Celebrating 25 Years of Cutting Edge Solutions®

This year marks a major milestone for Cutting Edge Solutions® (CES), 25 years in business. Reaching this point is both humbling and rewarding, and it offers an opportunity to reflect on where we began, how the company has grown, and the values that continue to guide us forward.

For 25 years, Cutting Edge Solutions® has remained focused on a single objective: providing growers with dependable, high performance nutrient solutions built on real world results. As the industry has evolved and expanded, our commitment to quality, consistency, and long term performance has remained unchanged.

 

Where We Started

Cutting Edge Solutions® was founded by John Piccirilli with a clear and deliberate purpose: to create an alternative to cheap fertilizers built solely on chemistry, with little to no regard for biology, soil health, or long term sustainability. At the time, much of the market emphasized low cost inputs and aggressive formulations that ignored the living systems plants depend on. John believed growers deserved something better.

His goal was to build nutrient solutions he could confidently use on his own farms. These were products rooted in biological awareness, balance, and restraint. From the very beginning, CES was built on firm principles.

  • No unnecessary dyes

  • The lowest possible heavy metal content

  • Formulations designed to work with plant and soil biology

  • Consistent quality over cheap inputs

These principles shaped every product and decision and remain central to how the company operates today. They also established a foundation that supports sustainability, transparency, and regulatory compliance across evolving markets.

 

Uncle John and a Global, Grower First Philosophy

Uncle John was a grower first and foremost. He worked directly with cultivators for decades, listening closely to their challenges, testing products in real world environments, and refining formulations based on what actually worked in the field.

His influence extended well beyond his own farms. Over the years, John worked alongside growers across the United States and internationally, helping them improve plant health, nutrient efficiency, and overall crop performance. These hands-on relationships shaped CES’s practical, no nonsense approach and reinforced the belief that nutrient companies should support growers, not dictate to them.

That collaborative, grower first mindset became a defining part of the CES culture and continues to guide how products are developed, supported, and refined.

 

HumTea™ and the Evolution of Soil Based Nutrition

One of the clearest expressions of John’s philosophy is HumTea™. Developed to support soil biology, microbial populations, and nutrient availability, HumTea™ reflects CES’s long standing belief that strong crops start below the surface.

HumTea™ enhances natural processes in the root zone by improving nutrient chelation, encouraging beneficial microbial activity, and supporting overall plant resilience. Rather than forcing results through harsh chemistry, it works in harmony with biological systems to create consistency and long term performance.

Over the years, HumTea™ has become a cornerstone product for Cutting Edge Solutions® and a trusted tool for growers across cultivation styles. Its longevity speaks to the value of products designed with intention, respect for biology, and real world application, while supporting sustainable cultivation practices.

 

Built on Science, Proven in the Field

From the beginning, Cutting Edge Solutions® has taken a disciplined approach to formulation. Products are developed through careful evaluation of plant response, biological interaction, and long term system performance, not marketing trends or short term claims.

CES operates its own laboratory in Oregon, providing direct oversight of formulation development, raw material evaluation, and quality control. This in house capability allows for tighter consistency, faster validation, and greater accountability as regulatory requirements and cultivation standards continue to evolve.

Testing extends well beyond controlled environments. Products are evaluated in real world cultivation settings, refined through direct grower feedback, and adjusted only when improvements are clearly demonstrated. This approach ensures stability, repeatability, and compliance across diverse growing conditions.

 

Built on Long Term Grower Trust

Many of the growers who adopted Cutting Edge Solutions® in its early years continue to use CES products today. In many cases, these operations have transitioned across generations, with CES remaining part of their nutrient programs year after year.

That longevity reflects a commitment to reliability and transparency. Growers trust that CES formulations will remain consistent, that inputs will not be quietly altered to reduce costs, and that products will continue to meet both performance expectations and evolving regulatory standards.

For CES, success is measured by long standing relationships built on repeatability, trust, and shared experience in the field.

