A Message from Food Connects regarding COVID-19

3/17/2020

Due to the quickly changing situation we are adjusting our operations accordingly to continue to provide you healthy, local food, while also mitigating risk to our staff. We have two important updates for you. 

1 of 2. Update to Safety Protocol: No-Contact Delivery Policy

In order to help ensure the health of our staff, our customers, and the general community, we now will be tightening up our delivery protocols to eliminate as much direct person-to-person contact as possible. Details are as follows:

• We will be dropping deliveries outside of customer facilities in order to minimize our drivers' contact with public surfaces.

• Upon arrival, our driver will knock on the receiving door to get the receiver’s attention. If necessary, the driver will telephone the receiver.

• Food Connects will no longer require a signed order slip at delivery.  We will leave the customer copy of the invoice with the delivered boxes. If you need to verify the load before our driver leaves, please tell our driver in advance. 

• If there is any issue with a delivered order, please reach out ASAP to Julicia (orders@foodconnects.org, 802-451-0550) to resolve the issue.

In order to help this system run smoothly:

• Please send us the best phone number for your receiver, if possible!

• Please do not ask our drivers to enter your facility.

• Please let us know if you have specific directions regarding where to leave deliveries outside your facility.

Thank you for helping us make this temporary transition smoothly!

2 of 2. Temporary Delivery Schedule Change: NO Friday Delivery

We are reducing our operations to one delivery cycle per week, offering deliveries on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on your usual delivery route:

• Wednesday: Southern VT, Southern NH

• Thursday: Upper Valley (VT + NH)

• Friday: NO DELIVERIES, FOR NOW

Please refer to the ordering schedule below, and please reach out to us with any questions or concerns. 

If your delivery location or procedure has changed or closed, please let us know. We are happy to figure out alternative delivery solutions to ensure your Wednesday or Thursday delivery is as easy and safe as possible. 

Order Schedule: For delivery on Wednesday or Thursday

• Monday: Place order through order platform, text, call, or email by 10:00 am (usual order procedures apply). Bread orders are due the Friday Prior by 10 am. 

• Tuesday: Order picked up from farms by Food Connects

• Wednesday: Delivery to main distribution areas per usual delivery routes

• Thursday: Delivery to Upper Valley customers per usual delivery route. 

• Friday: NO DELIVERIES, FOR NOW

We truly appreciate your flexibility as we work to keep our farmers, customers, and staff safe and feed through this ever-changing period. 

Thank you! 

Food Connects

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3/12/2020

Dear Valued Food Hub Customers, 

We’re writing in response to the growing concerns regarding the COVIOD-19 outbreak. We acknowledge the serious concerns for the health and safety of our communities as the situation continues to develop. Our #1 priority during this time is to support our communities through continued access to fresh, local food. As of now, we intend to continue our operations, as usual, maintaining our regular pick-up and delivery schedule. We will keep you updated if anything changes.

Please let us know how we can help you through this time and know that we are taking precautions to keep you and our drivers protected. 

Starting this week, we have intensified our food safety and handling hygiene practices and enhanced sanitation protocols along our routes and within our warehouse. We’ve taken the following steps to minimize risks associated with product handling and transportation: 

• Our food storage and staging areas are outfitted with hand sanitizer, as normal.

• No non-food hub staff will be allowed in food storage or handling areas at Food Connects.

• All delivery vehicles have been stocked with hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes for surface, and single-use latex gloves.

Drivers have been instructed to: 

• Thoroughly wash their hands as often as possible at locations along delivery routes.

• Disinfect hands with hand sanitizer before and after every pickup and delivery. 

• Use disinfecting wipes multiple times per delivery shift to wipe down high-contact areas inside delivery vehicles. 

• Avoid physical interactions with persons along the pickup and delivery routes.

• Ask receivers to use their own pens to sign documents and generally avoid handing anything back and forth.

• Notify us immediately if they feel any symptoms associated with coronavirus. Drivers with symptoms will be relieved of driving responsibilities. 

If you, or someone within your facility, are feeling sick, please arrange for alternative receiving procedures. We are happy to work with you on adjusted delivery directions or point-of-contact, or any and all, other contingency plans to ensure your continued deliveries, while also ensuring the safety of our staff.  

We know these are trying times, and we’re here to help. 

