Our Story

We began with a challenge: How do mission-driven businesses scale without selling out?

Why? Organically Grown Company (OGC) is one of the largest distributors of organic produce in the United States. For more than 43 years, OGC has been an industry leader, promoting health through organic agriculture and sustainable business practices. Over the decades, OGC evolved through numerous ownership structures – founded as a nonprofit, evolving to a co-op, an S-Corp and an ESOP.  

OGC was faced with a business challenge: They wanted to provide liquidity to founders and scale the company, without selling out.

OGC was looking for a long-term ownership solution that would allow it to remain purpose-driven and independent. Rather than solely pursuing profit maximization, OGC’s purpose is to support organic agriculture and to benefit its partner stakeholders.

In pursuit of this goal, OGC pioneered a unique ownership structure to serve its evolving needs. In 2018, OGC created the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Perpetual Purpose Trust (“SFAPPT”), set up as an Oregon Benefit Company and transferred majority ownership to the Trust.

Looking toward the future: At the time the SFAPPT was established its founders understood that OGC was not alone. Many other organic and natural food trade peers are also looking for ownership solutions that lock in mission and values beyond profit maximization alone, such as commitments to stakeholders such as employees, farmers and the communities in which they operate. For this reason, the SFAPPT was established and set up to own additional companies into the future.