Alumni How Does Your Garden Grow? Perhaps It’s with this Alum’s Help Stories You May Like From Plate to Fate: Why ‘The Power Is at the End of Our Fork’ Money May Not Grow on Trees—But These Plant-Based Wallets Did What Makes a Beautiful Campus Even Prettier? Hydrangeas! CALS grad Jeremy Brunner ’94 is the fourth generation of his family to head Espoma, a leading organic plant care company By Melissa Newcomb Each summer, in gardens across the country, hydrangeas burst into shades of blue and purple, tomatoes ripen on the vine, and families gather on lush green lawns for backyard cookouts. For nearly a century, generations of the Brunner family have subtly helped make those scenes come to life through Espoma, the organic plant care company that Jeremy Brunner ’94 now leads. Made from naturally derived plant, animal, and mineral ingredients, Espoma’s fertilizers are designed to nourish both plants and the soil around them through the slow release of nutrients. Unlike conventional fertilizers that use synthetic chemicals to deliver nutrients quickly, Brunner explains, the products are designed to improve soil over time and require fewer applications. “The plants are getting fed the way nature intended,” says Brunner, who was an agricultural economics major in CALS. “The fertilizers are long lasting, they’re slow release, they’re safer, and you’re adding organic matter so you’re building a better soil. People want to get away from chemical fertilizers, especially when it comes to things that they’re eating.” Among Espoma’s bestsellers is Holly-tone, a fertilizer for acid-loving plants such as hydrangeas, azaleas, and rhododendrons. The fertilizers are long lasting, they’re slow release, they’re safer, and you’re adding organic matter so you’re building a better soil. Other offerings include plant foods formulated to produce larger fruits and vegetables, fertilizers that encourage more blooms, nutrient-rich soil mixes, and lawn care products that help prevent weeds and restore yellowing grass. Espoma products are sold in more than 10,000 garden centers, hardware stores, and home improvement retailers nationwide, including many Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart locations. Robots process finished bags in Espoma's production facility. But Espoma didn’t always have such a large market; for decades, the company distributed primarily throughout the eastern U.S. from its headquarters in Millville, NJ, located between Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore. “It pained me to go to other areas of the country and not see our product,” Brunner recalls. “I felt like with our track record, why couldn’t we be competitive everywhere?” Among Espoma’s bestsellers is Holly-tone, a fertilizer for acid-loving plants such as hydrangeas, azaleas, and rhododendrons. Stories You May Like From Plate to Fate: Why ‘The Power Is at the End of Our Fork’ Money May Not Grow on Trees—But These Plant-Based Wallets Did As fourth-generation president, Brunner has spearheaded the transformation from a regional fertilizer manufacturer into a national leader in organic plant care. Since joining the family business in the late 1990s, Brunner has expanded Espoma’s catalog from about 20 items to more than 100, available at about eight times as many locations. The company's original building, where products were made by hand. “My favorite part is creating new product lines that can be better than what’s out there,” says Brunner, “going from the first concept to creating it, designing the package, and then getting to see it on the shelf.” Perhaps surprisingly given his current success, he wasn't always sure if he wanted to run the family business. Since joining the family business in the late 1990s, Brunner has expanded Espoma’s catalog from about 20 items to more than 100, available at about eight times as many locations. Although his father was president of Espoma throughout his childhood, it wasn’t until Brunner began taking entrepreneurship classes on the Hill, and working in manufacturing and marketing at the company during college summers, that he began to consider it as a career. After graduation, he earned a JD from Rutgers—where he fell for a fellow Cornellian, now-wife Randee Strair Brunner ’94—and returned to work at Espoma. While he expected to spend years learning the business, his father’s cancer diagnosis quickly moved him into a leadership role. His dad ultimately went into remission, but the experience accelerated the transition. “He essentially said, ‘Here’s how to do the basics to keep the company running,’” Brunner recalls. “The business side of it was secondary to the family side of how scary this could be.” Today, Brunner continues to focus on preparing Espoma for the future. A vintage bag of fertilizer. Along with overseeing the development of a new processing facility and exploring the use of food waste in new products, he’s now working alongside the company’s fifth generation: recently, his daughter joined the family business. (All images provided.) Published July 24, 2026 Comments Dann Van Der Vliet 24 Jul, 2026 If only Cornell had a program to educate and better understand family businesses…. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. 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