What Milorganite does

Milorganite is a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer (NPK 6-2-0) manufactured by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), a public government utility. The product is produced through a bioprocess in which naturally occurring microorganisms digest organic material in wastewater from the Milwaukee metropolitan area; after digestion, cleaned water is returned to Lake Michigan and the resulting biomass is heat-dried (kiln temperatures exceeding 900°F) and marketed as fertilizer. The company was founded in 1926 and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2026.

Milorganite sells through a network of retail partners including home improvement stores, garden centers, and agricultural supply retailers across the United States, supported by a store locator on its website. A separate professional distribution channel serves golf courses, athletic fields, and landscapers with specialized product fact sheets and application guides. The customer base is anchored by long-tail residential homeowners, with a secondary professional turf management segment. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales with no disclosed pricing or subscription model. Marketing relies on content-driven blog and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X, YouTube), email newsletters via ActiveCampaign, customer testimonial programs, and seasonal giveaways. Strategic content partnerships with gardening experts (Joe Lamp'l, Melinda Myers, Allyn Hane) support organic reach.

Product extensions include formulations targeted at trees and shrubs, container gardens, and professional turf, plus a "Milo AI Assistant" chatbot powered by ElevenLabs that handles customer service queries. The company is not venture-backed, has no disclosed M&A activity, and operates exclusively within the United States. Milorganite competes primarily on its 100-year brand heritage, organic/recycled positioning, non-burning slow-release nitrogen profile, and non-leaching bound phosphorus that complies with state-level phosphorus regulations.

Name

Milorganite

Legal name

Milorganite

Website

https://milorganite.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Lawn and Garden Fertilizer

NAICS

Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing (325311), Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

Fertilizer & Micronutrient Formulations (NPK blends, chelates, suspensions) (AFABAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Controlled-Release & Stabilized Fertilizers (Inhibitors/Coatings) (IMAEAEAN)

Keywords

• Slow-release nitrogen fertilizer
• Lawn and garden fertilizer
• Organic-based fertilizer
• Turf management products
• Professional turf fertilizer

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Fertilizer Product Sales: Milorganite generates revenue through the sale of its slow-release nitrogen fertilizer products. The company sells directly to consumers through retail stores and indirectly through distributor relationships with home improvement stores, garden centers, and agricultural supply retailers across the United States.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Milorganite manufactures and sells a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer (NPK 6-2-0) made from heat-dried microbes that have digested organic material in municipal wastewater. The product is manufactured by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) through a bioprocess where naturally occurring microorganisms digest wastewater nutrients; cleaned water is returned to Lake Michigan and the remaining biomass is dried and marketed as fertilizer for lawns, gardens, trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables.

Product overview

Milorganite is a single-core-product company offering slow-release nitrogen fertilizer (NPK 6-2-0) made from heat-dried microbes that have digested organic material in wastewater. The main product serves homeowners, professionals (golf courses and athletic fields), and retailers across lawn care, gardening, trees and shrubs, and container gardens. The product portfolio includes specialized formulations for professional turf management and emphasis on safety for children and pets. An AI-powered chatbot called Milo AI Assistant provides customer support. The company has been producing fertilizer for 100 years and is manufactured by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Milorganite Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizer Core organic-based fertilizer (NPK 6-2-0) made from heat-dried microbes that have digested organic material in municipal wastewater. Manufactured by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. Provides slow-release nitrogen that feeds lawns, gardens, trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables for 8-10 weeks without burning plants. Sold to homeowners and professionals across the United States.
• Professional Golf and Athletic Fields Fertilizer Specialized fertilizer formulations, application rates, fact sheets, and professional resources for golf course superintendents, athletic field managers, and professional landscapers managing large-scale turf. Includes guidance on greens establishment, iron treatments, and soil pH management.
• Tree and Shrub Fertilizer Non-burning, slow-release fertilizer specifically formulated for trees and shrubs. Feeds for up to 10 weeks while promoting leaf, root, and shoot growth.
• Container Garden Fertilizer Salt-free, slow-release fertilizer designed for container gardens that will not burn tender plants. Includes specific application rates for containers ranging from 1/2-gallon to 5-gallon pots.

Quantifiable outcome

• Feeds plants for up to 8-10 weeks with slow-release nutrients
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilorganite is manufactured by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD), which captures wastewater from the metropolitan Milwaukee area and uses naturally occurring microbes to digest the nutrients. After the organic matter has been consumed, the cleaned water is returned to Lake Michigan and the resulting material is dried and marketed as Milorganite. This is a unique public-private relationship where wastewater treatment creates a commercial fertilizer product.
• Joe Lamp'lminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGardening expert and host of Growing a Greener World TV show on public television. Provides educational content and testimonials for Milorganite, including articles on planting trees and shrubs, pruning, and organic lawn care. Recognized as a trusted voice in gardening and sustainability.
• Melinda MyersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMidwest horticulturist and gardening expert with over 30 years of experience. Has written over 20 gardening books and founded Milwaukee's Master Gardener program. Provides expert articles and advice for Milorganite customers.
• Allyn Hane (The Lawn Care Nut)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLawn care expert known as 'The Lawn Care Nut' who creates DIY soil testing content and lawn care tips for Milorganite. Provides instructional content for homeowners on proper lawn maintenance techniques.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ICL Group: ICL is a global specialty fertilizers and controlled-release nutrient producer with significant turf and horticulture exposure; it competes in professional channels and increasingly in consumer slow-release formats.
• Nutrien Ltd. Nutrien is the world's largest crop inputs provider with a broad fertilizer portfolio including controlled-release and specialty products; it competes with Milorganite in professional turf and adjacent lawn-care markets.
• Scotts Miracle-Gro: Scotts Miracle-Gro is the dominant U.S. lawn care incumbent offering a full portfolio of synthetic and organic fertilizers, pesticides, and lawn products; it competes directly with Milorganite on retail shelf space and end-consumer purchasing decisions.

Emerging players

• Safer Brand (Woodstream): Safer Brand offers organic lawn and garden inputs including fertilizers and pest control products, competing in the same retail channels with a similarly sustainability-oriented consumer positioning.

Direct peers

• Suståne Natural Fertilizer: Suståne manufactures compost-based slow-release natural fertilizers for turf, agriculture, and horticulture; it is a direct competitor to Milorganite in organic and professional turf channels.
• Dr. Earth: Dr. Earth produces organic lawn and garden fertilizers with an emphasis on natural and sustainable inputs, serving overlapping retail customers and gardening enthusiast segments.
• Espoma Company: Espoma is a leading organic fertilizer brand serving the same homeowner lawn and garden market as Milorganite, with comparable slow-release and organic-based positioning across multiple SKUs.
• Lebanon Seaboard Corporation: Lebanon Seaboard manufactures professional and consumer turf fertilizers including controlled-release and organic blends sold through the same retail and golf-channel networks as Milorganite.
• Nature Safe Fertilizers (Griffin): Nature Safe produces organic-based fertilizers from plant and animal byproducts, competing with Milorganite in the organic/natural lawn and professional turf categories with comparable slow-release and sustainability claims.

Regional players

• Corbin's Water & Wastewater Utilities (peer-style biosolids program): The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is Milorganite's parent, but analogous biosolids-to-fertilizer programs exist at other U.S. utilities (e.g., DC Water's Bloom, Lystek); these represent regional competitive alternatives in municipal biosolids marketing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/milorganite
• YouTubeyoutube.com/milorganitefertilizer
• Facebookfacebook.com/Milorganite
• Instagraminstagram.com/milorganite_fertilizer
• Pinterestpinterest.com/milorganite
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/milorganite

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Milorganite