Wilbur-Ellis

What Wilbur-Ellis does

Wilbur-Ellis is a family-owned, privately held agricultural products company founded in 1921 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado (relocated from San Francisco in 2025), with reported sales of over $3.5 billion and more than 2,400 employees operating across North America. The company operates three business units: Agribusiness (the core North American crop-inputs business covering crop protection, fertilizers, seeds, biologicals, and digital agronomy); Nachurs Alpine Solutions (a specialty liquid chemical manufacturer acquired in 2019 serving agriculture, transportation, energy, and diversified industrial sectors); and Cavallo Ventures (a corporate venture capital arm investing in agricultural technology start-ups). Its proprietary branded technology portfolio includes the BenVireo TerraLux organic nitrogen fertilizer, NUTRIO N-TUNE biological nitrogen supplement, Employ harpin-protein plant health promoter, ECO ADVANTAGE adjuvant platform, TILL-IT and FOLI-GRO fertilizer lines, and digital platforms AgVerdict Next and the Total Nutrition System (TNS).

The company generates revenue primarily through one-time sales and distribution of agricultural inputs (crop protection chemicals, fertilizers, seeds, and specialty products) and specialty liquid chemicals, supplemented by professional services revenue from agronomy, custom application, and soil testing. Its go-to-market relies on a sales-led model in which field agronomists and direct sales representatives build long-term trusted-advisor relationships with growers, supported by an owned retail branch network across North America, independent agricultural retailers, and the AgVerdict e-commerce platform. Customer segments are dominated by agricultural growers producing row crops, specialty crops, fruits, vegetables, and tree/vine crops, with a secondary enterprise customer base in industrial and specialty chemicals. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through direct sales relationships and agricultural retailers. In 2025 the company divested its animal nutrition business (Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition, rebranded as Rangen under Balmoral Funds), refining its portfolio around crop agriculture and specialty chemicals.

Name

Wilbur-Ellis

Legal name

Wilbur Family Holdings, Inc.

Website

https://wilburellis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Wilbur-Ellis is a family-owned agricultural inputs and specialty chemicals company founded in 1921, generating over $3.5 billion in sales across North America through its Agribusiness division, Nachurs Alpine Solutions specialty chemicals business, and Cavallo Ventures investment arm, serving growers and industrial customers via a direct retail branch network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Inputs Distribution and Specialty Chemicals Manufacturing

NAICS

Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424), Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532), Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253)

SIC

Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Crop Protection Product Retail (Herbicides/Insecticides/Fungicides) (AFABAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fertilizer & Nutrient Retail (Dry, Liquid, Blends) (AFABAJAF), Agronomy Advisory & Field Services (Retailer-Affiliated) (AFABAJAH), Farm Hardware, Parts & Consumables Retail (Tools, PPE, Repair) (AFABAJAM), Seed & Trait Distribution (Dealer Networks) (AFABAJAD)

Keywords

• Crop protection products
• Agricultural fertilizers
• Specialty liquid chemicals
• Crop nutrition solutions
• Agronomy services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Product Sales and Distribution: Wilbur-Ellis generates revenue primarily through the sale and distribution of agricultural products including crop protection chemicals, fertilizers, seeds, and specialty inputs to growers through its retail branch network across North America.
2. Specialty Chemical Manufacturing and Distribution: Nachurs Alpine Solutions manufactures and sells specialty liquid chemicals serving agriculture, transportation, energy, and diversified industrial sectors.
3. Branded Technology Products: Proprietary branded products including fertilizers, biologicals, adjuvants, and plant health promoters sold through the company's own distribution network and retail partners.
4. Agronomy and Custom Application Services: Custom application services including ground application, soil testing, and agronomic consulting delivered through retail branch operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wilbur-Ellis markets, distributes, and manufactures agricultural inputs and specialty chemicals for North American crop agriculture, industrial, transportation, and energy customers. Its core offerings include branded crop protection products, fertilizers (organic and conventional), biologicals, adjuvants, seeds, plant health promoters, and specialty liquid chemicals, sold primarily through an owned retail branch network and supported by agronomy, custom application, soil testing, and digital platform services.

