Winter is Tasty, Organic and Sustainably-Grown with Earl’s Organic

By Laura Petersen

Photos submitted by Earl’s Organic Produce

For many BriarPatch shoppers, being a Co-op Owner is all about supporting local farmers.

But did you know, even in the winter months when locally-grown produce is harder to come by, that you can trust you’re supporting direct-to-farm relationships and sustainable food trade that’s good for you and the environment?

Seven days a week, drivers from Earl’s Organic Produce arrive before daybreak from a San Francisco warehouse to deliver the highest quality fruits and vegetables directly from California farms.

“Earl’s Organic provides us with staple food items and items that we are not able to grow here, such as bananas and avocadoes. They also provide exciting and enticing in-season specialty varieties of items that we would otherwise have trouble sourcing locally but want to try out,” says BriarPatch Produce Buyer Emma Eckhardt.

It’s a heartfelt relationship between likeminded companies with similar ethics, growing stronger since 2011.

“I think the level of quality and organics is in such strong alignment. There’s a high level of respect for what’s being done,” says Director of Sales for Earl’s Organic, Drew Knobel.

Earl’s is our largest produce distributor, and The Patch is considered one of Earl’s top five buyers in the state, ranked in the same category with more populous communities like Sacramento and Marin with natural foods stores twice its size.

“It’s mind-blowing. The amount of product that moves through the store is impressive,” says Drew.

Earl’s carries more than 475 seasonal items from their 96,000 square foot warehouse in San Francisco. The team works with 120 farms, all certified organic and sustainable. Like BriarPatch, it’s in their mission to support growers and make them rock stars. That support runs deep into the soil. Earl’s help farmers forecast their harvest by helping in the crop planning process early in the season.

“We really try to support these growers all year round,” says Drew.

In September, Earl’s Organic donated 1,200 pounds of bananas, grapes, oranges, butternut squash, onions, potatoes, watermelon, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, corn, cucumbers and bell peppers valued at $2,650 to help feed folks in Placer County displaced by the 76,781-acre Mosquito Fire.

Organic produce comes from Central Coast family operations like Anna’s Organic, Sun Valley Farms and Tutti Frutti Farms. Fair Trade partners representing international growers supply more tropical favorites from Mexico, Chile and Ecuador.

Earl’s Organic Produce was offcially born in 1988 but the roots of the organization date back even further. Founder Earl Herrick was a young man when he first began selling fruits and veggies from a small, converted produce truck as early as 1975 at the entrance of Golden Gate Park. The values built into the early models of the company remain true today, and the dedication to the organic and sustainable farming movement remains steadfast.

By creating mutually beneficial, meaningful and committed relationships, Earl’s aspires to connect those who produce organic food with those who consume it.

“It’s just a huge responsibility all the way across the supply chain. It continues to gain traction. It’s the right thing to do,” says Drew.

A Certified California Green Business, Earl’s takes sustainability seriously by diverting 96 percent of its waste from the landfill and investing in a shipping fleet that runs entirely on biofuel.

Earl remains active in the business to this day, and doesn’t blink an eye when BriarPatch requests a donation.

“That comes right from Earl. There is never hesitation,” says Drew.

In September, Earl’s donated 1,200 pounds of bananas, grapes, oranges, butternut squash, onions, potatoes, watermelon, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, corn, cucumbers and bell peppers valued at $2,650 to help feed folks in Placer County displaced by the 76,781-acre Mosquito Fire. Often, during an emergency, farmers contribute to a cause, too, so that the giving flows from farm to distributor to community.

“The answer is always yes. Your outreach is an extension of ours,”

Learn more about Earl’s Organic at earlsorganic.com