Bell Acquires ColorPoint Kentucky at Auction

Chris Beytes

Back in February, we learned that ColorPoint Kentucky, the former mass market bedding plant operation-turned hemp producer, had gone into receivership and had been sold at auction. Only we didn’t know who the buyer was.

Thanks to public records, we can confirm that the operation has been purchased in a receivership auction by Central Garden & Pet on behalf of Bell Nursery for a winning bid of $34 million. The deal includes 1.56 million sq. ft. of greenhouse, 150,000 sq. ft. of poly tunnels and 155,000 sq. ft. of warehouse and office space. The only other bidder for the operation was Fernlea Flowers of Delhi, Ontario, Canada.

The official statement via email from Central Garden & Pet spokesperson Liz Nunan read, “The purchase of the ColorPoint Greenhouses and the facilities on the property will enable Central Garden & Pet to expand capacity and build upon our strengths as a leading livegoods provider.”

For a brief history, you may recall that Central Garden & Pet, based in Walnut Creek, California, acquired Bell back in 2018; since then, they’ve purchased Hopewell Nursery of New Jersey and Maryland, and Green Garden Products of Norton, Massachusetts, a packet seed and spring garden supply company.

With this deal, ColorPoint’s two operations (the other was the former Mid-American Growers in Granville, Illinois, purchased recently by Altman Plants) are both now back in the flower business. GT