Sincerely, 

Food Connects

March 2020 Food Hub Flyer

March 2020 Flyer

Producer Spotlight: The Bread Shed

With International Women’s Day right around the corner, we are featuring a women-owned business as our Producer Spotlight this month.

From sliced bread to mini loaves to cookies., the Bread Shed in Keene, NH has a delicious array of baked goods to satisfies your whole family. Brittany Migneault, owner and founder of the Bread Shed, has baking in her blood—she grew up learning from her aunt and uncle who owned a traditional Italian Bakery. In 2011 Brittany opened the doors of her own bakery.

Their products are handcrafted and all-natural. They use only ingredients that can be recognized and that belong in real food. They offer a wide variety of shapes and sizes of products so that each customer can find the right size product to suit their needs. It is a product that you can feel good about serving.

It is hard to choose our favorite Bread Shed product (well maybe not for our Marketing Manager), but Brittany knows what she loves: “My favorite product of ours is the Toscano, hands down,” says Brittany. “It always has been and always will be. The Toscano is one of the first breads that I learned to bake from my uncle, but it isn’t my favorite just because of the nostalgia. I absolutely love the interior texture and the flavor of the wheat. The Toscano has a thin outer crust with a soft chewy interior. We offer it as our Rustic Baguette or our Toscano Deli loaves (which are spin-offs our traditional Italian Toscano loaf) and are more geared toward restaurants and cafes.”

You can find the Bread Shed in many grocery stores and schools in the area. And selling locally is important to Brittany. “I believe selling locally and the local food movement are important for many reasons. To start with, the food is cleaner. When you are buying from your local farmers and neighbors, the food is fresh and there aren’t any added preservatives. It’s also important that we put good food into our bodies. Also, I think the food is just so much more delicious! I also love seeing small businesses and my neighbors thrive. Great local food is becoming so much more accessible and it’s helping us build a stable foundation in our communities. It’s important that we can offer healthy, wholesome breads to our community and that we’re able to make it more accessible for everyone. I love being a part of the local food movement as a producer and a consumer.”

”Food Connects helps us reach territories that we currently do not distribute to. We do all of our own deliveries with exception to Food Connects, so we do not deliver very far beyond Southern NH and VT. Food Connects offers us an opportunity to share our products with more people which we love!” And we love working with them!

This incredibly delicious woman-owned business currently has 10 team members. “Our crew is extremely dedicated, and I couldn’t be luckier to have the team I do. We have been in business for about 9 years now and will be celebrating our 10th year next Spring.”

And if you are looking for something new from the Bread Shed, you’re in luck! “We have a newer product that has been exciting and popular. We make pretzels from spent brewers’ grains from local breweries. It’s a great way to reuse a product that otherwise will go to waste and they are amazing! We sell them to restaurants and breweries that freeze them and then bake them off and salt them as needed. They have been very popular and a fun recipe to develop!”

Local Gelato Company Donates to Keene State College

Frisky Cow Gelato (FCG), a gelato company based at Stonewall Farm in Keene, NH is donating to a new fund at Keene State College that supports activities to increase access to local food, bolster sustainability initiatives, and address issues of food insecurity for students.   

On March 3, 2020, FCG introduced a new custom flavor, called Mint Owl Crunch, to retail stores. The new flavor, described as “dark Belgian chocolate with all-natural mint flavor and crunchy red and white candy “owl pellets”, was developed by gelato artisan and company owner, Linda Rubin, as a special tribute to Keene State College (KSC). 

“Keene is a college town and I’m proud of the many roles KSC plays in helping to make our region of the state a very special place to live, learn, work and play in,” says Rubin. More than 400 students, faculty and staff were involved in the creation and naming of the dedicated flavor with special support from the college’s food services provider, Chartwells.  According to Rubin, $.15/pint of the sales from the Mint Owl Crunch will be donated to KSC for activities that address environmental and food insecurity issues. 

Frisky Cow Farm Products, Inc is a woman-owned business and an NH Benefit Corporation with a triple bottom line.  In addition to growing profits, the company is also dedicated to being a force for good in the community and the environment. The company also donates $.15/pint of sales from other flavors to local non-profits working to grow our local food system. 

Frisky Cow Gelato is sold at Keene State’s Lloyd’s Marketplace. It is one of several local products offered to students since Chartwells’ Higher Education became the new food service provider in August of 2018. According to Director of Campus Life, Jennifer Ferrell, KSC is nationally recognized for its commitment to sustainability which includes supporting projects that increase access to local food for students and faculty. 

