Positioning Albert Lea Seed for Future Growth, Same Great Products and Service

Pictured above, left to right: Matt Helgeson, Ben Hinueber, Elia Romano, Tom Ehrhardt, and Mac Ehrhardt. (Not pictured: Margaret Ehrhardt and Bob Atwell)

We’re excited to announce that Albert Lea Seed has established a stock-ownership structure to transition business ownership to our employees, beginning with the sale of minority stock ownership to three current employees and one former employee. Matt Helgeson, Ben Hinueber, Elia Romano, and Robert Atwell have taken ownership of a minority of shares. Their shares provide two seats on the company’s Board of Directors.

According to Mac Ehrhardt, “We wanted to maintain the integrity of Albert Lea Seed as an independent and local business and to offer the best outcomes—both for the employees who have helped us build this business, and for our customers. That means we have decided to sell in.”

The Ehrhardts will continue to be the majority shareholders for several years, but majority stock ownership will be turned over to employees thereafter.

Since its foundation by Louis Ehrhardt in 1923, Albert Lea Seed has been owned and operated by the Ehrhardt family for three generations. Current co-owners Mac, Tom, and Margaret Ehrhardt took over operational control in 2000. Since then, Albert Lea Seed has grown to 40 full-time employees who serve more than 6,000 customers every year.

Albert Lea Seed will continue to provide the same high-quality and variety of organic and non-GMO farm seed to our customers. Our commitment to sustainable farming remains intact.

“Our employees, our customers, and our community are best served by having our business owned by the people who run it and who live in the communities we serve,” Mac added. “The success and growth of Albert Lea Seed is due to the hard work and dedication of people who have worked here in the past, and our current employees. I firmly believe that this transition offers the best opportunity to maintain our business momentum and to reward the people who have built it.”