What McConkey Company does

McConkey Company is a Canadian manufacturer and wholesale distributor of injection-molded and thermoformed plastic horticultural containers, founded in 1964 by Jack McConkey in Sumner, Washington and now headquartered in Saint-Léon-de-Standon, Quebec, with production in Camrose County, Alberta. Its product portfolio covers hanging baskets (10" Swirl, 12" Euro, McCedar, 12" Pacific), round pots (4.25" to 10" in Scotch, Azalea, and thin-wall variants), square pots including the proprietary No-Release™ Tag Locator line (2.75" to 5.5"), color bowls (8" Vaso to 16"), 1020 and 17" carry trays and mesh flats, nursery containers (#1 Tall, #2 Round, #2 Tag Lock), hangers and saucers, plus the rEarth recycled-content sub-brand. Underlying technology is conventional plastic conversion (polypropylene injection molding, thermoforming) augmented by proprietary mold tooling for the No-Release™ tag-locking geometry and customization services (logo engraving, color matching, full custom design).

The business model is wholesale B2B with quote-based pricing, no online ordering, and fulfillment via direct phone sales, scheduled truck routes, and stocking distributor OBC Northwest Inc. Customers include wholesale growers (annuals, perennials, tropicals, azaleas), garden centers, and edible-plant growers across Canada and the United States, served by a small direct sales team (Sales Manager Eric Wyland, Customer Service Richelle Sanchez) and trade-show presence (2024 Green Industry Show and Conference). The company's primary economic engine is high-volume container SKUs sold in case packs to greenhouse and nursery operations; secondary revenue comes from customization services and the sustainability/recycled-content rEarth line.

In September 2024, McConkey's injection-molded horticultural product line was acquired by Elfe Plastik Inc., with the brand continuing to operate as "Elfe Plastik – McConkey Grower Products," ending three generations of family ownership and providing access to a larger Quebec-based plastics manufacturer's scale, while preserving the McConkey catalog, distributor relationships, and customer base.

Name

McConkey Company

Legal name

McConkey Company

Website

https://mcconkeyco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

McConkey Company, founded in 1964 and acquired by Elfe Plastik Inc. in 2024, manufactures and wholesale-distributes injection-molded plastic horticultural containers — pots, hanging baskets, trays, and flats — to greenhouse and nursery growers across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horticultural Containers

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Plastic Trays, Clamshells & Blister Packaging Manufacturing (IMANAEAE)

Keywords

• Horticultural containers
• Wholesale nursery supplies
• Injection molded pots
• Greenhouse products
• Hanging baskets

Headquarters

HQ city

Sumner

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Horticultural Products: McConkey generates revenue through the sale of wholesale horticultural containers and grower products including pots, hanging baskets, trays, flats, and nursery containers. Products are sold primarily through phone orders and distributor relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

McConkey manufactures and distributes wholesale horticultural plastic containers, including injection-molded and thermoformed hanging baskets, round and square pots, color bowls, carry trays, nursery containers, and 1020 and 17" flats and inserts. Customers order by phone or through stocking distributors, with truck delivery across North America. The company complements its product line with custom services for color, logo engraving, and bespoke container design, and offers sustainability-focused containers made from recycled materials.

Product overview

McConkey Company is a manufacturer and distributor of horticultural goods, now part of Elfe Plastik Inc. since September 2024. The product portfolio centers on injection-molded and durable plastic containers for greenhouse and nursery operations, comprising hanging baskets (10" Swirl, 12" Euro, McCedar, 12" Pacific), round pots (4.25" to 10" sizes including Scotch and Azalea varieties), square pots (2.75" to 5.5" including Tag Locator systems), color bowls (8" Vaso Pot through 16"), carry trays (1020 standard and injected formats), nursery containers (#1 Tall and #2 Gallon/Tag Lock), and flats/inserts (1020 and 17" square formats). These products are complemented by plastic hangers and saucers, with customization services including color options, logo engraving, and custom design. The company emphasizes sustainability through recycled materials usage and environmental management practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• McCedar: Hanging basket collection featuring the look of premium cedar with superior durability of plastic
• rEarth

