New Local Vendor: Clear Springs Farm of Julian, NC

We are excited to announce we now carry Clear Springs Farm, a family-owned farm in Julian, NC, 100% grass-fed & grass-finished beef!

Did you know cattle get more minerals out of a grass-fed diet and can digest more of the vitamins they are eating? A more diverse, nutrient-rich diet leads to more nutrients in the fat of the beef. When compared to grain-fed beef, grass-fed has three times more Omega-3 fats and fewer calories. And it's absolutely delicious!

Their mission states, "We provide delicious grass-finished beef to our community that is healthy for the environment, the cattle, and the people that we serve all while being stewards of the land we love."

Read more here about their process, production, and dedication to their animals and land.

Find their product in our frozen meat case on aisle 5. Just in time for February's Owner Bonus!

We often pick our coffee based on personal preference. Whether it’s light, dark, whole bean, etc. We don’t stop in the grocery store and think about the path that plant took. We are too busy and depend upon the benefits of caffeine too deeply as a culture to stop and consider the impact of one plant.

Shopping at a food co-op does that work for you. We have made it our mission to ensure that our shelves are not real estate property for corporations, but spaces where companies that are creating positive change in our supply chain can grow and be made available for you.

That is why we carry Fairtrade and Organic coffee. These certifications leverage the buying power YOU have over our supply chain. This impacts workers’ rights, climate change, child labor rights and safety, gender equality, and poverty. These products help regenerate communities and ecosystems rather than degenerate them. When you buy coffee with us, not only is it delicious, it helps build an ethical supply chain too. We also carry 5 different local coffee roasters!

If you're looking to buy more coffee (5 pounds worth) for you and your family, office, or organization, you can save even more money by special ordering any of our bulk coffee. For inquiries, send us an email or come in and speak to a grocery associate.

It's Non-GMO Month, and some of our favorite items in store are Non-GMO Project Verified, including some of the most common GMO foods (canola oil, corn, & soy). ⁠

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All Non-GMO Project Verified products must have systems in place to be certified:⁠

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✅ Labeling: Accurate and clear product labeling.⁠⁠

✅ Quality Assurance: Maintaining operational consistency and addressing Non-conformities promptly.⁠⁠

✅ Procurement: Obtaining inputs and ingredients in accordance with uniform and meaningful specifications.⁠⁠

✅ Testing: Meaningful, ongoing testing of Major High-Risk inputs and ingredients.⁠⁠

✅ Segregation and Cleanout: Protecting compliant inputs and ingredients from commingling with non-compliant materials.⁠⁠

✅ Traceability: Supply chain traceability, especially following input and ingredient testing or the establishment of a compliant affidavit.⁠⁠

Fairtrade is about doing business differently to prioritize people and the planet. Your everyday purchase is a choice for a fairer world. It is one of the ways "vote with your dollar" has an impact.

For example, smallholder, family-run farms with less than five acres of land provide 90% of the world’s cocoa beans. Despite this, many cocoa farmers aren’t earning a fair deal for their work. The push for this has landed large companies like Nestle to answer to claims of child slavery on Ivory Coast cocoa farms.  

Fairtrade is working to change this. Farmers who grow Fairtrade-certified cocoa receive the Fairtrade Minimum Price for their crops as well as a Fairtrade Premium that they reinvest in projects that benefit themselves and their communities.

Read here about a company that has taken Fairtrade and Sustainability to the root of its supply chain. Dr. Bronner's is a perfect example of the power consumers have to choose products for their homes and bodies that are working to create a positive impact on the earth. Find their soap, coconut oil, chocolate, and other products on our aisles!

#ChooseFairtrade on your next shopping trip and join the Fairtrade movement!