Organically Grown Company
Distributor
Organically Grown Company (OGC) is the nation’s largest wholesale distributor of organic fresh produce. They work with organic farms, big and small, to bring the best fruits and vegetables to grocery retailers, restaurants and food makers across the West Coast and beyond. As an independent, purpose-trust owned business, they use their business as a force for good and to grow the organic agriculture movement.
Sustainability is core to their mission. Organically Grown Company has a long-standing commitment to organic farming practices and continuous improvement in its operations. They joined the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment (PCFWC) in 2022 to help meet the shared goal of reducing food waste by 50% by 2030.
Food Waste Reduction Strategies
Find a Home for Every Harvest: Their Sales team works to connect surplus or lower-grade organic produce with customers who can use it.
Support Local Hunger Relief: They donate edible but unsellable produce to 14 gleaning organizations across the Northwest working to fight food insecurity.
Animal Feed, Not Waste: All non-edible produce is repurposed as livestock feed for regional farms.
Smart Packaging: They prioritize packaging that maintains quality and freshness to prevent waste before it starts.
Whole Chain Collaboration: In 2024, they participated in the Whole Chain Plum Project with PCFWC, ReFED, and WWF to track organic plums from orchard to shelf and identify points where waste can be reduced.
Up the Food Waste Hierarchy: They prioritize food waste prevention and food recovery for people over diversion to animal feed and compost.
Learning and Sharing: As a U.S. Food Waste Pact signatory, they contribute to Working Groups focused on food recovery, supply chain efficiency, and staff engagement.
Case Study
Reducing Plum Food Loss and Waste Across the Retail Supply Chain
April 9, 2025
In this whole chain case study from the PCFWC, food loss and waste hotspots in a plum supply chain in the Pacific Northwest were identified through collaboration between farm JL's Organic Orchards, distributor Organically Grown Company, and retailer New Seasons Market.