George Davies, founder of George Davies Turf: George Davies started his ‘side venture’ in 2001 and has since reached new heights to become the largest independent supplier of turf in the UK, spending more than two decades perfecting his knowledge to become an expert voice on all things relating to turf, soil, crops and landscape materials. 

Pursuing a dream – turf experts

Driven by his own self-belief, George Davies has gone from a struggling student to university graduate, to successful business owner – sharing his flawless work ethic and inspiring passion for helping others, while he set out to achieve his longstanding dream to become the UK’s largest independent supplier of turf.

George’s forward-thinking approach and experience as a Farm Business Consultant always kept him one step ahead, and it was this energy and determination that he applied to his father’s family-run farm where his company was, and still is, based.

When he realised the farm wasn’t suitable for growing additional crops, George spotted the lucrative potential to sell landscaping products to nearby developing towns in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Hertfordshire.

In 2001 George invested every penny he had into a Scenic Blue Turf franchise and, having devoted so much time, energy and money into the venture, knew he had no choice but to throw everything into making it work.

By 2003 he had carved out his own unique selling point – his exceptional customer service – and felt it was time to go it alone. He changed the name and became a business owner in his own right – George Davies Turf was born.

From ‘one-man-band’ to multi-million-pound business

Based in Olney, George worked solo to sell, load, and deliver rolls of turf across the Midlands and London, while an honesty box in the farmyard portacabin collected payment for those who preferred to collect – that box alone took around £1 million over the first 10 years.

By 2010, George knew the secret to growing the business was to invest in state-of-the-art machinery, a new premises in St Albans, and to bring in drivers and support staff. He did this with a strong approach to recruitment, actively seeking people he could trust, and only those who would encompass the same values: honesty, reliability and quality.

Celebrating their 21st birthday in September 2021, George and his team of 19 now proudly refer to themselves as ‘The Landscaper’s Choice’, providing high-quality turf and landscaping products along with impeccable customer service. The striking fleet of six red 32-tonne lorries and a 44-tonne artic – all with forklift trucks – are used to transport 1.4 million rolls of turf to 35,000 gardens a year within a 40-mile radius of the two bases. George believes this is how the company maintains its identifiable two-hour delivery slots; a timeframe critical to maintaining the short shelf life of fresh turf.

With a reliable team in place, George now focuses on developing the business for his staff and customers: providing helpful information via blogs, social media, newsletters and events. The new George Davies Turf app is the first of its kind in the industry aimed at speeding up the buying process for busy landscapers – an innovation for the sector.

George is an advocate for supporting others too, not only sharing his insights with likeminded people, but encouraging his people to take time to further their own learning. Through various investments and activities, he continues to be involved with the local business community who helped him get where he is today, as well as funding new business owners on their journey.

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