“One of our foundational values as a public institution is sustainability,” says Ms. Ferrell. “Our partnership with Frisky Cow Gelato is in direct support of our plans to increase access to local food, bolster sustainability initiatives, and address issues of food insecurity amongst our students. According to the 2019 #RealCollege survey, administered by the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice and taken by nearly 167,000 students from 171 two-year institutions and 56 four-year institutions, 39% of respondents indicated they were food insecure in the prior 30 days.  

 “I think it’s critical, especially in rural communities, for people to invest in their local economies, take care of each other, support products, farms, restaurants, colleges, shops, and salons that bring color and vibrancy to our neighborhoods and towns and strengthen our local economy,” says Rubin.

Frisky Cow Gelato is currently being sold in 30 grocery stores, coops, restaurants, farm stands, and farm stores in parts of MA, VT, NH, and CT. 

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For more information, visit www.friskycowgelato.org, email at lrubin5010@gmail.com or call 603-757-2522. Instagram: #eatfrisky; Facebook: @friskycowgelato

About Frisky Cow Gelato: Frisky Cow Gelato is a small batch, premium, artisan gelato made from organic milk, sourced from local New Hampshire farms practicing regenerative agriculture.  It is a healthier and more flavorful alternative to American ice cream with half the saturated fat, fewer calories, and less churned-in air. Everything is made from scratch using organic and local ingredients (ie,  coffee, maple sugar, berries) are used when possible.  

Frisky Cow Gelato is a woman-owned NH Benefit Corporation dedicated to growing profits and being a force for good in the community and the environment. FCG is made at Stonewall Farm in Keene, NH using organic milk from their herd.  Stonewall Farm is the “Scoop shop” for the company during the summer months. A percent of sales are donated to area non-profits working to improve access to local food. Environmental goals strive to minimize the company’s carbon footprint.

February 2020 Food Hub Flyer

February 2020 Flyer

Producer Spotlight: Mayfair Farm

Photo by  Kate Preftakes Photography.

Tucked away in the quiet town on Harrisville, NH you will find a beautiful and family-run farm. Mayfair Farm, owned and operated by Sarah Heffron and Craig Thompson, is a mix of sustainable farming, culinary experiences, and spectacular events. Sarah, the chef, and Craig, the farmer, make for an excellent pairing and bring the delights of their farm to members all throughout the community.

“When I think about Mayfair Farm, I want it to be the type of place my grandfather would recognize from his farming days,” says Craig. “That means sheep on pasture, pigs in the woods, and diverse ventures including fruit trees, hay, and maple syrup. I also want it to be the sort of place that is welcoming to the public, a place where you might run into a friend or make a new one. I think we’ve accomplished that.” 

Photo from Mayfair Farm.

Mayfair Farm produces a variety of products, from meats and veggies to cakes and syrups. It is hard for us to chose a favorite! For Craig, it’s about the process “I like raising lambs more than anything. There are a lot of reasons to farm, but finding newborn lambs in the barn on a chilly morning has to be at the top of the list.” But for Sarah, it is a bit more difficult. “Choosing a favorite product is like choosing a favorite child: not possible! We love how versatile our cakes and brownies are. They are delicious as is or can easily be dressed up for a fancy dinner with whipped cream, ice cream, or fruit compote or coulis. Making made-to-order-cakes is always a special treat. We love sending out biscotti and our own maple syrup to friends across the country. And we also work with local designers to offer custom Mayfair products like tote bags and bandanas. Our customers can buy our products at retail outlets (thanks to Food Connects), online, and at the farm in our farm store.” 

No matter what their favorites are, they enjoy sharing them with the local community—and the local food movement is particularly important to them. “New Hampshire is a place where small, family-owned businesses still thrive. That goes for farms, too. It means something to us to know that we are a part of our friends’ and neighbors’ holidays and special occasions and that we’re not shrouded by anonymity or distance from our customers. We have a connection with our customers because they’re also our friends and neighbors.”

At Foood Connects, we are thrilled to start selling Mayfair Farm cakes after working with them as their vendor. “We spent the past few years breaking into the Boston market with our cakes, in December we introduced a new mini-almond cake for Whole Foods at their request, and now we are especially excited to find new outlets closer to home. We are happy customers of Food Connects, so we know how competent the organization is are and it is an exciting new relationship for us. We are thrilled to be able to share the local products that we love to make with all our regional neighbors.”

