Proven Winners Brand Businesses Combine to Become a Single Company
Proven Winners brand logo. | Proven Winners
Historically operating as two distinct businesses that control and operate the Proven Winners brand in North America, Pleasant View Gardens (Loudon, NH) and Four Star Greenhouse (Carleton, MI) have decided to join forces and form one company, Proven Winners, under one ownership structure in a partnership transaction with Staple Street Capital, a private equity firm that helps attractive companies capitalize on transformative opportunities.
By combining forces, Proven Winners will be able to deliver greater simplicity, scale, and service for growers, retailers, and consumers. Pooling resources enables the development of additional national programs, enhanced ordering and distribution tools, and stronger marketing to drive consumer demand. A key focus of the new organization will be expanding Proven Winners’ reach into underserved markets, making it easier than ever for gardeners everywhere to access products from the brand they trust.
Under this partnership, the Huntington and Smith families — founders and owners of Pleasant View Gardens and Four Star Greenhouse — will remain active owners and leaders in the Proven Winners company. Staple Street Capital joins as a new partner, providing additional resources, expertise, and strategic support to strengthen Proven Winners’ position in the marketplace while preserving the new company’s culture, values, and legacy.
Since its founding in 1992, Proven Winners has grown from a collaboration of passionate horticultural families into a recognized consumer gardening brand across North America. Built on a commitment to innovation, quality, and excellence, Proven Winners has introduced gardeners to entirely new categories of plants, pioneered branded gardening products, and has become a staple in garden centers, major retailers, and online platforms. This strategic partnership brings together decades of horticultural leadership under one ownership group, positioning Proven Winners for accelerated growth and expansion — especially in underserved markets across North America.
Henry Huntington, co-owner of Pleasant View Gardens, says, “This partnership represents a historic moment for Proven Winners. By uniting our companies and welcoming Staple Street Capital as a partner, we can unlock significant opportunities — from expanded programs and stronger marketing to a unified marketplace strategy — all focused on helping our customers grow.”
Tom Smith, co-owner of Four Star Greenhouse, says, “This is about growth — for our customers, our employees, our partners, and the gardeners who love our plants. The combination of our businesses will enable us to extend Proven Winners’ products into new markets, new channels, and to take advantage of new opportunities that our businesses could not have achieved on their own.”
The partners at Staple Street Capital say, “We feel privileged to have the opportunity to partner with the Huntington and Smith families – pioneers who invented an iconic brand in a product category where brands did not exist previously. Having operated as separate companies in the past, Proven Winners was not positioned to capitalize on all of its available opportunities. Now, by combining forces, Proven Winners can better leverage its resources, pursue an aligned strategy, and leverage best practices, all of which will enable future growth, so that more consumers can experience the quality and innovation for which Proven Winners is known.”
Commitment to the Mission, People, and Partnerships
While the combination represents a significant milestone, Proven Winners’ mission remains the same: to make gardening easy, successful, and inspiring.
Day-to-day operations and customer relationships will remain unchanged in the near term. The Proven Winners’ company’s brand license partners will continue their successful collaborations, supported by an even stronger Proven Winners marketing engine. Those license partners include:
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- Classic Caladiums (Proven Winners Heart to Heart Caladiums)
- Garden State Bulb
- Ed Sobkowich Greenhouses
- Nordic Nurseries
- Spring Meadow Nursery (Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs)
- The Plant Company (leafjoy Houseplants)
- Walters Gardens (Proven Winners Perennials)
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