Online grocer thinks, acts locally
Not all food sourcing is local, but Farmstead wants to ensure a healthy balance.
The San Francisco-based online grocer is actively seeking new locally sourced food items for its inventory – including both fresh produce and shelf-stable items. To that end, it has launched a new ‘Local First’ program intended to help recruit new local food purveyors.
Farmstead, launched in 2016 as a free online delivery service for fresh, locally-sourced produce, has since partnered with national brands such as Kraft to expand its inventory. The company is now seeking more local vendors to maintain a mix of national and local foods for its customers.
Local farms and producers can apply to have their products stocked at farmsteadapp.com. Within the Farmstead app, customers can also recommend local brands Farmstead should evaluate.
“National grocery chains are centralizing more, sourcing through only very large brands and distributors, and that’s cutting off distribution and access for local companies,” said Farmstead co-founder and CEO Pradeep Elankumaran. “Initially, Farmstead was completely known for locally sourced food, and that drew a lot of customers to us. It’s important to us to support local farming and food production, and our customers share that value. Even as we expand geographically, Farmstead will always feature the best local brands in each customer’s area.”
The San Francisco-based online grocer is actively seeking new locally sourced food items for its inventory – including both fresh produce and shelf-stable items. To that end, it has launched a new ‘Local First’ program intended to help recruit new local food purveyors.
Farmstead, launched in 2016 as a free online delivery service for fresh, locally-sourced produce, has since partnered with national brands such as Kraft to expand its inventory. The company is now seeking more local vendors to maintain a mix of national and local foods for its customers.
Local farms and producers can apply to have their products stocked at farmsteadapp.com. Within the Farmstead app, customers can also recommend local brands Farmstead should evaluate.
“National grocery chains are centralizing more, sourcing through only very large brands and distributors, and that’s cutting off distribution and access for local companies,” said Farmstead co-founder and CEO Pradeep Elankumaran. “Initially, Farmstead was completely known for locally sourced food, and that drew a lot of customers to us. It’s important to us to support local farming and food production, and our customers share that value. Even as we expand geographically, Farmstead will always feature the best local brands in each customer’s area.”