Strengthening our Food System, Together
A central goal of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA) has been to work together to support the shared success of our food co-ops and create opportunities to build a more healthy, just, and sustainable food system. One example is our partnership with Black River Produce to offer our Members Co-ops exclusive monthly deals with an emphasis on local and regional products as well as trainings and other collaboration.
About Black River Produce
Black River Produce’s story began in 1978 with two friends, a VW bus, and a passion for connecting local growers with local restaurants and food co-ops. What started as deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables to nearby co-operatives seeking a better supply source nearly 50 years ago, has grown into a regional operation employing more than 150 people and running a fleet of 53 refrigerated trucks.
While the company has expanded significantly over the years, its commitment to supporting family farms, small producers, and sustainable agriculture remains unchanged. Today, Black River Produce serves food co-ops, schools, restaurants, and farm stands throughout the Vermont and neighboring areas with fresh produce, seafood, floral, specialty groceries, and responsibly sourced meats. Since 2020, Black River Produce has operated as an independent operating company of Performance Food Group. This relationship provides the best of both worlds; BRP brings you the local, the unique and the hard-to-find, while benefiting from the infrastructure advantages of leading-edge technology, operational systems and purchasing connections from an industry-leading parent company.
Our Partnership
One of the core goals of the NFCA is using the shared purchasing power of our Member Co-ops to support shared success and build a stronger regional food system. We’re proud to be working with Black River Produce to provide our Member Co-ops with exclusive monthly deals on local, organic, fairly traded, and other items, making these products more accessible and affordable, and offering opportunities to promote our region’s producers, together.
For example, during October — Co-op Month — we worked together to offer special deals on products sourced from co-operative businesses here in the Northeast such as Cabot Creamery Co-op, Equal Exchange, Granite State Packing Co-op, and Pioneer Valley Growers Association.
In addition to these monthly deals, we will also be offering departmental trainings, opportunities for collaboration among co-op staff, and developing new products exclusively for our Members.
How Your Co-op Can Participate
This program is currently available to NFCA Member Food Co-ops located in the Black River Produce service area, or that can be reached through distribution partners such as Myers Produce, and we are working to expand its reach. If you have questions about whether Black River Produce can deliver directly to your co-op, please visit their website.
- If your Food Co-op is a current NFCA Member and customer of Black River Produce, we invite you to participate in this program and our shared efforts to strengthen our regional food system.
- If your Co-op would like to become a customer of Black River Produce, please visit their website for more information on setting up an account.
- If your Co-op is interested in joining the NFCA and participating in this program, please contact us or fill out the inquiry form below.
In addition to our program of monthly specials, we invite you to check out some of the advantages of working with Black River Produce, including:
- Quick access to nearly 9,000 SKUs, many of which are local.
- Direct connection to more than 600 of the highest quality farms and purveyors.
Business terms to help your Food Co-op’s bottom line, including:
- Low order minimums to help preserve your cashflow.
- Split cases are offered on many items, keeping your shelves fresh.
- Frequent deliveries are offered up to 6 days per week.
- Late-in-the-day order cut offs.
- A robust team of professional drivers and fleet of 53 trucks.
One-stop shopping for Food Co-op departments:
- Fresh, delicious, regionally sourced and sustainable fruits and vegetables and direct-ship programs for maximum freshness when local is not in season.
- Seafood program with daily pick-ups from the Boston pier, on-site cutting of swordfish and halibut, a robust oyster offering, as well as premium salmon, shrimp and branded retail items.
- Fresh floral and UPC-stickered bouquets means you do not need to coordinate deliveries with yet-another vendor. Floral is right on your BRP delivery truck.
- Beef and pork that is humanely and sustainably raised on regional family farms. BRP also offers premium global sources of beef, lamb, rabbit and specialty meats as well as commodity beef to round out your meat case and help target price points.
- Specialty groceries and grab-n-go especially focused on local and regional makers.
Questions & Feedback
Want to know more about how your Food Co-op can participate in this exclusive NFCA Member Program? Looking for specific products or have ideas on how we can improve this project? Have positive feedback to share? Just fill out the form below and let us know!