Ups-A-Daisy

What Ups-A-Daisy does

Ups-A-Daisy (legal entity Kianga, Inc.) is a privately held, bootstrapped manufacturer of reusable plastic planter inserts for container gardening, founded in 2004 by Kristy and her husband Jeff Maniscalco and headquartered in Venice, Florida. The company's core product is a disc-shaped insert placed 1/2 to 2/3 down into tapered planters; it reduces the soil volume required, lightens the planter, and uses a proprietary "Sponge Effect" drainage design that holds a moisture layer while preventing root rot and delivering oxygen to roots. The catalog is narrow — two SKUs (Round 10"–18" and Square 10.75"–14.75") sold at unit prices of $10–$18 — and the product is reusable across seasons and Made in the USA.

Revenue is generated entirely through one-time product sales with no subscription or recurring component. Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce (ups-a-daisy.com), wholesale distribution handled by Bloem, and shelf placement at national and specialty retailers including Lowe's, Wayfair, QVC, and independent garden centers across the U.S. and Canada. The company operates with a 2–3 person team, has no external institutional capital, and is majority-owned by founder Kristy. Marketing is content-driven, centered on educational blog content, customer testimonials, and earned media features (e.g., Joe Gardener's Growing a Greener World, Garden World Report), targeting home gardeners and creative/DIY users rather than enterprise customers.

Name

Ups-A-Daisy

Legal name

Kianga, Inc.

Website

https://ups-a-daisy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ups-A-Daisy (Kianga, Inc.) is a Florida-based manufacturer of reusable plastic planter inserts for home gardeners, selling Round and Square sizes via its website, Lowe's, Wayfair, QVC, and garden centers across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Garden Accessories

NAICS

Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers (444), Lawn and Garden Tractor and Home Lawn and Garden Equipment Manufacturing (333112)

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Container Gardening Design, Planting & Maintenance (HSAIAFAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs) (HSAIAFAB)

Keywords

• Planter inserts
• Container gardening
• Garden accessories
• Potting solutions
• Planter liners

Headquarters

HQ city

Venice

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time purchase of plastic planter inserts. Direct sales through website and wholesale to retail partners. No subscription or recurring revenue model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ups-A-Daisy designs, manufactures, and sells reusable plastic planter inserts that sit inside standard flower pots to elevate plants above the soil line, making watering, fertilizing, and plant care easier without repotting. The company offers round and square insert styles in multiple sizes priced between $10 and $18, sold primarily to home gardeners through its own website and national retail/wholesale channels.

Product overview

Ups-A-Daisy is a physical goods company offering reusable planter inserts for container gardening. The product line consists of two core products: Ups-A-Daisy Round (for round planters, sizes 10"–18") and Ups-A-Daisy Square (for square planters, sizes 11"–15"). Both products are designed to be placed inside tapered containers to reduce soil volume, improve drainage, prevent root rot, and lighten the weight of planted containers. The inserts are reusable and made from quality plastics in the USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Round Planter Inserts Reusable round plastic planter inserts available in multiple sizes that fit inside standard round flower pots to raise plants for easier watering and care; priced between $10 and $18.
• Square Planter Inserts Reusable square plastic planter inserts in multiple sizes that fit inside standard square planters to elevate plants; priced between $11 and $15.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most annuals require only 6"-8" of soil depth to thrive, reducing soil usage significantly
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BloemcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004Established relationship with Bloem to distribute Ups-A-Daisy nationwide. Bloem handles wholesale distribution while Kianga (manufacturer) focuses on product development and brand management.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Keter: Keter is a global manufacturer of resin-based outdoor products including planters, garden storage, and patio furniture sold through major home and garden retailers. Comparable in that its resin planters and self-watering systems overlap with the container-gardening category served by Ups-A-Daisy.
• Scotts Miracle-Gro: Scotts Miracle-Gro is the dominant consumer lawn and garden brand encompassing soil, fertilizer, and potted-plant products marketed at Lowe's, Home Depot, and Walmart. Comparable as a category leader in consumer container gardening whose soil and plant-food products are used alongside Ups-A-Daisy inserts.
• Suncast: Suncast is a large outdoor and garden products manufacturer (planters, hose reels, sheds, patio furniture) sold at Lowe's, Home Depot, and other national retailers. Comparable because it occupies the same garden-accessory shelf at Lowe's where Ups-A-Daisy is sold, representing broader competition for consumer planting accessories.
• Gardener's Supply Company: Gardener's Supply is a major direct-to-consumer garden products retailer carrying self-watering planters, container accessories, and growing supplies. Comparable because its catalog includes planter inserts and container-gardening accessories competing directly with Ups-A-Daisy.
• Fiskars (gardening division): Fiskars' gardening division produces pruners, cutting tools, and growing accessories sold at Lowe's, Home Depot, and garden centers nationwide. Comparable as a broader home-and-garden brand competing for the same retailer shelf space and consumer gardening dollars as Ups-A-Daisy.

Direct peers

• Novelty Manufacturing Co. Novelty Manufacturing produces plant stands, planters, and decorative garden accessories for indoor and outdoor use. Comparable because it supplies mass-market retailers with low-cost gardening and pot-related accessories that compete for the same shelf space as Ups-A-Daisy inserts.
• Crescent Garden: Crescent Garden designs and manufactures premium planters and container-gardening accessories, including self-watering systems and inserts. Comparable because its self-watering planter inserts and pot accessories compete for the same consumer container-gardening use case as Ups-A-Daisy.
• Bloem: Bloem is Ups-A-Daisy's wholesale distribution partner and a major manufacturer of resin planters, self-watering planters, and planter accessories. Directly comparable because it sells adjacent and overlapping container-gardening products through the same national retail and garden-center channels.
• Mayne: Mayne manufactures decorative mailboxes, planters, and outdoor accessories sold through Lowe's, Home Depot, and garden centers. Comparable because it shares Ups-A-Daisy's retail channels (notably Lowe's) and competes in the planter and outdoor garden accessories category.
• Achla Designs: Achla Designs makes garden hardware and accessories including plant stands, supports, and small-scale planting aids sold through specialty garden centers and online. Comparable as a niche garden-accessories manufacturer targeting the same home gardener customer with similar low-priced, functional products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ups-a-daisy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ups-A-Daisy