 On top of the delicious food they provide, Mayfair Farm hosts events throughout the year. Owning and operating a farm increasingly more and more difficult. Sarah and Craig understand the need to diversify their offerings and embrace agritourism. “The demand for weddings hosted and catered by Mayfair has never been higher. We love working with clients to create a unique, local menu and memorable event. Families and guests not only appreciate our sustainable approach, but also love our party barn, firepit, Airbnb rental house, hilltop view of Mt. Monadnock, and more. Weddings have become an integral part of our business model, alongside our farm store, farm dinners, and our diverse products sold through Food Connects.” 

Photo from Mayfair Farm.

Sarah and Craig take pride in feeding their clients like they feed their family. “Everything we create is ethically produced and made completely from scratch with ingredients from our farm and other local farms. That means our lamb, pork, sausage, cakes, and desserts not only taste great but support the local economy and are kind to the environment.”

So what are you waiting for? Try out their amazing, local products today!

January 2020 Food Hub Flyer

January 2020 Flyer

A Year in Review

This last quarter marked the end of a banner year for the Food Hub, a year in which we:

Julicia and Scott on the road.

• Built and moved into our new cold storage facility;

• Transitioned 100% of our operations to our central location in Brattleboro; 

• Hired a new Sales Manager and two new Operations Coordinators; 

• Launched new delivery routes to the Burlington, the Upper Valley, and to the Mt. Sunapee area of NH;

• Purchased a second refrigerated delivery van;

• Brought on more than a dozen new producers.

Nathanael on the road with a new refrigerated van,

In 2019 the Food Hub sold $562,840 of local food to local customers, representing approximately $465,000 of revenue paid back to farms and food producers in our area and 41% growth over total sales in 2018. In our largest sales week of the 4th quarter 2019 we sold, aggregated, and delivered $18,400 of food.

All of this change and growth sets the stage for building Food Connects into a gateway for moving smaller-scale, specialty food products from northern New England to larger population centers to the south. In Q1 and Q2 of 2020, we will launch a new software platform for managing inventory, e-commerce, and accounting. This tool will revolutionize our ability to generate sales through promotions, maintain traceability for food safety standards, accurately track and price in overhead costs, and coordinate everyday product movement logistics in our local service area and beyond. In partnership with Equinox Food Brokers, we will lead an initiative to create a “catalog” of specialty products from VT and NH food hubs and start sales and delivery of those products to retailers and distributors in MA, CT, RI, and NY. 

Inside our new cooler.

In all, we expect that 2020 will be a year of seeking out—and capitalizing on—new opportunities to push the boundaries of what a rural New England food hub can do. 

Producer Spotlight: Queen's Greens

Matt & Danya in a field of greens!

If you are looking for high-quality, beautiful local produce that is packed with flavor, look no further than Queen’s Greens. Located in Amherst, MA, Queen’s Green grows certified organic greens and root vegetables that you will definitely want on your plate at the next family gathering. Owners and founders, Danya Teitelbaum and Matt Biskup employ a small team of farmers and sell their products to restaurants, retailers, and universities in the region.

Their main specialty is soil-grown baby greens. In the summer their greens are grown outdoors and are full of flavor and terroir. In the winter they grow spinach in the soil in unheated high tunnels. The spinach freezes every night which makes it exceptionally sweet. Not only are their greens packed with delicious flavors, but their rainbow of root vegetables are sweet, flavorful, and packed with nutrition. 

Packed Gemstone Salad Mix, courtesy of @queensgreensfarm on Instagram.

“This time of year we love a classic spinach, roasted beet and goat cheese salad with our beets and spinach” exclaim Danya and Matt. We recommended adding some maple-sweetened and roasted walnuts to top off this delicious meal. You simply have to try it!

And it should come as no suprise that the local food movement is incredibly important to them.

“When you buy a case of spinach or a case of carrots from us that money stays in your community. Those dollars directly keep a family farm in business, keep a small business running, pay employees who are also all members of this community, pay local truckers, contractors, plumbers, trash collectors, accountants, and mechanics, pay local property taxes, and keeps land in agriculture. In short buying locally grown food keeps money and useful land in your community. Also, local food always tastes better!”

