Who We Are
Driving the organic eating revolution
For over 40 years, our vision has been to make the world a better place, one organic produce delivery at a time.
With hands in the soil, we founded Organically Grown Company back in 1978. It was a company built on the belief that organic food is simply the best way to nourish people while protecting the planet.
Today, we’ve grown to become the nation’s largest independent and only trust-owned distributor of organic produce from farms of all sizes.
It’s never been easy to be an organic farmer and getting fresh produce to market can be a challenge. But, it’s important work and it’s what sparked our work in 1978, and what keeps us in business today.
With the growth of our company has come change. Originally established as a nonprofit farmer cooperative, we evolved as the organic marketplace matured. Our spirit of caring for each other is evident in our progression from a co-op, to a nonprofit, and later an employee-owned business (ESOP). In 2018, we registered as a Benefit Corporation and transitioned our ownership to the Sustainable Food and Agriculture Perpetual Purpose Trust (SFAPPT), embedding our mission into our governance and bylaws.
We Focus on Purpose Over Profit into Perpetuity.
The SFAPPT will ensure that we company deliver positive economic, social and environmental impacts and maintains our independence into perpetuity, never to be sold.
We are proud of our roots and we are proud to be fully committed to a sustainable future. You can see our commitment in action every day. It’s visible in how we care about our staff, in how we help organic growers through our LADYBUG Brand, in how we use energy efficient transportation and in how we provide community support.
Get a glimpse of a day in the life of OGC
Learn how we’re using profits to keep the business healthy and viable, while serving our mission and stakeholder community into perpetuity.
In 2018, we pioneered a strategic ownership structure to set the company up for success for generations to come. In doing this, we continued our legacy as a change leader in the organic industry and launched the Sustainable Food & Agriculture Perpetual Purpose Trust. Learn about this alternative ownership model that sets OGC apart, aligns with our mission and brand, and paves the way for others in the organic trade.
We believe that steward ownership has the capacity to transform our economy.
We believe ownership, governance and finance matters. The time has come for new models that balance governance and returns across multiple stakeholders and reset the goals and incentives that drive corporate behavior. Models that treat businesses not as commodity to be bought and sold, but as a living system – a group of people working together towards a shared purpose.
We Proudly Stand For People, Produce & The Planet
Around here, people come first. (Followed closely by really smart business practices.)
Our LADYBUG Brand represents premium organic produce from family-run farms big and small.
Our commitment to our purpose and sustainability is part of everything we do.
Taking care of the place where we live. We’re proud to support our community.
“We’re trying to save the world, so our ambition is massive.”
DAVID LIVELY, OGC RETIRED CO-FOUNDER