Alternative Group

What Alternative Group does

Alternative Group is a family-owned outdoor services company headquartered at 34th and Patricia Avenue in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, founded in 1998. The company operates four integrated divisions—Alternative Landscaping, Alternative Yard Care, Alternative Choice Garden Centre, and Alternative Excavation—providing landscape design and installation, yard maintenance and seasonal services, retail garden centre sales, and excavation and civil site services to residential and commercial clients throughout the Westman region of western Manitoba.

The firm's business model is project-based professional services supplemented by year-round garden centre retail. Each project is custom-quoted following a structured sales process that begins with a design questionnaire, proceeds to on-site consultation, and culminates in computerized concept drawings and a comprehensive plan. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; services are billed per-project or via multi-year contracts, with excavation available on hourly operator/equipment rental terms. The go-to-market motion is sales-led, supported by estimators, designers, and an Inside Sales & Admin Manager, with separate department contact channels for landscaping, gardening, garden centre, and excavation inquiries. Distribution combines a year-round walk-in retail garden centre at the Brandon headquarters with a Block and Bulk Yard for materials supply.

Alternative Group has grown from a two-person operation to over 100 employees and holds COR (Certificate of Recognition) safety certification since 2011 along with BBB accreditation. The company maintains active membership in CNLA, MBNLA, MHCA, CARM, and the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, and has won numerous national, provincial, and regional awards including CNLA National Award for Residential Landscape Maintenance (2019), CNLA Garden Centre of Distinction (2023), and consecutive MBNLA Awards of Excellence across residential construction, design, maintenance, and garden centre categories through 2025. Leadership is concentrated in the Griffin family, with Karin Griffin as President and Operations Manager, Spencer Griffin as General Manager, and Emma Griffin as Office Manager, supported by a Controller, Senior Estimator, Installation Manager, and other operational managers.

Name

Alternative Group

Legal name

Alternative Landscaping LTD

Website

https://www.alternativegroup.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alternative Group is a family-owned outdoor services company in Brandon, Manitoba operating four integrated divisions—landscaping, yard care, garden centre retail, and excavation—serving residential and commercial clients throughout the Westman region since 1998.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Landscaping Services

NAICS

Landscaping Services (561730), Landscape Architectural Services (54132)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Landscaping & Lawn Care (BPABADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial Landscaping & Grounds Maintenance (IMAIAIAA), Landscape Construction Project Management & General Contracting (HSAIABAK)

Keywords

• Landscape design services
• Yard maintenance services
• Garden centre retail
• Excavation services
• Commercial snow clearing

Headquarters

HQ city

Brandon

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Landscaping Services: Design, installation, and construction of residential and commercial landscapes including hardscaping, softscaping, outdoor kitchens, water features, and lighting. Project-based pricing through consultations.
2. Garden Centre Retail: Retail sales of plants, trees, shrubs, unique garden gifts, and landscaping essentials. Year-round garden centre operation.
3. Gardening & Maintenance Services: Ongoing yard maintenance, garden bed transformations, mulching, seasonal planting, and commercial maintenance contracts.
4. Excavation Services: Full-service excavation including site preparation, demolition, sewer and water installation, grading, compacting, and commercial snow clearing. Offered as hourly operator/equipment rentals or per-project pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Alternative Group provides end-to-end outdoor solutions through four integrated departments: Alternative Landscaping (residential and commercial landscape design, hardscaping, softscaping, outdoor kitchens, water features, and lighting), Alternative Yard Care (garden bed transformations, mulching, seasonal planting, fertilization, and commercial maintenance contracts), Alternative Choice Garden Centre (year-round retail of plants, trees, shrubs, and garden gifts), and Alternative Excavation (site preparation, demolition, sewer and water installation, grading, compacting, and commercial snow clearing).