So why don’t you give Queen’s Greens a try next time you a looking for a delicious new local product? ”We love that Food Connects gets Queen's Greens into many meals in Vermont!” And we love their products!

December 2019 Food Hub Flyer

December 2019 Flyer

Producer Spotlight: Terra Nova Coffee

If you wander slightly off of Main Street in Keene, NH, you will find a a small Roastery and Espresso Bar attached to an antique store. This hip little space, a hidden gem for many locals, is home to Terra Nova Coffee. Now owned by Jeff and Eliza Murphy, Terra Nova Coffee is a staple of many residents frequenting the Brewbakers Cafe on Main Street.

Terra Nova Coffee is unique in that it is one of the few 100% USDA Organic and ethically-sourced coffee roasters in New England. “We are able to track every bean all the way back to the origin, which includes USDA certification in our facility, but also to international organic certifications at the source,” says Jeff Murphy. “What makes us unique though, is the people behind the product. This includes every hand along the supply chain, and most directly—our passionate team of roasters and baristas. We roast in small batches in our beautiful manual roaster in our tasting room where we customers are able to sample any of our coffees via pour over or our custom La Marzocco espresso machine.”

Jeff particularly loves their single origin Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, with its complex floral, tea, and blueberry notes. But he finds that he has different "favorites" throughout the year. “Coffee origins can change from lot to lot based on growing conditions each season. It's always exciting to cup new lots and experience these variances and adjust our processes to best suit their profiles.” And if you want to try something a little different, Jeff recommends the delicious espresso blend in their Vanilla Cardamom Latte with local Manning Hill Farm milk.

Choosing to be part of the downtown Keene community and selling locally is important to Jeff. “Downtown Keene is a special place. I am amazed every year how many visitors we see coming from around the country, and around the world to experience our quintessential downtown. It is beautiful and unique, and we have a culture in Keene of support for existing and new businesses that operate in our growing footprint of downtown. It is the partnership between our citizens, businesses, and city officials that has really fortified downtown Keene as a key point in our local economy. We are excited for the growth and development that is slated in the coming years in Keene!”

Jeff not only sells locally, but buys locally as well. As a downtown business, he knows how important it is to support his friends and neighbors. “The local food movement and economy is important to me because it is what makes our region unique and special. By supporting local businesses; you are supporting your neighbors, helping to create jobs, reducing our carbon footprint, and supporting a strong network that can not be replaced by giant corporations or Amazon. The local food movement is important to me because fresh and direct is always best! I love interacting with our local farms and producers; learning about their processes and seeing behind the scenes of their work, knowing that our support goes directly to local families and individuals.”

“Being a small business owner wearing many hats every day,” says Jeff. “I have found Food Connects to be a valuable partner. They have helped us reach out to dozens of new customers by identifying potential sales channels, distributing samples, and marketing assets. Our wholesale customer base has grown throughout our time with Food Connects, and with two weekly deliveries we are able to get product to our customers quickly and maintain the freshness that we can stand behind.”

We are excited to continue to grow with Terra Nova. Be sure to stop in to one of their locations next time your are in Keene to meet the unique people behind the coffee. And keep an eye out for their seasonal Fireside Blend to hit the shelves this holiday season!

November 2019 Food Hub Flyer

November 2019 Flyer

Food Connects Favorites: Free Verse Farm

RICHARD’S FAVORITE: FREE VERSE FARM

HERBES DE VERMONT

Buying local food is important to the work that we do. But almost just as important is its preparation! And that’s where Free Verse Farm comes in.

Located in Chelsea, Vermont, Free Verse Farm joined the Food Connects in early 2019. It is a beautiful Vermont farm perched on another beautiful hillside overlooking forests and valleys. And its your farming family working hard to raise a livelihood from the land. Owned by Taylor and Misha, artists and farmers, Free Verse Farm is small herb farm and apothecary specializing in naturally-grown tisanes (herbal teas), culinary herbs, medicinals, and herbal remedies.

One of their great products of their Herbes de Vermont, a popular culinary herb blend made with freshly dried herbs from their farm. It had a great depth of flavor to a variety of savory meals—in particular savory pancakes, meats, and grilled chicken.

