Are You Asking Yourself,
"Who is VPG?"
That's OK, We're Used To It
VPG is ferti•lome®, Hi-Yield® and Natural Guard® by ferti•lome®. But we’re also so much more. Russell Feed in Texas is VPG. Walton’s Greenhouse in Mississippi is VPG. So is Holcomb Garden Center in Tennessee. Star Nursery in Nevada. Spencer’sLawn & Garden in Colorado. Our retailers don’t just sell VPG brands, they own VPG brands. Because hometown, independent merchants are our owners, we produce products for their hometown needs.
Our Products
ferti•lome® … a complete line premium fertilizers and pesticides. The ferti•lome® line of products is highly merchandised with attractive, easy to understand labeling, point of purchase sales aids and a Co-op advertising fund to promote products and the brand in local neighborhoods. ferti•lome® products compensate dealers for the personal selling necessary to properly solve consumers’ lawn and garden problems
Natural Guard® by ferti•lome® …was developed in 1988 to be the centerpiece for dealers who wanted to become the Natural Gardening Headquarters in their neighborhood. Natural Guard® by ferti•lome® consists of full line of more than 60 product offerings and 24 OMRI listed for organic use so that all homeowners can feel good about their lawn and garden choices. Like ferti•lome®, Natural Guard® by ferti•lome® earns Co-op advertising and discounts that enable dealers to make optimal margins.
Hi-Yield®…the most competitively priced, complete line of fertilizers and pesticides in the nation. Hi-Yield® was developed in 1976 to enable dealers to compete with the big box stores and still make acceptable profits.
Hi-Yield® also has attractive, easy to understand labeling. Starting in 2013, Hi-Yield® also qualifies for co-op advertising.
Ownership
Sowing The Seeds
Since 1968, VPG, better known as “the ferti•lome® people,” has existed to strengthen, empower and support locally owned merchants. In accordance with VPG’s bylaws, ferti•lome®, Hi-Yield® and Natural Guard® by ferti•lome® products will never be found on the shelves of a publicly-traded big box store. We offer these brands exclusively to independent merchants in order to give you a superior product that your customers can’t buy anywhere else. Additionally, big boxes will never drive down your product margins.
VPG is also 100% patron-owned. VPG stock is wholly owned by our independently-owned merchants who have qualified for ownership by carrying our products and receive a Patronage Refund at the end of each fiscal year.
Reaping The Harvest
Each year, VPG returns 100% of yearly earnings from operations to qualified patrons in the form of a Patronage Refund. A new dealer that purchases $5,000 of product annually qualifies to receive a Patronage Refund. At this level, the Patronage Refund is paid as 20% cash and 80% stock at the end of our fiscal year. Once a patron earns their minimum stock requirement of 5,600 shares, the patron is fully-vested and 100% of the Patronage Refund is paid in cash.
VPG’s stock has a stated value of $1.05 per share, is transferable and has a stated redemption program. Patron-owners also exercise authority by owning all stock and electing the Board of Directors annually.
Unique By Nature
Being a VPG patron-owner gives you a very unique advantage. As a patron-owner, you have more than just an exclusive, high-quality product; ownership offers protection from competitors, increased profit, and control over the company direction.
This organization that was seeded with a $400 investment and cultivated with patron-owners’ hard work and dedication has thrived over many generations. Patron-owners have since yielded over $290,000,000* back in Patronage Refunds.
*As of FY 2017
Want To Become An Owner?