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The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE: SMG), home to North America's leading consumer lawn and garden brands, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of the Black Kow brand from Organics Management.
Following a successful licensing partnership established in January 2026, the Company exercised its purchase option to bring Black Kow fully into its core Gardens portfolio. Known for its iconic yellow bag and trusted for generations, Black Kow is the leading brand of naturally composted cow manure and organic soil amendments. By integrating Black Kow into ScottsMiracle-Gro's expansive manufacturing and distribution network, the acquisition transforms a regional favorite into an accessible brand for gardeners from coast to coast.
Strategic Integration Pillars: Driving National Distribution and Product Growth
The addition of Black Kow extends ScottsMiracle-Gro's commitment to organic, regenerative gardening solutions through three core initiatives:
- Nationwide Retail Availability: Expanding Black Kow's footprint beyond its traditional eastern U.S. base into retail outlets nationwide.
- New Ready-to-Use Organic Mixes in fiscal 2027: Thanks to rapid innovation by ScottsMiracle-Gro scientists, launching new, premixed organic potting, raised-bed and in-ground soils powered by Black Kow compost, delivering upon the growing consumer demand for natural gardening solutions.
- Single-Ingredient Soil Builders: Expanding the portfolio of single-ingredient amendments tailored to DIY growers who prefer to customize their own soil mixes.
Financial Impact and Strategic Fit
"The Black Kow acquisition is an important milestone in our multi-year SMG 2.0 growth plan," said Nate Baxter, president and CEO. "It is a testament to our tuck-in M&A strategy, taking a trusted brand with strong consumer loyalty and integrating it seamlessly into our core business. This transaction is expected to improve our leverage ratio and contribute to sales and profitability growth in year one. Black Kow will create sustainable value for our shareholders while meeting growing consumer demand for organic gardening solutions."
Portfolio Synergies with Miracle-Gro
Sadie Oldham, vice president and general manager of the Gardens business, added, "I am incredibly excited to lead the integration of Black Kow into our Gardens portfolio. The synergies between our Miracle-Gro and Black Kow brands are undeniable. Black Kow's heritage as a trusted, natural soil amendment complements the performance-driven nutrition of Miracle-Gro, giving us a highly differentiated product mix. We are uniquely positioned to deliver a complete, premium gardening solution to every type of grower."
About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With approximately $3.3 billion in sales, the Company is home to North America's leading consumer lawn and garden brands. The Company's brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, Ortho® and Tomcat® brands are market-leading in their categories. For additional information, visit us at www.scottsmiraclegro.com.
For investor inquiries:
Brad Chelton
Vice President
Treasury, Tax and Investor Relations
brad.chelton@scotts.com
(937) 309-2503
For media inquiries:
Tom Matthews
Chief Communications Officer
tom.matthews@scotts.com
(937) 844-3864