Product overview

Wilbur-Ellis is a family-owned agricultural products company with over $3.5 billion in sales operating across North American crop agriculture. The company offers a diversified portfolio organized into three business units: Agribusiness (crop protection, nutrition, seed, and digital solutions), Nachurs Alpine Solutions (specialty liquid chemicals), and Cavallo Ventures (venture capital). The product portfolio centers on proprietary branded technologies including the fertilizer line (BenVireo TerraLux organic nitrogen, NUTRIO N-TUNE biological nitrogen), plant health products (Employ harpin protein-based promoter), adjuvant platform (ECO ADVANTAGE), starter fertilizers (TILL-IT GOLD-ZONE ULTRA), and digital tools (AgVerdict Next platform, Total Nutrition System web-based analytics). Products serve row crops, specialty crops, fruits, vegetables, and tree/vine crops. The company distributes through retail branches and agronomy partners across North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nachurs Alpine Solutions: Specialty liquid chemical manufacturer serving agriculture, transportation, energy and diversified industrial sectors
• Cavallo Ventures
• ECO ADVANTAGE
• BenVireo TerraLux
• NUTRIO N-TUNE
• Employ
• Harvest Bounty Seed
• TNS (Total Nutrition System)
• AgVerdict
• Rangen

Products and services

• BenVireo TerraLux Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer OMRI-approved liquid organic ammonium nitrate fertilizer (10-0-0, 5% ammoniacal N, 5% nitrate N) produced via a patented process that captures ammonia from digestate. Provides 100% plant-available nitrogen that is pathogen- and weed-free and LGMA-compliant, intended for organic and conventional growers needing flexible application options.
• NUTRIO N-TUNE Biological Nitrogen Supplement Biological product containing naturally occurring beneficial bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia throughout the growing season. Works across a wide pH and temperature range with flexible application; field trials in corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton showed at least 3:1 ROI and up to 12.5 bu/acre corn yield increase when nitrogen was limiting.
• Employ Biochemical Plant Health Promoter Biochemical plant health promoter containing second-generation Harpin αβ proteins that activate plants' systemic acquired resistance pathways, improving root development, reducing stress, suppressing nematode populations, and increasing yield potential. Labeled for tree fruits, grapes, vegetables, and row crops, with documented outcomes including 40% improvement in photosynthetic capacity, 10% sugar accumulation in berries, and 35% greater net leaf photosynthesis in grape trials.
• ECO ADVANTAGE Adjuvant Platform Environmentally friendly adjuvant platform with an EPA aquatic rating, formulated as a safer alternative to Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPE) for use near aquatic sites including lakes and rivers. Developed by Wilbur-Ellis as part of its product stewardship commitment.
• TILL-IT GOLD-ZONE ULTRA Starter Fertilizer Low-salt, high-orthophosphate starter fertilizer formulated for seed safety, supporting germination and root development in the early growth stages of crops. Sold through Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness retail and dealer channels.
• FOLI-GRO Foliar Fertilizer Product Line Branded foliar fertilizer product line that includes FOLI-GRO POLISH (containing calcium, zinc, and 5% nitrate nitrogen), FOLI-GRO TIDALWAVE (biostimulant), and FOLI-GRO CA-ZN, used to provide early-season nutrition in almonds and other crops.
• Nutrio Unlock Biological Product Biological product that helps unlock nutrients in the soil, part of the Nutrio branded technologies portfolio for improved nutrient efficiency in crop production.
• Puric Humic and Fulvic Acid Product Line Humic acid and fulvic acid product line designed to improve nutrient use efficiency when applied alongside phosphorus or nitrogen fertilizers, sold through Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness.
• Harvest Bounty Seed Wilbur-Ellis seed brand offering cover crops and conventional non-GMO hybrid seed varieties for commercial crop production, intended to prevent erosion, increase organic matter, and improve water-holding capacity when used as cover crops.
• AgVerdict Next Digital Platform Digital platform that lets growers place orders, pay invoices, view purchase history, and access agronomic tools including field mapping, benchmarking, analytics, and agricultural input usage tracking. Operated as Wilbur-Ellis's own online storefront and customer portal.
• Total Nutrition System (TNS) Platform Proprietary web-based platform that reports water, soil, and plant tissue analytical data from independent agricultural laboratories in an easy-to-read graphical format. Helps agronomists and producers identify field-by-field nutrient needs across the growing season using the Four Rs of Nutrient Stewardship.
• Nachurs Alpine Solutions Specialty Liquid Chemicals Specialty liquid chemical products manufactured and sold by Nachurs Alpine Solutions (acquired in 2019) for use in agriculture, transportation, energy, and diversified industrial sectors in North America. Includes starter and foliar fertilizers marketed under the Nachurs Alpine brand.
• Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness Crop Input Distribution and Agronomy Services Core North American crop agriculture business that distributes crop protection products, fertilizers, seed, and biologicals, and provides agronomy, soil testing, custom ground application, and digital solutions to commercial growers through an owned retail branch network.