I like how take the “Herbes de Provence” concept and creatively adapt it to Vermont. Its taking the idea of “terroir,” which is implicit here with so many great local products, and making it explicit, more like in Europe. I think its something that more local food consumers need to embrace and help local producers promote more.

Want to learn more about the farm? Check out their Producer Spotlight!

Meet Our New Operations & Fleet Coordinator—Nathanael Matthiesen

Join Food Connects in welcoming Nathanael Matthiesen to the Food Hub Team. Nathanael is our new Operations and Fleet Coordinator, responsible for delivering orders, assisting with IT, and overseeing and maintaining the Food Hubs growing fleet of vehicles.

Nathanael comes to Food Connects from the Brattleboro Food Co-op and is very interested Food Connect’s mission. “As a small farmer myself, I have been particularly excited about the Food Hub, which is doing indispensable work for local agriculture in our region,” says Nathanael. “I am extremely excited to be a part of the Food Connects team, as it dovetails perfectly with my other endeavors in life, and I am proud to be involved with an organization that is making a difference in my local community. We have a great team and I am looking forward to being a part of the Food Hub’s growth and future success. I know we are already a model for the state of Vermont and I am glad to play a part.”

As a local farmer Nathanael is invested in the local food movement for a myriad of reasons:

“As someone who studied large-scale economic systems, it became apparent to me that something about our system is broken. Although the issues cannot be parsed down to one root cause, I believe that local, sustainable agriculture is of paramount importance to solving our larger environmental and economic issues.

Aside from the environmental and economic impact of local food, food brings people and communities together and fosters a sense of place, identity, and shared history. In a world where we are increasingly disconnected and distanced from our neighbors, local food provides an opportunity to build bridges and connections. It also ensures that dollars remain local and keeps small towns thriving instead of repatriating capital to far-flung regions of the country and even world.

Additionally, the local food movement is providing innovative solutions and alternatives to the severe health issues that our society is facing in the wake of the so-called Green Revolution, Big Ag’s dominance, and the pervasiveness of processed, GMO, and pesticide laden food.”

Nathanael is already out on the road making deliveries!

And Nathanael is very excited to grow with us. “I believe that Food Connects will continue to be a model for the state and region and I foresee growth of the Food Hub, as well as the more mission-based work of the organization. I am excited to be a part of this growth as the Food Hub enters a new phase in a new physical space, and couldn’t be more proud to play a part in making a difference for our region. Working here is a natural extension of my interests and experience, and I hope that I can offer the organization the experience and insight that I have gleaned over the years as a farmer and someone who has studied these issues from a more academic perspective in the past.”

Nathanael spends most of his time outside of Food Connects working on his small farm and spending time with his wife and two year-old son. When he does have time outside of that he enjoys tinkering with machines and computers, photography, music and collecting vinyl records, hiking and generally being outdoors. In the recent past, he was an avid rock-climber, and looks forward to getting back into the sport in the future.

Nathanael’s favorite food is pizza! “Although I am dedicated to local food, I have a secret inclination to foods that aren’t good for me. You can’t change everything at once, right?” When he was little, he wanted to be a race car driver or teacher, but we are glad he ended up working with us!

Be sure to say hi to Nathanael when he delivers local food to you!

Producer Spotlight: Mycoterra Farm

It’s time to meet one of our newest producers—Mycoterra Farm! Founded by Julia Coffey, Mycoterra Farm is a mushroom farm in South Deerfield, MA. All of their mushrooms are handcrafted in small batches and picked fresh for delivery. And boy, are they delicious!

Something really unique about Mycoterra Farm is that they are a woman-owned and women-run operation. They are also Certified Organic and operate at a unique mid-level scale. “We produce year round indoors in small batches” says Julia. “We also maintain our own culture library and produce all of our own spawn in house.“

With all the different varieties to grow, it is hard for us to pick a favorite. “I absolutely adore shiitake. While we grow more ‘exotic’ species, shiitake are our most popular product for a reason. They are known for their umami taste, they act as a natural flavor enhancer for any dish.”

Producing great food is important to what Julia does at Mycoterra Farm but her work goes beyond that. “We farm to feed people. We feel like it makes sense to start at home and to extend outwards into the community. It’s important to have connections with you neighbors, community, farmers, customers. We thrive on being anchored in an abundant and fruitful local web.“

“Food Connects is vibrant and up and coming with a ton of potential. We are thrilled for the new reach and connections our relationship will build.” And we are excited to work with Mycoterra! Food Connects is fortunate to have such a great local food champion in our family.

