What Custom AG Formulators does

Custom Ag Formulators, Inc. (CAF) is a Fresno, California-based specialty agricultural inputs manufacturer founded in 1998 by the Murray and Steward families. The company formulates, blends, and packages crop nutrition and adjuvant products — including adjuvants, enhanced nutrients, dry solubles, lignosulfonate- and sorbitol-based complexed nutrients, specialty NPK formulations, organic products, and hydroponic nutrients — across a catalog of 227 SKUs. Operations are anchored by a 5-acre, 54,000 sq ft headquarters facility in Fresno with a 500,000-gallon bulk tank farm, BNSF rail service, and two automated 12-head bottle fillers; a 10-acre manufacturing plant in Adel, Georgia (opened 2016) duplicates these capabilities on the East Coast, and a jointly operated bottling facility in Goondiwindi, Australia (2004, with Growth Ag) serves the Southern Hemisphere. A 450-panel solar PV system covers roughly 93% of the Fresno site's daily energy use.

CAF serves three primary customer groups. First, U.S. agricultural growers are reached through six named regional district managers (Coastal/Central California, Central/Southern California, Eastern U.S., Florida & Georgia, South Central & Delta) plus a Director of Sales, selling proprietary nutritional and adjuvant products for row crops, tree nuts, citrus, fruits, and vegetables. Second, the company offers toll blending and contract manufacturing to enterprise customers across at least nine industries (Janitorial, Hydroponics, Agriculture, Dairy/Equine, Water Treatment, Lubricant, Wine, Waste Water, and Industrial Supplies), with batch sizes ranging from 200 gallons to truckloads (liquids) and 50 lb to 5,000 lb (dry) and an on-time delivery rate exceeding 99%. Third, private-label dealer partners and distributors can commission custom formulations, in-house label design, and on-site state product registration, with packaging from one-pallet batches to truckload volumes. The company holds WQA, EPA, WSDA organic, and OMRI certifications. In July 2024, ICL Group (NYSE: ICL) acquired Custom Ag Formulators, integrating it into ICL's Growing Solutions division to expand ICL's U.S. specialty liquid product capacity.

Name

Custom AG Formulators

Legal name

Custom Ag Formulators, Inc.

Website

https://customagformulators.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Custom Ag Formulators is a Fresno, California-based specialty agricultural inputs manufacturer producing 227 SKUs of adjuvants, nutrients, and specialty products, plus toll blending and private-label services for U.S. growers and multi-industry customers. Founded 1998; acquired by ICL Group in July 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Crop Nutrition & Adjuvants

NAICS

Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Crop Protection Formulations (EC, SC, WG, WP, SL) (AFABAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends) (CRADAOAO)

Keywords

• Agricultural adjuvants
• Crop nutrition products
• Toll blending services
• Specialty fertilizers
• Private label manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Fresno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Product Sales: Sale of proprietary adjuvants, enhanced nutrients, dry solubles, nutritionals, specialty products, and organic products to agricultural growers and distributors. Products are sold under the CAF brand through direct sales, distributors, and website. Volume ranges from case lots to truckloads.
2. Toll Blending & Manufacturing Services: Custom formulation and toll manufacturing services for multiple industries (Janitorial, Hydroponics, Agriculture, Dairy/Equine, Water Treatment, Lubricant Industry, Wine Industry, Waste Water, Industrial Supplies). The company takes customer formulas, scales batches, blends ingredients, and packages per specifications. Services include ingredient procurement, custom packaging, repacking, and logistics. Revenue is based on batch size and service scope.
3. Private Label & Custom Formulation Development: Custom product development and private label services for dealers and growers, including product development from concept to field, on-site product registration in any state, custom packaging, and labeling through in-house departments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Custom Ag Formulators manufactures and sells proprietary agricultural adjuvants, enhanced nutrients, dry solubles, nutritionals, organic products, specialty products, and hydroponics formulations under the CAF brand, offering 227+ SKUs in volumes from pints to truckloads. The company also provides toll blending and contract manufacturing services across multiple industries (Janitorial, Hydroponics, Agriculture, Dairy/Equine, Water Treatment, Lubricant, Wine, Waste Water, Industrial Supplies), along with custom formulation development and private label services including in-house label design and state product registration.