Product overview

Alternative Group operates as a unified multi-service landscaping company with four distinct but complementary departments: Alternative Landscaping (design, build, and installation services for residential and commercial projects), Alternative Yard Care (gardening, maintenance, and yard enhancement services), Alternative Choice Garden Centre (retail garden centre offering plants, trees, shrubs, and landscaping materials), and Alternative Excavation (civil site services, sewer and water installation, and snow maintenance). The company provides end-to-end outdoor space solutions from design through construction and ongoing maintenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alternative Landscaping

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA)coreOthers · 1 January 2011National federation representing over 4,200 members. Alternative Group holds national CNLA awards for residential landscape maintenance and garden centre excellence.
• Manitoba Nursery Landscape Association (MBNLA)coreOthersProvincial landscape and horticulture association. Alternative Group is an active member with multiple provincial awards of excellence.
• Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA)coreOthersIndustry association for heavy construction. Alternative Group excavation division holds MHCA membership for civil site services.
• CARM (Construction Association of Rural Manitoba)minorOthersConstruction industry association supporting rural Manitoba contractors. Alternative Group maintains membership as part of industry leadership.
• Brandon Chamber of CommerceminorOthersLocal business chamber supporting Brandon area businesses. Alternative Group participates in community business initiatives.
• Better Business Bureau (BBB)minorOthersBBB accreditation demonstrates commitment to ethical business practices and consumer trust.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• The Grounds Guys: Franchised full-service landscape management company offering lawn care, landscape design, irrigation, and snow removal across North America. Directly comparable as a multi-service residential and commercial outdoor services provider with an integrated service offering similar to Alternative Group's four-division model.
• Weed Man: Canadian-founded franchised lawn care provider offering fertilization, weed control, and turf management services. Comparable as a Canadian lawn care specialist with similar geographic focus and customer base, though narrower in scope than Alternative Group's full-service offering.
• Nutri-Lawn: Canadian franchised lawn care company providing fertilization, weed control, aeration, and integrated pest management. Comparable as a Canadian residential/commercial lawn care operator with similar services to Alternative Group's Yard Care division.
• Yellowstone Landscape: US-based commercial landscaping company offering landscape design, installation, maintenance, and irrigation services. Comparable as a multi-division landscape services provider with both project-based construction and recurring maintenance revenue, similar to Alternative Group's structure.
• Ruppert Landscape: Large US commercial landscape services firm providing design-build, maintenance, and enhancements across multiple regional branches. Comparable as a multi-division landscape services platform with similar integrated structure and emphasis on both residential and commercial clients.

Broad incumbents

• Davey Tree Expert Company: Large North American provider of tree, shrub, and lawn care services including design, installation, and maintenance. Comparable as a multi-service outdoor care incumbent operating across residential and commercial segments, with broader geographic reach and deeper resources than Alternative Group.
• Bartlett Tree Experts: North American tree care and landscape services company offering arboriculture, pruning, and landscape management. Comparable as an established outdoor services provider with residential and commercial clients, though more specialized in tree care than Alternative Group's broader offering.

Regional players

• Green Drop: Canadian franchised lawn care company operating primarily in Western Canada providing fertilization, weed control, and lawn maintenance. Comparable as a Canadian peer with similar climate-driven seasonality and lawn care focus to Alternative Group's Yard Care division.

Emerging players

• BlueGrass Landscaping & Property Maintenance: Multi-service landscaping company providing design, installation, and maintenance for residential and commercial clients. Comparable as a smaller multi-division landscape operator with similar service mix to Alternative Group's integrated offering.

Others

• SiteOne Landscape Supply: Wholesale distributor of landscape supplies, nursery goods, and irrigation products. Comparable as a B2B supplier serving landscaping contractors including plant and hardscape materials; not a direct competitor but an ecosystem participant whose product offerings overlap with Alternative Group's garden centre retail assortment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@alternativechoicegardencen329
• Facebookfacebook.com/alternativelandscapegardencenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/alternative_choice_garden
• TikToktiktok.com/@alternativechoicegc
• Pinterestpinterest.ca/alternativechoicegc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Alternative Group