Local Producers Bring Us the Unique Flavors of Home

Co-owner and Brewmaster Teresa Psuty

Whether it’s up or down the hill, the ol’ adage “home is where the heart is” rings true at BriarPatch. The Co-op's shelves are chock-full of offerings from local businesses that share our core value of community-mindedness. Here are a few of the producers who help to make your favorite grocery store feel like home! Hear what they have to say about their relationship with BriarPatch on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/BriarPatchCoop.

By Laura Petersen

Crooked Lane Brewing Company, Auburn

“We’ve been at BriarPatch for a few years now and one thing that really aligns with what we do and what BriarPatch does is they want the freshest, the most local, the most interesting, not necessarily what's available everywhere, and that’s the kind of product that we make. So it’s really exciting for us to be able to work with a business that aligns with us in that way.” — Co-owner and Brewmaster Teresa Psuty Did you know? Crooked Lane’s Belgian Blonde Ale won a Gold Medal at the prestigious World Beer Cup!

Jeremy from Super Tuber Farm.

Super Tuber Farm, Chicago Park

“Having the planning process with BriarPatch allows us to know we can grow a large volume of produce and sell it to a customer we know is reliable. That allows us to try new crops and do new things, which then can trickle down into our smaller customer base as well.” — Owner-farmer Jeremy Mineau

Chris from Local Culture Ferments.

Local Culture Ferments, Grass Valley

from the beginning. We sell more at the Co-op than we do in 45 stores up North, and that's the honest truth. And it's just because of the local consumer awareness that we have here. For me, BriarPatch is home.” — Co-owner and Operator Chris Frost-McKee

Kevin from Equal Exchange.

Equal Exchange, Sacramento

“One of the important things to know is that natural foods co-ops like BriarPatch are the heart of fair trade and the sustainable social justice movement in food. Without co-ops like BriarPatch, you would not have a fair-trade movement in the United States. They took all the 16

Owner-farmer Jeremy Mineau Co-owner and Operator Chris Frost-McKee Employee Worker-owner Kevin Hollender

risk. They supported it before it was mainstream. They helped educate their consumers. They took a leading role in bringing this idea of trade to the market, along with groups like Equal Exchange. So, they fundamentally deserve tons of credit for building this with us.” — Employee Worker-owner Kevin Hollender

Nathan from The Baker and the Cakermaker.

The Baker and the Cakemaker, Inc., Auburn

“We are very excited that BriarPatch is moving to Auburn. Not only as another location for us to sell our bread, but also to be a customer at BriarPatch and to shop. The quality that BriarPatch gives to their customers, they also give that to their vendors. Supporting local is really important because it’s the local people that over the last couple years have kept everything going.” — Co-owner Nathan Shreve