Quantifiable outcome

• NUTRIO N-TUNE delivered at least 3:1 return on investment for growers in field trials across corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton, with corn showing 12.5 bushels per acre yield increase when N was limiting.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Crop DiagnostixminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 March 2026Wilbur-Ellis serves as a distribution channel for Crop Diagnostix's RNA sequencing-based crop health monitoring system, which detects plant stress weeks before visible symptoms. Field trials demonstrated an $720 per acre net profit advantage through 8% higher yields and 23% lower input use. Pricing is approximately $500–$700 per field per season.
• Ford ProcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2022Wilbur-Ellis is collaborating with Ford Pro to integrate Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup trucks into its fleet, starting with 10 vehicles in Sonoma and Salinas Valley, California. Ford Pro provides charging stations and cloud-based telematics software for vehicle diagnostics, charging optimization, and driver safety. Dutton Ranch vineyard participated in an initial pilot program.
• Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNachurs Alpine Solutions is an active member of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, a multi-stakeholder initiative that defines, measures, and advances the sustainability of food, fiber, and fuel production in the United States.
• ResponsibleAgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWilbur-Ellis is a founding member of ResponsibleAg, a not-for-profit organization founded by the agriculture industry to enhance product stewardship throughout the distribution chain.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Simplot (JR Simplot Company): Privately held agribusiness with a crop input retail, fertilizer manufacturing, and specialty plant nutrition business, providing direct competition in branded fertilizer and retail farm supply.
• Helena Agri-Enterprises: Privately held U.S. distributor of crop protection, fertilizer, seed, and proprietary branded adjuvant and nutrition products through a branch network — closely mirrors Wilbur-Ellis' mix of distribution plus branded chemistry (e.g., Helena's adjuvant line parallels ECO ADVANTAGE).
• GROWMARK: Regional agricultural cooperative operating a retail farm supply and agronomy network across the U.S. Midwest and Northeast, overlapping directly with Wilbur-Ellis' branch-based distribution and custom application model.
• Nutrien Ag Solutions: The retail arm of Nutrien Ltd., the world's largest crop input retailer, operating a comparable North American branch network distributing crop protection, fertilizer, seed, and agronomy services to growers — the most direct comparable to Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness.
• CHS Inc. U.S. agricultural cooperative and one of the largest crop input retailers and grain handlers in North America, competing directly with Wilbur-Ellis in retail farm supply, agronomy, and crop input distribution.
• WinField United (Land O'Lakes): Crop input and agronomy retail network of Land O'Lakes, distributing crop protection, fertilizer, seed (CROPLAN), and the AnswerPlot/Answer Tech digital agronomy platform — direct competitor in branded agronomy.

Broad incumbents

• FMC Corporation: Global crop protection chemical manufacturer with deep R&D pipeline; Wilbur-Ellis distributes some FMC-adjacent products and competes in the same downstream grower relationships. Board member Michael Reilly joined Wilbur-Ellis from FMC, indicating sector overlap.
• Corteva: Global seed and crop protection major; competes with Wilbur-Ellis as both a supplier and an indirect competitor via its own digital agronomy (Granular) and direct-grower sales motions.
• ICL Group: Global specialty fertilizer and plant nutrition producer (including controlled-release and water-soluble NPK); competes with Wilbur-Ellis / Nachurs in specialty liquid fertilizer and foliar nutrition markets.

Regional players

• Yara International: Norway-based global nitrogen fertilizer and plant nutrition leader with growing North American footprint; competes with Wilbur-Ellis in fertilizer distribution and foliar/specialty nutrition product lines, though based outside North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WilburEllisCo
• Facebookfacebook.com/wilburelliscompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wilbur-ellis-company

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A1 record

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Wilbur-Ellis