 

We Will Not Compromise

Cutting Edge Solutions® was built on clear principles, and those principles remain non negotiable.

  • We will not reformulate products to lower costs at the expense of performance or biological health

  • We will not introduce dyes, unnecessary additives, or cosmetic ingredients

  • We will not release products driven by trends rather than proven need

  • We will not make claims that cannot be supported by real world results

These commitments protect growers, preserve formulation integrity, and ensure CES products remain compatible with sustainability goals and regulatory frameworks across markets.

 

Key Milestones Along the Way

Over the past 25 years, several milestones have marked important chapters in the growth and evolution of Cutting Edge Solutions®.

  • 2015 Company Rebrand
     A comprehensive rebrand modernized CES logos, packaging, and visual identity, aligning the brand with the quality and professionalism behind the products.

  • 2020 Louder Powder™ Launch
     The launch of Louder Powder™ expanded CES into concentrated mineral nutrition, offering growers a precision driven option built for efficiency without compromising formulation integrity.

  • 2024 Soluble Powder Products Launched
     The introduction of Sugaree SP™, Sour Dee SP™, and Uncle John’s SP™ expanded CES’s soluble powder offerings, providing growers with greater flexibility, improved storage efficiency, and precise dosing options.

  • 2025 Ascent Line™ Launched
     The Ascent Line™ represented a step forward in advanced nutrient solutions, developed to meet modern cultivation demands while remaining true to CES’s biological first approach.

  • 2026 Oregon Facility Expansion
     The move into a new facility in Oregon marked a major operational milestone, positioning CES for responsible growth, increased production capacity, expanded laboratory capabilities, and improved customer support.

Each milestone reflects intentional growth, expanding capabilities without compromising the principles the company was built on.

 

Family Owned. American Made. Always.

Cutting Edge Solutions® has always been, and will always remain, a family owned and operated company. That independence allows decisions to be made with long term integrity, accountability, and grower trust in mind.

All CES products are manufactured in the United States, enabling strict quality control, transparent sourcing, and direct oversight throughout the production process.

 

Leadership, Continuity, and the Team

As the company continued to grow, John recognized the importance of preparing Cutting Edge Solutions® for the future while preserving its core values. To guide that next chapter, he brought his nephew, Sean Piccirilli on as CEO.

Under Sean’s leadership, CES has expanded its reach, modernized operations, and introduced new product lines, while remaining grounded in the founding principles of biological respect, formulation integrity, and grower trust.

Equally important to CES’s long term success has been leadership continuity across the broader team. Kevin Colvert, Sales Manager, has been with Cutting Edge Solutions® for well over a decade. His deep product knowledge, long standing relationships with growers and distributors, and hands-on approach to sales have played a key role in maintaining trust and consistency in the field.

This combination of leadership stability and institutional knowledge allows CES to support customers with both experience and forward looking perspective.

 

Expanding Beyond Borders

What began as a grower focused company in the United States has grown into an international brand. CES products are now used by growers globally, including expanded distribution in Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, and throughout South America.

To support this growth, Cutting Edge Solutions SAS® operates an office in Bogotá, allowing for stronger regional partnerships, localized support, and alignment with regional regulatory requirements.

 

A New Chapter in Oregon

The move to a new facility in Oregon represents more than a change of location. It is a long term investment in the future of the company and the growers CES serves.

The new space supports improved efficiency, responsible scaling, expanded laboratory capabilities, and continued innovation, all while maintaining the quality standards and compliance expectations that define the brand.

 

Looking Ahead

Celebrating 25 years is both a reflection and a reaffirmation. The mission remains the same as it was at the beginning: to support growers with reliable solutions, honest expertise, and products built to perform without sacrificing biology, integrity, or accountability.

We are grateful to the customers, partners, and team members who have been part of this journey. Your trust and support have shaped Cutting Edge Solutions® into what it is today and will continue to guide us into the future.

From all of us at Cutting Edge Solutions®, thank you for being part of the last 25 years!