BFG Supply Co. files Chapter 11, cancels events

BFG Supply Co. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Aug. 18, according to court documents from the U.S. bankruptcy court for the district of Delaware.

Seventeen entities under the BFG brand were named in the filing, including DeCloet Greenhouse Manufacturing Ltd., Green-Tek LLC, L&L Nursery Supply, Inc. and Gard’N-Wise Distributors, Inc.

The company owes more than $27 million in its 30 largest unsecured claims to creditors, according to court documents. However, the company has more than 100,000 estimated creditors and total liabilities between $100 million and $500 million, according to the filing.

The horticultural supplier, which is owned by private equity firm Pamplona Capital Management, is working with Reflect Advisors, a financial firm that specializes in restructuring distressed businesses. Adam Zalev, co-founder of Reflect Advisors, filed the Chapter 11 case on behalf of BFG.

The company is expected to conduct a sales process in court, with proceeds used to pay creditors, including lender Ares Management, according to sources in a report from Octus.com, a platform that delivers credit and finance news. 

The GIE Media Horticulture Group reached out to BFG Supply for comment and will share any updates as they become available. 

Exhibitors at BFG’s 2026 Marketplace Expo East and West have received email notification that those events have been canceled. The email states:

“As BFG continues working towards resolutions to our current challenges in conjunction with our restructuring partners at Reflect Advisors, we have reached the difficult decision to cancel our 2026 Marketplace Expo East and West. If you were planning on attending either event, we recommend cancelling your travel plans as soon as possible. We are notifying you now specifically so that you have the best chance of recovering costs while cancellation windows are still open. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”

There are currently no details on if or when any refunds will be issued for payments made to BFG for these events. The company has no current events listed on its website.

Exhibitors and attendees who paid for event tickets would be behind secured creditors, such as the company’s lenders, in line for any payments from an asset sale or liquidation as part of the Chapter 11 filing. 

Several BFG Supply Co. employees revealed to customers and partners in the last week of July 2026 that the company was closing.

BFG served as one of the largest independent wholesale horticulture suppliers, with 15 locations and more than 1.5 million square feet of warehouse space.

On LinkedIn, several BFG employees changed their status to “open to work,” noting they were no longer with the company and searching for new opportunities.

Founded in 1972 by John Gander, BFG served four broad customer segments: professional greenhouse and nursery growers; independent lawn and garden retailers; landscape professionals; and controlled environment ag and hydroponic growers. BFG sourced products from more than 1,000 suppliers.

Beginning in the early 2000s, BFG’s growth strategy focused on regional acquisitions and new service centers. The 2000s also brought on a series of private equity ownership changes.

Ownership and expansion history

Cardinal Ventures LLC purchased BFG Supply Co. in 2000 and held it until 2010. The Indianapolis-based private equity firm backed the first wave of acquisitions: J.G. Smith & Co. in 2002 (extending into Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri); Brighton By-Products in 2003 (broadening reach into Western Pennsylvania); MDM Horticultural Supplies in 2006 (extending territory to the Dakotas); and Kalamazoo Co-Op in 2007 (becoming the third warehouse hub).

In 2010, Vancouver, B.C.-based Tricor Pacific Capital acquired BFG. In 2011, BFG acquired Westel Inc. (expanding coverage to 23 states and adding lawn/garden and turf lines) and JR Johnson (expanding coverage into Minneapolis).

In 2013, BFG added a 200,000-square-foot lawn and garden warehouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, formerly Commerce Corp.

By January 2020, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Incline Equity Partners took over until November 2021. During that time, Incline completed the acquisitions of Gard’N-Wise Distributors (expanding into the Midwest, Southwest and Mountain West) and L&L Nursery Supply (expanding across the Western U.S.).

On Nov. 9, 2021, Incline sold BFG to Pamplona Capital Management. The following year, operating as a Pamplona platform company, BFG acquired Greenhouse Contractors Inc. (dba Greenhouse Megastore), which added greenhouse design and manufacturing, as well as e-commerce.

The company acquired VG Supply, a lawn, garden and outdoor living distributor in the upper Midwest, in June 2024, and BFG announced a brand refresh with a new logo and tagline, “Come Grow with Us.”

BFG completed a $300 million recapitalization Nov. 10, 2025. Piper Sandler served as the adviser. While no details were disclosed, it was classified as a “restructuring.”

Sources: Staff reports, BFG website, BFG press releases, PR Newswire and BusinessWire releases