Products and services

• 10" Swirl Hanging Basket Attractive 10-inch swirl-pattern hanging basket made from high-quality polypropylene, available with or without an internal saucer, designed for wholesale growers. 1.58 gal/6.0 L volume; available in Cappuccino and Green.
• 12" Euro Hanging Basket Classic 12-inch hanging basket with traditional swirl pattern, in hunter green or latte colors, suitable for mixed floral arrangements and indoor plants. 2.32 gal/8.8 L volume.
• McCedar Hanging Basket Hanging basket offering the look of premium cedar with the superior durability of plastic, in Cedar and Redwood finishes. 2.66 gal/10.07 L volume; ideal for edibles and blooming plants.
• 12" Pacific Hanging Basket Sturdy 12-inch hanging basket with 2.2 gal/8.35 L volume; available in New Green and Cappuccino.
• 4.25" Round Thin Wall Pot Light yet durable injection molded 4.25-inch round pot with 1.37 pt/650 ml volume; made from polypropylene, available in Black and Green. Ideal for annuals, perennials, tropicals, and azaleas.
• 5" Round Scotch Pot Sturdy 5-inch pot for annual and perennial production with a unique subtly textured side-wall finish. 1.25 qt/1.18 L; available in Black.
• 6" Round Azalea Pot 6.1-inch azalea pot ideal for potted flower plants and foliage. 1.59 qt/1.5 L volume; Utility Green.
• 6" Thin Wall Azalea Pot Light yet durable 6.2-inch thin-wall azalea pot for potted flower plants and foliage. 1.58 qt/1.5 L; available in Black, Green, and Terra Cotta.
• 6.5" Thin Wall Azalea Pot Light yet durable 6.6-inch thin-wall azalea pot with 2.02 qt/1.92 L volume; ideal for potted flower plants and foliage.
• 8" Azalea Pot High-quality 8.15-inch azalea pot with 3.81 qt/3.61 L volume; suitable for potted flower plants and foliage. Green color.
• 8.5" Azalea Pot 8.5-inch azalea pot with 1.14 gal/4.35 L volume, suitable for potted flower plants and foliage. Available in Green and Black.
• 10" Round Pot Sturdy 10.2-inch polypropylene round pot with 2.21 gal/8.38 L volume and tag slot. Available in Green or Black.
• 2.75" Square Pot Compact 2.75-inch square pot for small plant propagation and growth.
• 3.3" Square Perennial Tag Locator Sturdy 3.3-inch square perennial pot featuring the tag locator system on all four sides for easy plant-tag placement; injection molded for durability. 1.0 pt/473 ml. Available in Black and Green.
• 3.5" Square Perennial Pot SR350-1 Versatile 3.5-inch square perennial pot designed for durability and ease of use in greenhouse operations.
• 4.5" Square Tag Locator Sturdy 4.5-inch square perennial pot with the No-Release tag locator system on all four sides. 1.06 qt/1.0 L volume. Injection molded for durability.
• 5.5" Square One Durable and versatile 5.5-inch square grower container, customer favorite. 2.11 qt/2.0 L volume.
• 5.5" Square One Tag Locator 5.5-inch square container with proprietary No-Release tag locator system on all four sides to prevent tag loss or theft. 2.11 qt/2.0 L volume.
• 8" Vaso Pot Attractive and durable classic 8.1-inch container for small container gardens. 3.28 qt/3.1 L volume.
• 10" Color Bowl Classic 10.6-inch color bowl design, perennial bestseller, simple and attractive. 1.08 gal/4.1 L; available in Black and Terra Cotta.
• 12" Color Bowl Classic 12.8-inch color bowl, perennial bestseller, ideal for indoor and outdoor container gardens. 1.85 gal/7.0 L.
• 14" Color Bowl Classic 14.7-inch color bowl, perennial bestseller, with 2.51 gal/9.5 L volume. Available in Black, Lt Terra Cotta, and Terra Cotta.
• 16" Color Bowl Classic 16.3-inch color bowl with 2.77 gal/10.5 L volume. Available in Black and Terra Cotta. Perennial bestseller.
• Injected 6 Count Carry Tray Heavy-duty injection molded six-count carry tray with flexible tabs for 6–6.5 inch containers. Durable, reusable, and provides good drainage.
• 1020 Carry Tray For 18 - 3.3" Pots Standard 1020 carry tray designed to hold 18 pots of 3.3 inches. Dimensions 10" x 19.8".
• 1020 Carrier for 8 - 5.5" Pots Sturdy high-quality carrier for Square One container, holding 8 pots with dimensions of 11" x 21.78" and 2.875" height.
• #1 Tall Injection Molded Container Ideal nursery container offering durability for shipping with side drain hole configuration and heavy-duty rim for easy stacking. 2.9 qt/2.8 L volume.
