Once teetering on the brink, Warminster-based Burpee Seeds, the company behind Big Boy tomatoes and Iceberg lettuce, is thriving again, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Founded by W. Atlee Burpee in 1876, the company is now owned by George Ball, who joined Burpee in the 1980s during a period of serious financial trouble.
“Burpee was going to be padlocked,” said Ball.
The company was 240 days behind on payments, some owed to Ball Horticultural, his family’s company. Spotting an opportunity, Ball acquired the historic brand for a fraction of its value.
The company gained prominence in the late 19th century when the owner purchased a farm on New Britain Road in Doylestown and turned it into Fordhook Farm, an experimental garden.
There, he conducted thousands of seed trials that produced many new plant varieties. Today, the 60-acre site is open to the public annually.
The company fell into disarray after a private equity acquisition, but Ball’s leadership restored stability. He expanded Burpee’s presence in both retail and, more recently, digital channels and proved the brand’s recession resilience during the pandemic, maintaining momentum through closures.
Today, the company continues to grow, preserving its loyal following while adding new customers each year.
Read more about Warminster-based Burpee Seeds and how the company went from disarray to a thriving business in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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