ECO is a farmer-owned, staff-owned, and woman-owned wholesale distributor based in Durham, North Carolina, connecting local and national retailers and food businesses with organic produce from family farms. By pooling diverse harvests from several growing regions around the state, ECO supplies a steady stream of high-quality, seasonal food choices throughout the year. The company started in 2004 with the goal of helping transition tobacco farmers into organic vegetable production to meet an increasing need for local and organic produce in the marketplace. Since then, ECO has put more than $20 million dollars in the pockets of farmers.
ECO works with more than 100 farms from across the North Carolina, as well as a few in Virginia and South Carolina. ECO’s shipping capabilities run throughout the entire eastern half of the US. Most of its growers are certified organic or are in the process of transitioning to certification. Established as an LLC, ECO’s cooperative ownership structure which involves farmer-owners in corporate governance is a key component to ensuring that its operation will always stay true to its core mission and values.