Business booming

When mother and daughter Sonya and Kayla Newson first opened Unique Pots and Plants, they expected they may sell a handful of kokedamas, fast forward a few months and they have sold thousands. The pair sat down with Caitlyn Morgan to discuss their business success.
Pictures: Carmel Zaccone

KAYLA Newson had always wanted to open a business with her mother Sonya so when the pair discovered cement pots, they thought they had found their new business venture.

Only a few months later, the duo discovered an item that would soon take Sunraysia by storm.

“We were in Ararat visiting my sister in law, she had a kokedama so we went and purchased our own and took it home,” Sonya recalls.

“We hadn’t seen anything else like it here so decided to make our own but made them bigger and used different twine.

“We had been trying to think of something to extend our products, while still doing the cement pots and thought this was something good to add in.”

After a quick search online and some trial and error, the pair created 10 ready to sell at the Wentworth Show.

“The first day we completely sold out so that night we raced up to Bunnings and made 15 more, which then completely sold out the next day,” Sonya says.

“It just took off. We thought it would be good if we sold a couple of them but instead we have since sold thousands.

“We thought it would be a craze for a short time and then die off but if anything, it’s gotten even crazier.”

While both working full time, the pair create them in their spare time to sell online and at local markets.

“We now have to import plants from Melbourne to keep up with the demand,” Sonya says.

“We are both working full time so we have had to get in some help to keep up with the demand.”

The pair put their success down to keeping their prices low and the popularity of indoor plants.

“They last a lot longer than flowers but they cost the same,” Sonya says.
“We find a lot of our customers are purchasing them as gifts.”

Kayla added, “We do have a lot of customers comment that they are something different, something they haven’t seen before so they make great presents.”

At the moment the plants can only be purchased online or from a local market. The pair do hope to one day open a shop.