Green Garden Products, Norton, Massachusetts, a supplier of branded consumable gardening products, signed an agreement to be acquired by Central Garden & Pet, for $532 million. The transaction is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2021, subject to certain closing conditions, including regulatory approval.
The transaction marks the culmination of Green Garden Products’ growth and evolution in the gardening segment, particularly in the past six years with the launch of its eCommerce platform, expansion into new categories and its partnership with Freeman Spogli & Co., a middle market private equity firm.
“Green Garden Products has grown into the largest seed and seed starting company in North America. Our team is excited to join forces with Central Garden & Pet, a company with an outstanding team and an excellent reputation in the lawn and garden industry,” says Michael Pietrasiewicz, president and CEO of Green Garden Products. “As a company that has historically focused on the early season gardener, we feel that this combination can now provide an opportunity to deliver new products and experiences throughout the entire journey of the gardener. In addition, this transaction is a testament to the outstanding work of our associates and our management team, and an acknowledgement of the excellent partnerships that we have established with our retail customers, suppliers, and Freeman Spogli & Co., who, in particular, has been an excellent and very supportive partner over the last six years.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Green Garden into the Central Garden & Pet team upon closing,” says Tim Cofer, CEO of Central. “Our new Central to Home strategy is focused on building further scale in our two operating segments and meeting consumer and customer needs. Adding Green Garden’s well-known and trusted seed and seed starting brands for vegetables, herbs and flower gardens will expand our portfolio into an attractive adjacent garden category and will strengthen our footprint with key retail customers. Moreover, we expect to leverage our strong merchandising, brand building and digital capabilities to grow sales for both Central and our retail partners.”
