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Independently owned, organic grocery store. Our Annex serves prepared foods and offers a selection of wine and beer. Our florists are here to help you with fresh local cuts and dried bouquets.

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10367 San Pablo Ave.
(510) 526-1155
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10387 San Pablo Ave.
(510) 526-5150
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1336 Gilman St.
(510) 526-2456
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Home / Archives for Food Sheds

Women’s History Month: Veritable Vegetable

March 22, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

We are celebrating Women’s History Month by calling attention to some of our local vendors that are women owned!

Veritable Vegetable

CEO: Mary Jane Evans
Chief Administrative Officer: Shira Tanner
Director of Purchasing: Bu Nygrens
Director of Sales: Karen Salinger

Meet Veritable Vegetable, a women-owned and led organic produce distribution company based in San Francisco, California. Established in 1974, they source and deliver the freshest and highest quality produce, with unmatched service to our stores several times a week.

Powered by a zero-emission green fleet and driven by purpose, they put their values in action to build a sustainable and equitable food system.

Veritable Vegetable supports organic farmers, increases access to fresh produce, and strengthens diverse communities. Their unique, values-driven business model encourages political change, impacts food policy, and demonstrates a radically different approach to distributing organic produce.

Sustainable and regenerative systems increase energy and resources and are life-affirming. Veritable Vegetable envisions our environment, our economy, and our communities as sustainable systems.

As a women-led business, they take a forward-thinking and innovative approach to solving complex problems. They create a fair and dynamic workplace through cooperative and collaborative leadership. Veritable Vegetable deeply values the people who make up their community of staff, growers, customers, and community partners; collective labor is fundamental to the organic trade.

Leadership by Women

Veritable Vegetable knows raising women up raises all people. As a women-led business, they apply a systems-thinking approach to solving complex problems. Collaboration, cooperation and deep listening are critical. They are committed to sharing their resources and knowledge, creating an inclusive workplace, and modeling effective women’s leadership.

  • 45% of staff are women; Veritable Vegetable offers unlimited opportunities for women
  • Robust training program & professional development for all staff; promote from within
  • Long-term reciprocal relationships, in business & beyond
  • Participatory working groups & task forces to address workplace challenges
  • Share best practices with national networks

“We strive for excellence in our work, transparency in our relationships, and integrity through our actions.” – Veritable Vegetable
We love what they do!

We’ve put together raffle baskets that feature this great women owned business along with several others. Stop by the Berkeley or El Cerrito Stores to enter.
 
Thank you Veritable Vegetable!

Filed Under: Blog, Business Practices, Food Sheds, Know Your Farmer, Organic foods, Stores_both

Thank You St. John’s Family Farms!

February 12, 2022 by The Natural Grocery Company

St. John’s Family Farms are one of our 40th Anniversary sponsors. In every raffle tote you will find a coupon for a dozen of their eggs, redeemable in our stores.

Their hens are carefree and pasture-raised. They explore, play games of chicken, and never have to cross the road. Best of all, they lay darn delicious eggs.

  • Small flocks, free to roam, roost, and graze on green pasture
  • Custom-blended, Non-GMO feed feed all sourced from the USA
  • Eggs are hand collected, packed, and delivered fresh

Healthy food comes from a healthy environment. This all boils (in St. John’s case steams) down to location, trust, and attitude. Nestled among walnut orchards and open pastureland in Corning California, St. John Family Farms is organically growing and prospering.
 
They have taken land that was once dry & desolate and farmed it to be lush & green. It’s a perfect home for their Outdoor Hens. As a Non-GMO Project Verified farm, you can trust the transparency and traceability of their food sources. Their healthy farm thrives on human kindness. From the farm’s passionate owners to its dedicated employees and team of livestock guardian dogs, we are committed to keeping our environment safe for all.
Thank You St. John’s Family Farms!

Filed Under: Blog, Food Sheds, Know Your Farmer, Non-GMO, Pasture Raised, Stores_both, Sustainability

Organic Fair Trade Cherry Tomatoes from Del Cabo

October 13, 2021 by The Natural Grocery Company

Changing Lives Through Food

The del Cabo Project’s roots stretch back to 1980, when husband and wife co-founders Larry Jacobs and Sandra Belin began farming in coastal California. By fate, their paths crossed with a group of struggling farmers in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico and together they embarked on a radical mission united by passion.

Today, they farm nearly five thousand acres of field-grown and greenhouse-grown herbs, tomatoes and other delicious veggies.

We Thrive Together

“Our mission is brought to life through the collaboration with our del Cabo farmers — who passionately grow organic products all along the Baja California coast. Our work together provides these farmers with thriving and sustainable farming economies that have transformed and empowered their communities.”, says the del Cabo people.

Putting People First

The del Cabo collective was born in 1985 when co-founders Larry and Sandra met a group of small-scale farmers in San Jose del Cabo. They found these farmers to be some of the best people on this planet who worked really hard, but were not in the right place to make a good living.

The goal of the del Cabo collective was to connect these communities with good products and teach them how to grow food in a way that’s healthy for them, for the consumer, and for the planet.

Less Plastic for Our Planet

Jacobs Farm del Cabo is excited to introduce their newest paper-based pack as an alternative to single-use plastic clamshells. In this year alone, the new paperboard pack is projected to reduce their plastic waste by half a million pounds!

The introduction of paper-based clamshells is part of our steady and multifaceted shift away from plastic toward more sustainable materials, and we’re proud to announce that Del Cabo’s new paperboard pack is as clean and green as it gets!

