“Buying and eating food grown and made in our community helps farmers earn fair pay, promotes healthy regenerative agriculture practices and creates sustainable local economic impact.”
The family-owned business offers year-round delivery of vegetables, meats, bread and more and supports over 300 area farmers in the process.
Check out our full interview with Mother Earth Food below….
Tell us about your business and the role you play in it. Include overview of products or services, mission, when you chartered, etc…
Based in Asheville, NC, Mother Earth Food is a year-round local grocery delivery service sourcing products from over 300 local and regional farms and food artisans. Mother Earth Food delivers vegetables, meats, seafood, dairy, eggs, bread, baked goods, and much more to residents in western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina with the mission of building resilient local food systems, which support a thriving planet and feed our community sustainably.
Where did your vision begin? How has it grown?
Our Founders, Andrea DuVall and Graham DuVall, started the company as Mother Earth Produce in 2012. We have grown from a small-scale operation to a trusted leader in the local food movement. Mother Earth Food is constantly welcoming new vendors and product lines and continues to be an outlet resource for local farmers and vendors, providing them with a viable income and supporting their important work. Mother Earth Food put over $2 million into the pockets of our small farms and food businesses in 2020 alone and over $6MM since inception.
Who are your key partners?
Mother Earth Food partners with over 300 area farmers and vendors like Buchi Kombucha, Farm to Home Milk, West End Bakery, Hickory Nut Gap, Dynamite Roasting Company, Colfax Creek Farm, Greenshire Farms, and many more. See more of Mother Earth Food’s partners here.
What has been your greatest challenge? Your greatest victory?
During the pandemic, Mother Earth Food grew 450% in 6 weeks due to displaced suppliers from restaurants and farmers markets closing and customers seeking safe and convenient grocery home delivery. Both ends of the spectrum were brought together with infrastructure and operations already in place. This rapid growth showed us all the value and importance of meeting food security issues with community support, strength, and resilience. The obstacles we faced and overcame during that time have been one of our greatest challenges and victories. With over 3,000 new customers on the waitlist early on in the pandemic, we put new systems in place, restructured operations, added to the team, and increased delivery routes from 7 to 21. Navigating this was a testament to our entire team and community.
What does the word “community” mean to you?
Supporting one another to keep dollars in our community so we can build resilience in certain and uncertain times. Buying and eating food grown and made in our community helps farmers earn fair pay, promotes healthy regenerative agriculture practices and creates sustainable local economic impact.