what is piedmont fresh?

Piedmont Fresh is a food hub located in Thomasville, North Carolina. We offer fresh local produce, pasture-raised meats and artisan foods. Our vendor farms, nurseries and food artisans are located within a 100-mile radius of our food hub. Our value-added products offered on our site use local ingredients where possible. The goal of Piedmont Fresh is to make locally grown, raised and made products more accessible to all residents of the Triad.

IS PIEDMONT FRESH RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

Are you ready to expand your market? Are you an existing small farm, food, and garden business and would like to grow your business responsibly? Then Piedmont Fresh may be a good fit.

If you are a new business and are just getting started, you may want to contact the Entrepreneurial program at NC State, and reference NCDA Starting a home-based business resource. If you are a beginner farmer, we recommend you start at your local farmers market first and contact your local extension agent to certify your products. You will be able to receive immediate feedback from consumers and fine tune your products.

ELIGIBILITY:

The emphasis for Piedmont Fresh is food that is grown, harvested, processed and packaged in the Piedmont Triad. Only food and artisan goods grown, raised or produced at an independently owned producer’s farm, business location or certified commercial kitchen are eligible to be listed on Piedmont Fresh’s online market. Your farm or business must also be located within a 100-mile radius of our food hub.

If you are a value-added producer, fruits, vegetables and herbs used in processed foods should be primarily grown or harvested by the producer or purchased from a local grower.

We are currently accepting applications for vendors. Before you apply, please note that all vendors must have product liability insurance. Please review and check what certifications and licenses you may need to sell your product on our platform.

Piedmont Fresh is currently accepting applications on a rolling basis. However applications will close April 30th. Applications will open again annually late October if we have room for more vendors.

LABELLING requirements

FRESH PRODUCE

All products must be clearly labeled.

  • Item name ex. Broccoli

  • Party responsible for packaging ex. Moby’s Greenhouse

  • Quantity of item ex. 1 bunch

VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS

The following requirements apply to ALL prepared food, including those prepared in a commercial kitchen. Use water-proof labels.

  • Name of product (ex. Sweet Pepper Jelly)

  • List of all ingredients (which should also be listed in your online product description)

  • List of locally-sourced ingredients

  • Name, address and phone number of where food was prepared, business license number, if available

  • Net weight, volume or numerical count

  • Production date (if shelf stable, month-year is acceptable)

  • Storage instructions, if not shelf stable, and any necessary cooking or reheating instructions.

food safety policy

Vendors are required to have a food safety policy.

Application to be a vendor

SUMMARY CHECKLIST

  • ARE YOU LOCAL? (Located within 100 miles of Thomasville, NC)

  • DO YOU HAVE PRODUCT LIABILITY INSURANCE?

  • DO YOU HAVE THE CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES TO SELL YOUR PRODUCT?

  • DO YOU HAVE A FOOD SAFETY POLICY?

If you answered yes, then please apply and submit the Producer Application.

Accepting applications for vegetable and fruit producers. Wait-list for meat vendors.

ONBOARDING Process

Piedmont Fresh's onboarding process is as follows: 

  1. Application - We review eligibility.

  2. Operating Agreement, Rules and Regulations - Vendor reads and sign agreement

  3. Any relevant certifications submitted. Food Safety policy is reviewed.

  4. If all of the above has been received, approved and agreed, we set a date for our Piedmont Fresh platform orientation with the Food Hub manager.

  5. Piedmont Fresh account created. Ready for business.