Onion leek and root vegetable seed lines for retail shelves

A seed shop that groups onions and leeks together with carrots, radishes and other root vegetables is treating two different catalogue categories as a single shelf block. They are adjacent in the vegetable range and often bought by the same customer, but they behave differently as planning units. This document is a decision aid for splitting space between them before any species is shortlisted. It uses only the structure visible in the wholesale catalogue and does not quote prices, stock levels or destination rules.

Two categories, not one block

The catalogue lists Onions and leeks and Root Vegetables as separate entries within the vegetable seed range. That separation is a planning signal in itself: the wholesaler expects buyers to approach them as distinct groups. A retailer who merges them into one shelf block loses the ability to size each group on its own terms. Start by deciding whether you keep them as one block deliberately or split them.

What the split is not based on

The grouping is not a botanical division, and it is not a statement about how the seeds are used in the kitchen or garden. It does not tell you which lines sell together in your own shop. Treat the catalogue split as an organising convention, then overlay your own sales evidence to decide whether your customers actually browse them together.

Deciding the space question before the species question

Allocation is a scope decision that sits above variety choice. Fix a proportion of shelf or catalogue space for the onion and leek group and a proportion for the wider root vegetable group, then fill each proportion with lines. Doing it in the other order, picking favourite varieties first and letting the shelf fill up, tends to leave whichever group you started with overrepresented.

Onions and leeks as a narrow group

This group is described as a single catalogue area rather than a broad spread of species. A narrow group rewards depth: a small number of well-chosen lines carried consistently rather than a wide scatter. In a space split, it can usually be served with a smaller share of space than its neighbour, provided the share is stable across the season.

Root vegetables as a broader field

The root vegetable group spans several distinct crops, including carrots and radishes, and sits alongside the wider vegetable range in the catalogue navigation. Breadth here is about covering different crops, not multiplying varieties of one crop. A larger share of space may be justified, but the share needs to be divided internally between crops before variety counts are set.

A simple way to test the split

Write down your current physical or catalogue space in units. Assign a share to onions and leeks and a share to root vegetables. Then list what would fill each share and check whether either list feels forced. If one group cannot fill its share with credible lines, the split is wrong. If one group needs more room than you allowed, shift the balance before ordering.

Where the two groups meet

Some customers will look for both in one visit, so a total separation can feel disjointed on the shelf. Keeping the groups distinct for planning while placing them near each other for browsing is a workable compromise. The planning split and the physical layout do not have to be identical, but you should be able to explain the difference.

Keep the reasoning with the enquiry

When you move from allocation to shortlisting, carry the split with you. Note which lines belong to which group and the quantity basis for each selection, because the quotation checks pack size, available quantity and final price separately from your shelf plan. The allocation document is the input to the enquiry, not a substitute for the quotation.

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