October 2019 Food Hub Flyer

October 2019 Flyer

Producer Spotlight: Vermont Salumi

There is a certain artistry when it comes to handmade charcuterie and Peter Roscini Colman, founder of Vermont Salumi, has it down to a science. Pete grew up on Cate Farm, a pioneer of Vermont's organic movement and spent summers in Umbria with his family. Through his family connections studied under famed butchers who taught him the methods, techniques, and centuries-old traditions of salumi-making.

Vermont Salumi the first company in Vermont to produce traditional Italian salami and sausage and Pete takes pride in his work, “I really enjoy each of the products we produce, if I don't like it, I don't make it!” And one bite of their Proscuitto Cuto will have you convinced.

But even with roots aboard selling his products locally it of the utmost importance to Pete. “The local food economy elevates the quality of food I eat and it keeps our dollars in the state supporting our neighbors. Food Connects helps us reach a new thriving customer base that we didn't have access to previously.”

And for the future of Vermont Salumi? “We are working on opening a new retail store front in Barre, Vermont—along with a slew of new products. We'll keep you posted!”

Our Food Hub Hits Record Sales Growth

The cooler jam-packed with local food!

Thanks to the support of our customers and tireless work of our producers, the Food Hub is growing—and growing quickly! Between July and the end of September, Food Connects sold and transported $202,100 of local food. That means FC sales grew 60% over the previous quarter, and 61% over the same period in 2018. Our largest sales week totaled $19,055, which represents a 46% increase over our strongest week in 2018. Since this time last year, we have added 16 new producers to our regular catalog. Items from those new producers accounted for sales of more than $36,000 in Q3 and $60,000 in 2019 to-date.

While our small-but-mighty staff hustles to move more and more weekly orders, we are laying the groundwork for future growth. In Q3, among other projects, we:

• bought a second refrigerated van for our delivery fleet; 

• added an Operations Coordinator position; 

• saw our cooler/freezer facility construction project nearing completion; 

• began transitioning online sales to a new platform; 

• and launched a new delivery route to the Mt. Sunapee area in New Hampshire.

New cooler, mid construction.

The next two quarters will be no less busy. In October, we will finally move 100% of our operations into our new Brattleboro facility, where we’ll be able to handle, store, and care for products to the highest possible standards, and where we’ll have the space to continue this year’s rate of growth into 2020 and beyond. In Q4, we’ll begin regular routes to the Pioneer Valley, to the Upper Valley, and all the way to Burlington. With these new routes, Food Connects will tap into areas that have never before been served by a wholesale food hub. We’ll also access new products for our catalog, so that all our customers can enjoy an even broader selection of the exceptional foods this region has to offer. 

Food Connects Favorites: Liebe Bavarian Style Quark

Food Connects works with so many amazing producers, offering such a wide variety of great products, it is sometimes hard to pick out something new to try. So we are introducing Food Connects Favorites—a blog to highlight some of our staff’s favorite products.

JULICIA’S FAVORITE: LIEBE BARVARIAN STYLE QUARK

STRAWBERRY KISS

It’s back to school time for schools across the U.S. We see yogurts galore flying off the shelves and filling up the lunchboxes of students heading back to school. They’re even great for a mid-work snack. So why don’t you try something different and have some Liebe Bavarian Style Quark produced by Commonwealth Dairy, or more commonly known as Green Mountain Creamery, located in Brattleboro, VT.

What I love about this product not only taste great, but it great for you. It is rich in proteins and probiotics and has limited sugar and no artificial colors or flavors. This particular product contains two types of healthy bacteria that are great for you, unlike traditional yogurts that contain one.

If the healthy bit doesn’t convince you, the flavor will. It’s sweet, creamy, and hits the spot. If you like Greek yogurt I would recommend you try Liebe. It’s very similar to Greek yogurt but is thicker and creamier—it kind of reminds me of a cheesecake that you don’t have to feel guilty eating for breakfast.

I am a busy lady, always on the go and this product helps me keep up with that life-style. It’s great on the go breakfast item for me. I usually will just eat it as is or add it into my morning smoothies. This product has become a delicious part of my morning routine.

Shop our online market today to order your quark!

September 2019 Food Hub Flyer

September 2019 Flyer