Grass seed innovator may disrupt industry

FALL RIVER, Mass. — Lawn care is a $40 billion business, and Jackson Madnick's low maintenance, drought-resistant grass seed is turning the industry on its head.

Madnick, a scientist and environmental expert, spent eight years developing Pearl's Premium, a grass seed that grows a lush, green lawn that does not require watering after it is established or fertilizer and that needs mowing only once a month.

But if you have never heard of Pearl's Premium, or if it sounds too good to be true, you're not alone. Getting the public to learn about the product, believe what they hear, and become customers are some of the biggest challenges faced by Madnick and his team.

A panel discussion with the Southern New England Entrepreneurs Forum at the Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center on May 12 provided Madnick feedback on his business plan.

Inspired by his mother to be an environmentalist, Madnick is looking to change the lawn industry, which touts the necessity of lawn chemicals and fertilizers, major revenue sources for lawn care companies compared to the one-time cost of grass seed. These chemicals can be dangerous to the people and animals that spend time on the lawn, Madnick said. And they can end up in the drinking water, large amounts of which are being used to water these lawns, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

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