Our Farmers
In order to bring you the best seasonal fruits, vegetables, and flowers, we work with local, organic farmers who pick their produce at the peak of flavor and freshness.
Our Produce Standards
Flavor first.
That means in-season fruits and vegetables that are picked at peak ripeness and delivered to you while they’re still absurdly fresh.
Certified organic.
With a few exceptions (which you can see here), all the produce in our Marketplace is Certified Organic.
Buy local.
The majority of produce in our Marketplace is grown within 150 miles. Supporting local farmers reduces our carbon footprint and helps build a more resilient food system in the Bay Area.
Grown with good labor.
The agriculture industry is rife with labor abuse. We demand complete transparency and only work with farms that abide by our strict standards covering workers’ rights.
Nothing shady.
Our produce is never exposed to conventional pesticides or anything else on our list of banned substances and processes.
Sustainable and regenerative practices.
We support growers who encourage ecological regeneration, biodiversity, and use renewable energy.
How We Work With Farmers
Picked at its peak and brought to us ASAP.
Our growers harvest fruits and vegetables at the height of their flavor and deliver them to our fulfillment center in Oakland via a streamlined supply chain.
Stored properly.
We don’t have to set produce out for display, where it tends to dry out and degrade more quickly — not to mention other shoppers picking over it. Instead, we keep produce stored at the proper temperature and humidity for the short time it’s at our fulfillment center.
Delivered absurdly fresh.
As soon as we receive and store produce, it’s available to add to your order. Sometimes we’ll even make it available before it gets to us, so we can deliver it to you even faster.
What About Out-of-Season Produce?
Staples like bananas, peppers, tomatoes, and avocados aren’t always (or ever!) in season in California, but we know you and your family need these ingredients year-round. Rather than leaving a gap in your weekly shopping list, we source some out-of-season produce from beyond the Bay Area. The rest of our standards apply, which is why we usually work with organic, Fair Trade Certified growers.
What Some of Our Farmers Are Up To
Full Belly Farm and New Natives
Full Belly Farm and New Natives are doing some great advocacy work in Washington D.C. on behalf of organic farmers.
Terra Firma Farm
Terra Firma Farm is working with Wild Boar Farm to test and develop new varieties of heirloom tomatoes that stand out for their appearance and flavor.
Fifth Crow Farm
Fifth Crow Farm supports year-round employment and offers health benefits, paid sick leave, and paid vacation to their workers. They also donate surplus produce to local organizations and schools, and have established a scholarship fund for kids of farm employees.
Swanton Berry Farm
Swanton Berry Farm is growing strawberries from organic starts. Most strawberries, even those that are Certified Organic, are grown from conventional starts because organic starts are expensive, hard to find, and risky to the grower (a disease could be introduced to their field).
JSM Organics
JSM Organics is one of the first growers to work with ReadyCycle to package their berries in sustainable cartons instead of plastic.
Jayleaf
Jayleaf’s COO, Henry Catalan, is a member of Kitchen Table Advisors leadership council, which advises the nonprofit in its mission to strengthen the Bay Area foodshed.
Read More on Our Blog
