The Common Market

This week, we welcomed representatives from Houston Methodist, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Aramark, Goose Creek CISD, Sam Houston State University, and The University of Texas at San Antonio to The Common Market Texas warehouse for a day of connection and collaboration. Guests toured our facility, previewed new local products, and enjoyed a delicious farm-to-table lunch featuring some of the Texas ingredients we proudly distribute. Together, we explored what it means to nourish communities through intentional, values-driven sourcing. Thanks for visiting! Hallie Casey | Jeremy Logan | Rachel Terry

Headed to the Southern Family Farmers and Food Systems Conference in San Marcos, TX? You won't want to miss The Common Market Texas' Hallie Casey sharing her experience with "Accessing the Farm to School Demand in Texas and Opportunities" as part of a panel discussion alongside other leaders in the field.

The Georgia ACRE Collective’s Local Foods Incentive School Pilot Program is laying the foundation for a stronger Georgia, one where students thrive and small farms have access to stable, local markets. Thank you to Atlanta Public Schools, Marietta City School Nutrition, and Rockdale County Public Schools for your participation over the last two years 👏 We look forward to expanding the program in the Fall and serving South Atlanta High School! Learn how schools, farmers, and students are growing a better food system in Georgia in our newest blog post (in the comments below.) Emily Hennessee| Tegan Hagy, MPH | Cindy Kanarek Culver, MS, RDN, LD, FAND

Forward contracts aren’t just a procurement tool—they’re a lifeline for small and mid-sized farmers. By guaranteeing demand before the season starts, forward contracts give farmers the confidence to invest: in equipment, labor, regenerative practices, and long-term planning. This kind of market security is exactly what’s needed to build resilient, equitable, and climate-aligned regional food systems. That’s why I’m proud to partner with and support The Common Market and Georgia ACRE collective, who's work to champion forward contracting is transforming what’s possible for local producers and the institutions they serve. Together, we’re proving that public procurement can be a powerful engine for food systems change—when it’s designed with farmers at the center. #RegenerativeAgriculture #ForwardContracts #FoodSystemsChange #FarmToInstitution #GoodFoodProcurement #TheCommonMarket #ClimateSmartAg #InstitutionalBuying #LocalFoodSystems

I don’t even know how many farms, flour mills, crush plants, and feed mills I’ve been to for clients over the last 6+ years. They’ve spanned at least 15 states. But, today, I finally got to do one 10 minutes from my home right here in New Jersey. My son was shocked that I wasn’t flying to Chicago first. Lots of people don’t know the Garden State really does deserve its nickname. And Melick’s Town Farm is a wonderful example of some of the best the state has to offer. I parked at the library, trotted through a “story walk,” passed the town playground and ball fields before arriving at their packing facility. The tenth generation of the Melick family - John, Rebecca, and Peter - alongside about 25 year-round employees run an impressively diversified operation including dozens of varieties of fruits and veggies, a handful of wine grapes on the ridges that they process themselves, a cider operation, 2 retail stores, and a fabulous fall u-pick business. But I was there on behalf of long-time client, The Common Market who helps them access another market segment - institutions. John explained how they’ve appreciated having a customer who actually wants the smaller fruit. So, they go through and do a first pick of smaller apples that fit best in the hands and mouths of kiddos at schools across the region. What a joy to be able to help capture all they’re doing for their employees, community, their customers’ nutrition and food safety, and the environment to help get more of their good food out into the world! Plus, I came home with 4 sacks of sugar plums, 2 varieties of cherries, and a sack of the year’s first Jersey peaches which they just stared picking this week. 🧡 Grow Well Consulting

This week marks 17 years since our very first local food delivery rolled out of Philadelphia in July 2008. What began as one truckload and a bold vision from our co-founders, Haile Johnston and Tatiana Granados, has grown into a national movement for sustainable, regional food systems and access to fresh, local foods. Every order, every partnership, every shared value helps move us closer to a more vibrant, equitable food system. Thank you for being a part of our journey—and here’s to what we’ll grow next, together.

All smiles at our Southeast warehouse! 🌟 Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Summer Open House! From warehouse tours to tasting the newest products our region has to offer (like yellow watermelon!), it was a day full of connection, collaboration, and celebration. With each gathering, we grow the movement to bring fresh, regional food to more communities. Kameko Nichols | Bill Green | Rachel Terry

Meet us in San Antonio! ✈️ We’re proud to share that Warren DeShields, SNS, Executive Director of The Common Market Mid-Atlantic, will be attending the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference, July 13–15. Warren brings decades of experience in school nutrition and a deep commitment to ensuring students have access to fresh, regionally sourced food. His presence at #ANC25 is one more way The Common Market continues to grow partnerships and lead the way in farm-to-school innovation. Whether you're a long-time customer or interested in how The Common Market can support your program, make sure to say hello to Warren! 👋

Big news from our Texas team: The Common Market Texas just passed its first-ever SQF food safety audit. 👏 SQF certification is one of the most rigorous food safety standards in the country, and we’re now one of the few food hubs in the U.S. to achieve it. This milestone opens doors to bring more local food to institutions and build stronger, more secure markets for our farmers. Huge kudos to our Houston team! This is what commitment to excellence looks like—and we’re just getting started. Heather Luken | Hallie Casey | Jeremy Logan | Tatiana Granados 

It was such a joy to welcome members of the Morrison Healthcare team to our Mid-Atlantic warehouse! From tasting local bites, to touring our facility with the operations team, to celebrating our shared vision, the visit was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when healthcare institutions commit to using their purchasing power toward building regional, sustainable food systems. We’re proud to partner with Morrison Healthcare, Compass Group, and Foodbuy USA to support values-based purchasing that benefits farmers, patients, and the planet. Compass One Healthcare | Bill McCann | Colin Andersen | Warren DeShields, SNS | Rachel Terry | Angevin Brailsford | Dimple Acharya