— Brian Meyer, BCA Division
If you’ve ever driven past our Sleepy Eye East facility and didn’t realize what happens inside the BCA building, you’re not alone. In fact, when I give tours, I hear the same thing almost every time: “I had no idea this was even here.”
That always surprises people, especially when I tell them we’ve been doing this for nearly 50 years.
BCA Products has been part of this community since 1976, and in 2026 we’ll celebrate our 50th year in business. Over those five decades, we’ve grown into a large-scale bagging and blending operation, shipping packaged fertilizer and ice melt to 18 states with efficiency and reliability. This year alone, our goal is to move 1,000,000 bags of fertilizer and more than 150,000 packages of ice melt.
That kind of volume doesn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of steady investment, smart systems, and a team that takes pride in doing things right.
Over the last several years, we’ve made significant upgrades inside our facility to improve consistency and precision. From descending weight scales that keep internal blends accurate to a HIM mixer that allows for high-speed, uniform blending, every step is designed to maintain product quality. Bomb-bay style discharge doors help prevent fertilizer segregation, and screeners ensure no lumps or foreign material make it into a finished bag.
We even have automation that stacks and shrink-wraps pallets. It’s something you really have to see in person to appreciate.
Those operational improvements have gone hand in hand with physical expansion. In 2013, we added 45,000 square feet of warehouse space. It quickly became clear how valuable that space was, so another 45,000 square feet was added in 2023. Today, with existing structures included, we operate approximately 112,000 square feet dedicated to empty bags, pallets, and raw material storage. That footprint allows us to keep finished products on the floor and respond quickly when customers need it.
People may associate Central United Coop primarily with agronomy, our customer base looks a little different. We serve lawn care operators, landscape and nursery professionals through our professional products division. On the retail side, we proudly package SUPERIOR fertilizer for Fleet Farm and ESTATE fertilizer for Blain’s Farm & Fleet. In 2026, we’ll also introduce the MINNEGROW™ family of fertilizer products to farm supply stores.
Seasonally, our product mix shifts with demand. Winter means ice melt. Spring brings pre-emerge and turf fertilizers. As needs change, so does our lineup. Customers can stop by the Sleepy Eye East location to pick up product, and we also coordinate deliveries from local pallet drops to larger shipments moving across the region. We receive inbound product by rail and even utilize Central United’s transportation division for backhauls, making the most of internal efficiencies wherever we can.
What makes BCA unique within the cooperative is that we represent a diversified income stream. While we operate differently than traditional agronomy in some ways, the revenue generated here strengthens Central United Coop as a whole. It’s part of a long-term strategy to balance risk, build stability, and support the cooperative’s future. In the end, that benefits the entire membership base.
When BCA was founded, the purpose was simple: empower growth for our customers. Nearly five decades later, that mission still holds true.
If you’ve never seen what happens inside our facility, I’d encourage you to stop in. I’m a big believer in tours. When you see the scale, the automation, and the process firsthand, it gives you a different appreciation for what’s happening right here in Sleepy Eye.
To set up a tour or learn more, contact us today!