Gro Group, Inc.
Gro Group, Inc. is a private Knoxville-based buying network founded in 1974 that connects 10 North American lawn and garden distributors with 155+ manufacturer partners, serving 32,000+ retail locations through 34 distribution centers and 550+ field salespeople.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersKnoxville, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Gro Group, Inc. does
Gro Group, Inc. is a private, Knoxville, Tennessee-based buying network founded in 1974 that connects North American lawn and garden distributors with manufacturer partners and independent retailers. The company is equally owned by its 10 distributor members and operates a two-step distribution model in which manufacturers ship in volume to 34 distributor-operated distribution centers, and 550+ field salespeople sell to more than 32,000 retail locations across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico. Combined annual sales across the distributor network exceed $2 billion. Gro Group does not itself take inventory or run warehouses; its role is to coordinate purchasing, merchandising, and information exchange among the member distributors.
The company's product surface consists of programs and platform services rather than physical goods. Core offerings include the GroSource and GroSource Plus buying programs, which aggregate independent retailer purchases of green goods to secure volume discounts, with GroSource Plus adding centralized invoice processing, no minimums, immediate off-invoice discounts, and payment terms of up to Net 75 days. For manufacturers, Gro Group runs the National Group Program (three-year initial term), an annual Merchandise Program, and the Seasonal Promotional Program, all structured around a Product Data Set (PDS) for electronic product and pricing information exchange and a 24/7 online file-sharing system. The company's go-to-market is primarily event-driven: an annual Kick-Off event in June hosts one-on-one meetings between manufacturer partners and distributor decision-makers, and multiple regional distributor trade shows (Florida Hardware Dealers Market, Griffin Expo, Foster's Spring Market, BWI Expo, CISCO Buyers Trade Show, BFG Expos) drive order writing throughout the year.
Revenue mechanics are not publicly disclosed. The company derives income from membership and partnership fees paid by manufacturers participating in National Group Programs, fees for Merchandise Program development and review, and transaction-based invoice processing through GroSource Plus. Leadership consists of President & CEO Nancy Taylor, VP of Merchandising Robert Siegel (also referenced as Bob Siegel), Chairman Jeff Engel, and VP of the Executive Committee Jim Bunch. Recent strategic activity reflects network-level consolidation rather than Gro Group Inc.'t standalone M&A: distributor member BFG Supply acquired GROSouth and L&L Nursery Supply in 2022 and VG Supply in June 2024; Florida Hardware merged with Monroe Hardware in July 2024; and Eddi's Wholesale Garden Supplies joined as a new member in May 2026.
Gro Group, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gro Group, Inc.
- Legal name
- Gro Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://www.grogroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Gro Group, Inc. is a private Knoxville-based buying network founded in 1974 that connects 10 North American lawn and garden distributors with 155+ manufacturer partners, serving 32,000+ retail locations through 34 distribution centers and 550+ field salespeople.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Gro Group, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Knoxville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gro Group, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Network Membership and Program Fees: Gro Group generates revenue through membership and partnership programs where manufacturers pay to join the network as Partners. Manufacturers establish National Group Programs (NGP) with three-year initial terms and pay for Merchandise Program development and participation.
- GroSource Plus Invoice Processing: Gro Group processes invoices between Growers and participating retailers, collecting payments from retailers and making payments to Growers. The company acts as intermediary for centralized billing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | GroSource Plus - Volume-based green goods purchasing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Gro Group, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gro Group operates an elite North American buying network that connects 10 leading lawn and garden distributors with 155+ manufacturer partners and 32,000+ independent retail locations. It runs the GroSource and GroSource Plus programs that aggregate independent retailer purchases to achieve volume discounts, manages National Group Programs and Merchandise Programs on behalf of manufacturer partners, and supports the network through the Product Data Set electronic catalog and an online file sharing system. Revenue is generated through manufacturer partnership/membership fees, merchandise program development, and centralized transaction processing for the GroSource Plus program.
