Griffin Weighing Opportunities to Help Growers Navigate Distribution Challenges

The recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by BFG Supply has not only led some growing operations to seek out new distribution partners. It also forced many industry veterans out of work.

“The distribution market was changed overnight when one of the largest distributors decided to shut the doors,” Andrew Barry, Managing Director of Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, told our team at Greenhouse Grower. “What does remain are the good people, and they will all find homes and bring their years of experience and trust brought to the customers with a new logo on their t-shirt.”

Barry says Griffin is actively evaluating strategic growth opportunities amid significant changes across the horticultural distribution landscape. These opportunities would bolster Griffin’s ability to serve both wholesale growers and the retail market, offering an expanding range of grower supplies, lawn and garden products, equipment, greenhouse structures, young plants and seeds.

Griffin is also actively evaluating opportunities involving additional warehouse facilities across the country, inventory assets, and highly qualified employees. In the midst of this transition, Griffin has already welcomed several experienced industry professionals to its team and looks forward to building on that momentum as additional opportunities emerge.

“We recognize that periods of change can create uncertainty across an industry, but they can also create opportunities to build something stronger for the future,” Barry says. “We are taking a thoughtful look at the resources and talent that may become available and asking how they can help us better serve our customers, strengthen our operations, and create additional value for our vendor partners.”

When it comes to grower customers, Barry says points to Griffin’s experience in helping growers plan for each season.

“We know their history and we know what they need and when they need it. When our vendors release programs, we are here to help organize it all and present to them what we know they need to be successful,” Barry says. :It is also our job to learn and understand the new things being introduced every year and to bring those things to our customers.”

When asked about how growers can work with distributors as they plan for 2027 and beyond at a time of inflation, higher costs, etc., Barry says communication is key.

“It may be an over-used word, but if we do not communicate, things will not get done. Griffin’s job is to work with our vendors and determine what offerings they can provide that can make our customers better and more efficient,” Barry says. “As inflation remains a factor and costs remain high, it has never been more important to look at our own businesses and ask ourselves, ‘is there a better way to do it?’ This is where Griffin thrives, finding solutions to time or money intensive processes. I’d recommend tapping into these talented vendors to see how they can help turn more of that gross profit into a net profit.”

Barry notes that any opportunity the company pursues will be evaluated holistically, considering its impact on Griffin’s employees and culture, customers, vendor relationships, operations, and the broader horticulture industry.

“Growth for us is not simply about becoming bigger, it is about becoming better,” Barry says. “The right facilities can improve distribution, the right inventory can enhance product availability, and experienced employees can bring valuable knowledge and relationships to our organization. We want to be deliberate about how those pieces come together.”

Through three generations of family ownership, Griffin has remained focused on combining industry experience and strong relationships with a forward-looking approach to customer service, distribution, and innovation.

“Our responsibility is to think beyond the immediate opportunity,” Barry says. “We want to grow in a stable and responsible way while continuing to build on the foundation Griffin has established over nearly 80 years.”