• #2 Round 2 Gallon Container Precision-engineered injection-molded container with extra-strong reinforced rims for easy transport and production handling. 1.72 gal/6.5 L volume.
• #2 Tag Lock Container Nursery container featuring three taglocks for specialty retail programs.
• 1020 True Lt Wt Mesh Flat Lightweight 10" x 20" true mesh flat compatible with 1020 true-series packs and inserts. 2.6" height.
• 1020 Standard Mesh Flat JMCM1020-1M Bestselling 10.75" x 21.25" standard mesh flat compatible with all 1020 Standard packs and inserts. 2.25" height.
• 1020 Propagation Flat Propagation flat compatible with all 1020 Standard (10.75" x 21.25") packs and inserts. 2.125" height.
• 17" Mesh Flat-Lt. Weight Lightweight 17-inch square mesh flat compatible with 17-inch packs, inserts, and various pots.
• 17" Mesh Flat Versatile 17-inch square flat compatible with all 17-inch packs, inserts, and a variety of pots. 2" height; 9.4 L/574 cu in volume.
• 16.75" Tall Mesh Flat Tall 16.75-inch square mesh flat with 2.5" height and 10.5 L/642 cu in volume. Case pack of 60.
• 17" Propagation Flat 17-inch propagation flat designed for seedling and cutting propagation.
• Plastic Hangers & Saucers Plastic hangers including 19" 3-strand hangers in Green and Cappuccino and 21" 4-strand hangers, plus compatible saucers for hanging baskets.
• Color Customization Services Custom color capabilities that allow growers to offer plants in vibrant, colorful containers to attract customers and increase retail sales.
• Logo Engraving Services Custom logo engraving for Square Tag Locator pots in 3.3", 4.5", and 5.5" sizes, allowing growers and brands to display logos directly on containers.
• Custom Design Services Custom design capabilities for horticultural containers tailored to specific grower requirements.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Elfe Plastik Inc.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerIn September 2024, the McConkey line of injection-molded horticultural products was sold to Elfe Plastik Inc. This transition marks a new chapter allowing McConkey to enhance offerings while maintaining high standards. McConkey operates under the Elfe Plastik - McConkey Grower Products brand.
• OBC Northwest Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOBC Northwest Inc. is a stocking distributor for McConkey products, handling inventory distribution especially for hanging basket products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Desch Plantpak: Desch Plantpak manufactures thermoformed and injection-molded pots, trays, and packs for the professional horticulture market, competing with McConkey in standardized grower containers and propagation flats.
• Landmark Plastics: Landmark Plastics produces nursery containers, hanging baskets, and grower pots using injection molding and thermoforming, serving the same wholesale nursery and greenhouse channels as McConkey.
• Summit Plastic Company: Summit Plastic Company produces injection-molded horticultural containers, including nursery pots and grower trays, with overlapping product lines and customer base in the North American wholesale horticulture market.
• East Jordan Plastics: East Jordan Plastics manufactures injection-molded nursery containers, pots, and trays for the horticulture industry, with a product portfolio and customer segments that closely overlap McConkey's wholesale grower business.
• The HC Companies: The HC Companies is a leading North American manufacturer of horticultural containers, planters, and nursery pots, with overlapping injection-molded product lines serving the same greenhouse and nursery customer base as McConkey.
• Pöppelmann (TEKU): Pöppelmann's TEKU brand is a major European manufacturer of plastic pots, trays, and growing containers for horticulture, directly comparable to McConkey on product formats and target growers.
• Kord Products: Kord Products is a horticultural container manufacturer offering injection-molded pots, hanging baskets, and custom growing solutions, serving greenhouse and nursery customers similar to McConkey's.

Broad incumbents

• Bemis Manufacturing Company: Bemis Manufacturing is a diversified plastics manufacturer with a horticultural products division that produces nursery containers and grower supplies, overlapping with McConkey but operating across multiple non-horticultural plastic categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 McConkey Company