by side. Growing crops, flowers, herbs and seedlings, she has built a remarkably diverse business that reflects deep knowledge, dedication and genuine passion. “Every conversation helps me better understand what matters most to growers – their challenges, and what healthy, thriving plants really require,” Žirgulis says. “The better we understand their daily reality, the better solutions we can create together.”

© Sulinkiai

Turning customer needs into new services
For Pauraitė-Raudonė, that instinct to listen is not just good manners – it is how her business grows. She is constantly looking for ways to enhance the customer experience, paying close attention to what matters most to her customers and turning their ideas into part of her offer. Her latest step is a new planting service: customers will be able to have their plants potted and made home-ready on-site, removing the need to separately buy growing media or fertilizers. “I listen to what my customers really want, and I try to build it into what we do,” she says. “This new planting service means customers can leave with a home-ready plant and enjoy it as soon as they get home. Everything is already taken care of—that’s the kind of convenience people are looking for.”

Partnerships rooted in trust
This is exactly the kind of entrepreneurial thinking Sulinkiai wants to support. For the company, visits like these are far more than introductions: they help Sulinkiai see beyond the product to how it can genuinely help growers achieve the best results. A service like Jonata’s also depends on reliable, high-quality growing media behind the scenes – the kind of foundation Sulinkiai is built to provide.

© Sulinkiai

Looking ahead
Marketed under the Suliflor brand, Sulinkiai’s peat-based growing media reach greenhouses, garden centres, landscapers and specialty growers across Europe and beyond. For Žirgulis, however, the priority remains the same: spending time with growers, learning from their experience and understanding how Sulinkiai can support their work. “Every grower has something to teach you if you take the time to listen,” Žirgulis says.