HGS BioScience Expands Its Biological Platform with the Acquisition of Pharmgrade

HGS BioScience continues its aggressive expansion in the biological sector with the acquisition of Pharmgrade. Following the recent integration of NutriAg, this move adds deep expertise in microbial consortium products, creating a fully integrated platform designed to serve retailers and growers across North America.

HGS BioScience Expands its Biological Platform with the Acquisition of Pharmgrade

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AgPR) Jan. 13, 2026

Paine Schwartz Partners–backed HGS BioScience, a leading provider of biological crop solutions, announced today the acquisition of Pharmgrade, an Idaho-based innovator specializing in microbial consortium products.

Following the successful combination of HGS BioScience and NutriAg in late 2025, this acquisition represents the next step in HGS’s strategy to build a scaled, science-led biologicals platform serving retailers and growers across North America and beyond. The addition of Pharmgrade strengthens the platform by adding deep expertise in microbial consortium development, complementing HGS’s current strengths across humates, bionutritionals, and plant extracts.

“Biologicals are growing rapidly, but the market remains fragmented and difficult to navigate… By bringing together HGS, NutriAg, and now Pharmgrade, we are building something different: a single, integrated platform with the scale, science, and manufacturing depth to consistently deliver solutions that work in the field,” said Mike Steffeck, CEO of HGS BioScience.

A Platform Built to Serve Retailers and Growers

With the addition of Pharmgrade, the HGS BioScience platform now offers:

A complete biological portfolio: Solutions spanning humates, bionutritionals, plant extracts, and microbials – with the ability to intentionally stack technologies for multiple modes of action.
A differentiated innovation engine: An integrated R&D organization combining agronomic and field-trial capabilities with Pharmgrade’s specialized microbial biology.
Scaled, reliable manufacturing: A vertically integrated footprint across North America enabling consistent quality and flexible delivery formats (liquid, powder, granule).

Kelly Tuttle, Founder and CEO of Pharmgrade, added: “Joining HGS BioScience allows Pharmgrade to scale our microbial technologies, developed and optimized over 30 years, through a platform with the formulation expertise, manufacturing depth, and market access to reach more growers, faster.”

Learn more about the acquisition:
Visit HGS BioScience