
I am so proud to announce that Whole Foods Market has recently hit a total of $2.5 million in loans through our Local Producer Loan Program! That’s over a million dollars a year for the past two years in financing to help local farmers and food artisans expand their businesses. That’s a lot of change! When we launched the program in 2007, the state of the economy was very different.
One of my favorite aspects of running Whole Foods Market's Local Producer Loan Program is getting to learn about interesting new products. Gluten-free, organic, vegan granola? Check. Wine sorbet? Check. Dairy-free coconut milk ice cream? Check!
Since you meet them in the aisles of our stores, you probably know that our Whole Foods Market Team Members are passionate about food. What you may not know is that our local vendors are some of the most zealous food people you'll ever find! These folks have devoted their lives - often at great financial risk and always with great personal dedication - to making high-quality, natural food. Pretty incredible!