{"id":21054,"date":"2014-01-20T14:40:59","date_gmt":"2014-01-20T14:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecowatch.com\/?p=318467"},"modified":"2014-01-20T14:40:59","modified_gmt":"2014-01-20T14:40:59","slug":"whole-foods-supports-local-growers-and-producers-with-25-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leedpoints.com\/green-building-blog\/whole-foods-supports-local-growers-and-producers-with-25-million\/","title":{"rendered":"Whole Foods Supports Local Growers and Producers With $25 Million"},"content":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"Progress<\/p>\n

Whole Foods Market is loaning millions to ensure that even more products from local growers, producers and artisans all over make it to the shelves of their 370-plus stores around the globe.<\/p>\n

The retailer has announced a $25 million<\/a> boost to its popular Local Producer Loan Program<\/a>. Since the program’s 2007 inception, Whole Foods has aided 155 local producers with $10 million through nearly 200 low-interest loans.<\/p>\n

The large retailer says the expansion was encouraged by the success of those original recipients.<\/p>\n

“Expanding the Local Producer Loan Program is a direct result of the innovations and successes of our loan recipients,” said Betsy Foster, Whole Foods Market global vice president of growth and business development. “By playing a role in advancing new ideas, growing businesses and realizing dreams, Whole Foods Market stays connected with both our neighborhood producers and our global food community.”<\/p>\n[caption id=\"attachment_318481\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\"]\"Progress<\/a> Progress Coffee in Austin, TX is one of 155 companies to benefit from Whole Foods Market’s Local Producers Loan Program. Photo credit: Whole Foods[\/caption]\n

Companies who have expanded with the Whole Foods loan range from Progress Coffee<\/a> in Austin, TX, to RubyJewel<\/a>, a Portland, OR-based, hand-crafted ice creamery, to an organic nutrition bar line from Dr. Melina Jampolis<\/a> in San Francisco, CA. Farms like Thistle Farms<\/a> got in on the act, and many of the recipients like kale-chip maker Brad’s Raw Foods<\/a> in Bucks County, PA were able to rise from small-town farmers markets to the shelves of Whole Foods locations in bigger cities.<\/p>\n

“Because I didn’t have any money, [Whole Foods] lent me money to build a bigger place and buy some equipment,” Brad’s Raw Foods owner Brad Gruno said.<\/p>\n

“They help out a lot of small entrepreneurs. Seriously. Nobody else does that.”<\/p>\n

Whole Foods said its initial $10 million in funding also supported pioneering projects in biodynamic farming, non-GMO<\/a> animal feed, pollinator health and sustainable<\/a> packaging. The company didn’t wait long to add the $25 million—it recently announced that a $400,000 loan to San Francisco’s WholeSoy & Co.<\/a> pushed it past the $10 million level. WholeSoy produces non-GMO, organic, vegan, gluten-free soy yogurt.<\/p>\n

“After raising most of the funds required, this additional $400,000 will help us realize our dream of having our own dairy-free yogurt facility,” said Ted Nordquist, CEO of WholeSoy & Co.<\/p>\n

“Whole Foods Market truly cares about our success and worked closely with us to support our re-entry into the marketplace.”<\/p>\n

Visit EcoWatch’s S<\/a><\/b>USTAINABLE BUSINESS<\/b><\/a> page for more related news on this topic.<\/b><\/p>\n

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