The pack is made with 100% recycled paperboard and provides a clear view of the bright and flavorful product inside with a plant-based, cellulose window that is certified compostable both commercially AND at home!

The Natural Grocery Company will always ask for this packaging from our distributors but it may not always be available.

Season: In October Del Cabo grows their Fair Trade tomatoes in Mexico

Flavor: Sweet & Juicy, “Nature’s Candy”.

Storage: Keep unwashed in their container on the counter. If they begin to soften you can pop them into the fridge for a few extra days of shelf life. Optimal storage is between 55F and 65F.

How to use: Crudite, snacking, pasta, and salads.

Nutrition: Promotes skin health, improves vision, decrease the risk of oxidative stress, and an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Filed Under: Blog, Food politics, Food Sheds, Produce Notes, Stores_both, Sustainability

Choosing Fair Trade bananas makes a difference

October 10, 2021 by The Natural Grocery Company

Photo from Fair Trade International

  • Fairtrade banana producers are paid a Fairtrade Minimum Price that acts as a safety net against falling prices. This price varies by region, factoring in local conditions and aiming to cover the average costs of sustainable production.
  • Plantation workers and small-scale banana farmers also receive a Fairtrade Premium – an extra sum of money that farmers and workers invest in business or community projects of their choice. Banana workers have often used the Premium to improve their housing, build schools and clinics, or offer other benefits they see a need for.
  • The Fairtrade Standards are designed to improve employment conditions and protect the rights of workers in the large plantations where the majority of export bananas are grown. In recent years Fairtrade has undertaken pioneering work to define and progress toward living wages for banana workers.
  • For smallholder farms, Fairtrade supports these banana growers to improve their income and their bargaining position in banana supply chains that are often dominated by larger entities.

Season: Bananas are grown in tropical areas and can produce nearly year-round, so seasonality is not particularly relevant to the fruit. Bananas are not grown in California.

Flavor: The flavor changes as they ripen. Green bananas are more starchy, very firm and less sweet. As they ripen the taste has been described as having melon, pineapple, candy and clove flavor notes. Yellow bananas have higher sugar concentrations and therefore taste sweeter. Finally, when the peel has become brown, the banana contains notes which are reminiscent of vanilla, honey and rum and the texture is very soft.

Storage: Ripen green bananas on the counter. You can also store them on the counter – but note that they will continue to ripen, and sometimes quickly, depending on how warm it is. If they are too green for you then put them in a plastic bag with an apple to help ripen them.

You can also use bananas’ ethylene gas to your advantage: to ripen a hard avocado overnight, stick it in a paper bag with a ripe banana. The banana’s ethylene gas will work its magic on the avocado, making it perfectly ripe and ready for your next batch of guacamole.

How to use: The most common way to eat bananas is of course, out of hand. But they’re also used for a variety of sweet and savory dishes. Very ripe bananas are perfect for baking in dishes such as Banana Bread.

Bananas freeze beautifully — just peel them and stick them in a zip-top bag for use in smoothies or banana ice cream. If you’re going to freeze them, go one step further and make chocolate covered bananas for an instant dessert.

Nutrition: Bananas are really, really good for you! One medium-sized banana will give you about 12 percent of your daily fiber needs, plus lots of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium and manganese. Bananas even have a bit of protein, iron and calcium.

Our stores only carry organic produce!

Filed Under: Blog, Food politics, Food Sheds, Produce Notes, Stores_both

Pachamama Coffee of the Month: Mexico

September 16, 2021 by The Natural Grocery Company

Mexico happens to be Pachamama’s coffee of the month, and since September marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we thought sharing this blog would be helpful, informative, and provide a new perspective about coffee’s wonderful, labor-love journey from seed to cup.

We present Pachamama’s latest Blog,  Journey to the Origin.  Their Creative Director, Rosa,  recounts her discovery of coffee’s incredible journey from seed to cup while visiting one of Pachamama’s owner cooperatives: La Union Regionnal Cooperative, in Veracruz, Mexico.

We hope you find the time to read about her experience.  It’s a short read that demonstrates how Pachamama Coffee is one of the most sustainable coffees the Natural Grocery can offer our customers. It is available in our El Cerrito Store.

Filed Under: Blog, Bulk Foods, Business Practices, El Cerrito Store, Food Sheds, Know Your Farmer, Organic farming, Organic foods, Sustainability

Farm Discovery Day

October 4, 2016 by WineAndBeer

We had a blast visiting the McClelland’s Dairy Farm this past weekend. At an event sponsored by Organic Valley, they pulled out all the fun farm toys! We got to spend time with calfs, shake and make butter, drive mini tractors, play in corn pits and drink milk (lots of milk!). Check out the pictures for a diary of the day. It’s always wonderful to see where our food comes from. I couldn’t help but pick up a dozen of their eggs before heading back to the city. Their bird’s beaks never get clipped so they roam the fields and eat tons of bugs and grass…all the good flavor making ingredients that lead to yummy eggs.

Don’t worry if you missed the event. McClelland’s eggs and Organic Valley milk and dairy products are available at our stores. img_3035img_3094img_3080img_3073img_3075img_3084
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Filed Under: Blog, Eating Well, Events, Farm Visits, Food Sheds, Know Your Farmer, Non-GMO, Organic farming, Organic foods, Pasture Raised, Special Events

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EL CERRITO STORE
10367 San Pablo Ave.
(510) 526-1155
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10367 San Pablo Ave.
(510) 526-5150
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1336 Gilman St.
(510) 526-2456
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