Product overview
Gro Group, Inc. is an elite North American network of lawn and garden distributors that operates a platform-plus-programs model. The core offerings include the GroSource Program and GroSource Plus Program for Independent Retailers to combine purchasing power and access volume discounts, supported by the Product Data Set platform for electronic product and pricing information exchange. The company facilitates partnerships through the National Group Program and Merchandise Program for manufacturers, and hosts annual events including the Kick-Off Event and multiple Distributor Trade Shows. Gro Group connects 10 Distributor Members with over 155 Manufacturer Partners serving 32,000+ retail locations across North America.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GroSource: A comprehensive green goods buying program specifically negotiated by Gro Group for their Independent Retailers. Provides the means for multiple retailers to combine purchases to create a significant buying presence with maximum volume discount levels.
- GroSource Plus
Products and services
- National Group Program (NGP)
- Merchandise Program
- Seasonal Promotional Program (SPP)
- GroSource Program
- GroSource Plus Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 32,000+ retail locations served by the network
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Gro Group, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Gro Group, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Gro Group, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Eddi's Wholesale Garden Supplies, a Quality CompanycoreOwned and operated by Quality Horticulture with over 25 years of service to the horticultural industry. Serves retail garden centers, farms, hobby growers, municipalities, and commercial greenhouses from regional distribution centers in Burnaby, BC and Mississauga, ON.
- The CISCO CompaniescoreFamily-owned distributor founded in 1965, headquartered in Indianapolis, IN. Full-service distributor serving Midwestern independent retailers including seed, lawn and garden supplies, agriculture goods, and bird products.
- Florida Hardware CompanycoreFounded in 1875, headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Supplies hardlines to retailers throughout the Southeast with expanded international customer base in the Caribbean and South & Central America. Acquired Monroe Hardware in 2024.
- Arett Sales CorporationcoreLeading US lawn, garden, home, and outdoor living distributor covering the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest. Headquartered in Pennsauken, NJ with warehouses in Bristol, CT and Troy, OH totaling over 600,000 sq. ft. Privately held with $150M revenue. Currently celebrating 70 years in business.
- BFG Supply Co.coreTechnology-enabled distributor to the green industry headquartered in Burton, OH. Has acquired multiple companies including VG Supply, GROSouth, and L&L Nursery Supply. Combined company operates 21 warehouses across US and Canada totaling more than 1.4 million square feet.
- BWI Companies, Inc.coreFull-service distributor headquartered in Nash, TX serving the Southwest region with lawn, garden, and outdoor living products.
- Foster's, Inc.coreFull-service distributor headquartered in Waterloo, IA serving the Midwest region with lawn and garden products.
- Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, Inc.coreFounded in 1947 by Charles J. Griffin, headquartered in Tewksbury, MA. One of the largest horticultural brokers and suppliers in the US with 15 fully stocked service centers nationwide. Celebrating 75+ years of service.
- Halifax Seed Company, Inc.coreLong-standing Canadian distributor headquartered in Halifax, NS serving the Maritime provinces with lawn, garden, and agricultural products.
- VG Supply Company, Inc., a BFG CompanycoreLeading distributor of lawn and garden and outdoor living supplies to customers in the upper Midwest. Acquired by BFG Supply in June 2024 and now operates as a BFG Company headquartered in Park Ridge, IL.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Gro Group, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Gro Group, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gro Group, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Gro Group, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gro Group, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gro Group, Inc.
What does Gro Group, Inc. do?
Gro Group operates an elite North American buying network that connects 10 leading lawn and garden distributors with 155+ manufacturer partners and 32,000+ independent retail locations. It runs the GroSource and GroSource Plus programs that aggregate independent retailer purchases to achieve volume discounts, manages National Group Programs and Merchandise Programs on behalf of manufacturer partners, and supports the network through the Product Data Set electronic catalog and an online file sharing system. Revenue is generated through manufacturer partnership/membership fees, merchandise program development, and centralized transaction processing for the GroSource Plus program.
Is Gro Group, Inc. a public or private company?
Gro Group, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Gro Group, Inc. founded?
Gro Group, Inc. was founded in 1974.
Where is Gro Group, Inc. based?
Gro Group, Inc. is headquartered in Knoxville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gro Group, Inc. make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Network Membership and Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are groSource Plus Invoice Processing.
Does Gro Group, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gro Group, Inc..