Green Group enters turf management market with two large-scale partnerships

Green Group, a newly formed turf maintenance startup lead by industry veteran Keith Freeman, announced its formation along with two new strategic partnerships with prominent turf-management companies: Eastern Turf Maintenance and Loyalty Lawn Care. As part of Green Group’s formation, Benjamin Allen, former chief operations officer of LawnAmerica, joined Green Group as regional director. These brand and experienced industry-executive relationships, along with others planned for 2021, position Green Group to provide enterprise-level tools, processes, resources and opportunities to cultivate a people-first culture. 

“We’re on a mission to reimagine the way lawn care is done while honoring the legacies of respected, well-established brands across the nation,” said Keith Freeman, founder and chief executive officer of Green Group. “We’re choosing to work with the most distinguished turf brands to combine smart employees, best practices and forward-thinking resources to create unparalleled experiences for both employees and customers alike.” 

Green Group is intent on creating remarkable shifts in an industry that’s ripe for change. According to the 2020 State of the Industry Report by Lawn & Landscape, 88 percent of providers offer lawn care application services, and despite COVID-19, 97 percent of landscapers surveyed forecasted their businesses to grow in 2020. However, aging ownership, limited technology and limited ability to scale those companies is now more challenging than ever. 

“People are the heartbeat of our business, and our vision is to underscore that in all we do, especially as the industry progresses,” said Freeman. “Engaged employees who feel valued create opportunities that drive change for themselves and for the business.”

“Having been a part of a green industry leader that was sold and acquired twice in five years personally, we uniquely understand the challenges with typical transactions from an operational perspective and a human perspective,” said Allen. “Green Group’s partnership model gets things done differently. We are equipped with great people, a solid plan and the trust that we have established throughout our careers.”

Importantly, in joining Green Group, all employees from both Eastern Turf Maintenance and Loyalty Lawn Care remain in place, bringing the total number of those employed by Green Group to more than 100. Green Group is currently hiring 20 additional employees to support new partnerships and growth. The company’s headquarters, located at 8811 Westgate Park Dr. in Raleigh, will be home to approximately 60 employees.