At the co-op, local is at the heart of what we do.
We define “local” as food and products grown, produced, or processed within a five-state area that includes Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. We know our local farmers and locally-owned businesses personally – we visit their kitchens and farms and love seeing exactly where our food comes from and how it’s grown, raised, and made. When you choose local, not only does it taste better (thanks to shorter travel distances!) but more of your food dollars stay in our local community.

East African Bakery
St. Paul, MN
Francesco O’Ryan grew up eating the traditional breads of his region, watching his mother painstakingly labor over a smoky fire to create the spongy injera bread as a staple for their daily meals. O’Ryan immigrated to the United States in his 20s, landing in Minnesota where he worked his way through school, ultimately earning a diploma in machining and working for a company that allowed employees to tinker with their own projects on off hours. For more than two years, O’Ryan and his friend Jerome Guettler toyed with different designs and constructions, finally landing on a machine that provides exactly what he was hoping for: Soft, sour-tinged injera and savory/sweet hambasha that even his mother approved of.

Farmer to Farmer
Glenwood City, WI
Farmer to Farmer (FTF) is a primarily volunteer-run nonprofit that supports international peace, mutually beneficial friendships, and cross-cultural understanding among rural farmers. They are a Wisconsin-based organization that successfully operates a fair-trade coffee business, mainly collaborating with Guatemalan and Honduran farmers and their families to bring ethically traded, environmentally responsible, locally roasted coffee to the Upper Midwest. FTF has established an organic Honduran coffee cooperative to combat the commodity market’s focus on quantity over quality.

Featherstone Farm
Rushford, MN
Featherstone Farm produces over 40 different fresh crops for delivery to food co-ops and other Midwest food outlets. They also operate a successful Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. This farm’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that the freshest, best-tasting, most nutritious fruits and vegetables come from holistic, sustainable production systems.

Ferndale Market
Cannon Falls, MN
Ferndale Market, a third-generation turkey farm named after farmer John Peterson’s grandparents Fern and Dale, raises all-natural, free-range turkeys. Each turkey grows at a natural pace, without the use of antibiotics or artificial growth promotants. They enjoy access to fresh air and a natural diet of grains and seeds with a custom-blended mix of vitamins and minerals.
For over 74 years, the Peterson family has maintained a passion for caring for the land and their turkeys. Their commitment to local communities, farmers, and healthy, high-quality products showcases why they’re one of our trusted Local Champions.

Glacial Ridge Growers
Glenwood, MN
Glacial Ridge Growers has been using sustainable greenhouse management practices for over 40 years to grow a huge variety of certified organic vegetables and herbs. In addition to a large array of native plants, they also grow and supply Mississippi Market with beautiful annuals, hardy perennials, and an array of organic vegetables and herbs. All of their plants are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or other harmful chemicals.

Graise Farm
Faribault, MN
Graise Farm is located just 45 minutes south of St. Paul. Farmers Tiffany & Andy are passionate about raising animals humanely and eating healthful, locally grown food. Their ducks are free range and fed certified organic grains, resulting in the most delicious eggs.

Green Earth Growers
Prior Lake, MN
Since 2004, owners Jenny Hotz and Jolea Gress have been committed to producing an extensive selection of high-quality flowering annuals and vegetables. In the past, we’ve carried their exceptional collection of organic tomatoes including Brad’s Atomic Grape, Dark Galaxy, and Berkeley Tie Die, along with a selection of unusual and tasty vegetables like Mexican Gherkin, Malabar Spinach, and Alpine Strawberries, during our annual spring Plant Sale. All of their plants are grown in accordance with the national organic standards.

Harmony Valley Farm
Viroqua, WI
Harmony Valley is a family-owned, diversified farm with over 30 years of experience producing high-quality, certified organic vegetables and berries. The home farm consists of 200 acres of woods, pastures and crop land lying along Spring Creek. Harmony Valley is dedicated to organic farming and believes strongly that it produces the highest quality, best tasting food while protecting the quality of our water and wildlife. All of their products are certified by the Midwest Organic Services Association.

HiBar
Minneapolis, MN
Started by four friends with a mission to rid the bathroom of plastic, HiBar shampoo and conditioner bars are all-natural and made with plant-based ingredients. Their cardboard and paper packaging are also recyclable and compostable, resulting in zero plastic waste.

House of Halva
St. Paul, MN
House of Halva’s slogan is “Taste Happiness,” and owners David and Liz Kadosh are proud to say that’s true. Made primarily from sesame paste, halva is sweet and dense, soft and crumbly; it’s a tradition of many generations in their family and for people throughout the world. Their goal is to bring this treasured dessert back here to Minnesota.