Product overview

Custom Ag Formulators is an agricultural products company offering a comprehensive portfolio of crop nutrition and adjuvant products. The company provides 227+ products across six main categories: Adjuvants (28 products including antifoams, surfactants, and water conditioners), Enhanced Nutrients (19 products including the X-Tra Line), Dry Solubles (21 products including Nutra Builder Line), Nutritionals (74 products including EDTA chelates, Lignon-based, and Sorbitol-based nutrients), Specialty Products (63 products including NPK formulations and phosphites), and Hydroponics (14 products). Additionally, the company offers toll blending contract manufacturing services and custom formulation/private label development. The product portfolio is organized around crop-specific formulations (almond, blueberry, citrus, tree nut, pistachio mixes) and technology platforms (X-Tra Line, Nutra Builder Line, Start-R Line, CM Line). The company became part of ICL Group in July 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adjuvants A line of 28 agricultural adjuvants including antifoams, buffers & acidifiers, compatibility agents, crop oil concentrates, drift control agents, foam markers, methylated seed oils, non-ionic spreaders, organosilicone surfactants, soil conditioners, stickers, and water conditioning agents, for use with crop protection sprays.
• Enhanced Nutrients (X-Tra Line) A 19-product line including the 16-product X-Tra Line (Bio Zinc X-Tra, Boron X-Tra, Calcium X-Tra, Magnesium X-Tra, etc.) of amino acids, enzymes, organic complexing agents, and natural plant extracts designed to speed natural plant physiological and soil biological processes.
• Dry Solubles A 21-product line of dry soluble nutrient formulations including CM Line Boron Based products, Berry Builder Plus (crop-specific), CM Dry B-17 (micronutrient), NPK formulations, the Nutra Builder Line, and Phosphite Formulations.
• Nutritionals (EDTA, Lignon, Sorbitol Complexed Nutrients, Nutrition Builder, Start-R Line) A 74-product nutritional line including EDTA Chelated Nutrients (12), proprietary Lignosulfonate Based Complexed Nutrients (47), Nutrition Builder (4), Sorbitol Based Complexed Nutrients (7), and Start-R Line (4).
• Organic Products (WSDA / OMRI Certified) A 7-product line of WSDA-certified organic nutrients and soil conditioners (CM Green Iron 5%, CM Green Mag 4%, CM Green Mang 7%, CM Green Mix 4-2-2, CM Green Zinc 10%, etc.) for organic production.
• Specialty Products A 63-product line of specialty agricultural products including Frost Protectants, Humic Acids, Insect Attractants (Bee 52), Phosphite Formulations, Seaweed Based Formulations, Slow Release Nitrogen, Specialty Micro Formulations, and Specialty NPK Formulations such as Challenge, Advance, and Crop Source.
• Hydroponics Product Line A 14-product line of nutrient formulations designed for hydroponic growing systems, including Bloom Envy, Cal-Mag Pure, Cyco Solution, DeJa Bloom, Good To Grow, PH Down, and PH Up, addressing controlled-environment agriculture needs.
• Toll Blending & Contract Manufacturing Services Contract chemical blending and manufacturing services for multi-industry customers, with liquid batches from 200 gallons to truckload, dry batches from 50 lb to 5,000 lb, 500,000-gallon bulk storage, rail spur access, automated 12-head bottling, ingredient procurement, repacking, and logistics.
• Custom Formulations & Private Label Services Custom product development and private label services for dealers and distributors, building products from concept to field, including in-house graphic design, label production, on-site product registration in any state, and batch sizes from one or two pallets to truckload volumes.

Quantifiable outcome

• On-time delivery rate exceeding 99% for toll blending customers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Growth AgcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004Partnership with Growth Ag (a well-known Australian distributor) in 2004 led to the cooperative opening of a second bottling facility in Goondiwindi, Queensland, Australia. The jointly developed facility enables faster shipping to the entire Southern Hemisphere with the same quality standards as U.S. operations. The partnership allows CAF to both manufacture and package products for international customers while also toll blending for international accounts.
• Bland SolarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Bland Solar to install a solar photovoltaic system on the Fresno facility roof. The installation of just over 450 panels generates approximately 93% of the company's daily energy usage, dramatically reducing its carbon footprint.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nutrien Ag Solutions: World's largest crop input retailer and parent of Loveland Products. Overlaps with CAF across adjuvants and specialty nutrition but operates at vastly larger scale with proprietary R&D.
• FMC Corporation: Global crop protection chemical manufacturer with significant formulation operations. Overlaps in adjuvant-adjacent chemistries but operates as a global R&D-driven incumbent rather than US specialty formulator.
• CHS Inc. US agricultural cooperative distributing crop nutrients, crop protection, and specialty products. Touches the same grower base as CAF but at cooperative scale with broader portfolio.
• Corteva Agriscience: Major global crop protection and seed company. Competes indirectly through adjuvants and crop nutrition sold alongside its own herbicide and insecticide portfolio.

Direct peers

• Helena Agri-Enterprises: Major US ag input distributor and formulator offering adjuvants, specialty fertilizers, and crop protection products. Direct overlap in adjuvant and nutrient formulation serving row and specialty crops.
• Brandt Consolidated: US-based specialty agricultural products company formulating adjuvants, crop nutrition, and specialty products. Closest comparable on product mix (adjuvants + nutrients) and toll/custom manufacturing capability.
• American Vanguard Corporation: US specialty crop protection manufacturer with formulation and packaging capabilities. Comparable in custom formulation and US-focused crop input portfolio.
• Loveland Products (Nutrien Ag Solutions): Specialty crop input brand of Nutrien offering adjuvants, nutritionals, and proprietary ag chemistries. Competes head-to-head in the adjuvant and specialty nutrient category CAF serves.
• WinField United (Land O'Lakes): Crop input business of Land O'Lakes offering proprietary adjuvants, nutritionals, and crop protection products. Directly comparable on product portfolio and dealer/distributor channel model.
• Wilbur-Ellis Company: Large US ag input distributor with proprietary formulation capabilities in crop nutrition and protection. Comparable in custom formulation, private label, and West Coast grower relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/customagformulators
• Instagraminstagram.com/customagformulators

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Custom AG Formulators