The 53-year-old distributor that stocks thousands of independent garden centers has canceled its 2026 trade shows and stopped taking new orders while it prepares a bankruptcy filing.
By THRYV Life Desk·Published August 19, 2026·Updated August 19, 2026·4 min read
Garden · Illustration commissioned for THRYV. Photography is replaced with original imagery as each story is produced.
The takeaway
BFG Supply, a 53-year-old wholesale distributor that supplies thousands of independent garden centers nationwide, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy within weeks. The company has canceled all 2026 trade shows, stopped accepting new orders, and laid off staff, as pricing pressure from big-box retailers squeezes the commercial growers BFG supplies — and, in turn, BFG itself.
BFG Supply, a wholesale distributor that has supplied independent garden centers and commercial growers for 53 years, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the coming weeks, according to industry trade coverage. The company operates 15 warehouses and serves customers across all 50 states and Canada.
What's happening
BFG Supply has canceled all of its 2026 trade shows, stopped accepting new customer orders, and laid off employees as it moves toward a formal bankruptcy filing. Two paths are reportedly on the table: a court-supervised sales process, with proceeds used to pay creditors including lender Ares Management, or an out-of-court liquidation.
Why it's under pressure
Dominick Miserandino, CEO of industry publication RTM Nexus, told reporters the trouble traces back through the supply chain. Cost-conscious consumers are increasingly buying plants, mulch, and garden supplies directly from big-box chains like Home Depot and Walmart rather than independent garden centers. That shift squeezes the commercial growers who supply those independent stores, and the growers in turn squeeze wholesale distributors like BFG on price.
Consumers are being cost-conscious and driving straight to big-box stores like Home Depot and Walmart.
Dominick Miserandino, CEO, RTM Nexus
What happens next
A Chapter 11 filing would put BFG's fate in the hands of a bankruptcy court, which could approve a sale of some or all of the company's assets to a buyer willing to keep operations running, or oversee a liquidation that winds the business down entirely. Neither outcome has been finalized publicly as of this writing.
Why it matters for gardeners
If BFG's distribution network shrinks or disappears, independent garden centers that rely on it could face inventory gaps or price increases heading into next spring's planting season, even though the recall and supply issues do not directly affect big-box retailers.
Sources
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