We seek to purchase goods as directly as possible at the best price from the best source, using high standards of sustainability, health, ecology, fair trade, and labor. We set our sourcing bar high in these areas. In general we favor sourcing/buying minimally-processed bulk items, though we do handle some convenience items. We look for the least packaging and most sustainably grown or manufactured items. We seek out value-added food products purchased directly from local and regional producers.
All items purchased through DCO must be produced at a minimum to the standards set by the National Organic Program. Any non-local food items for sale must be Certified Organic. All local food products (within 100 miles of Viroqua) must be able to be verified organic if not certified, (i.e., allow farm visits).
We do not buy from UNFI, nor from any other publicly-traded “natural food” distributors or producers, or from sellers who will not sell to us wholesale, as we expect to pay the same price as any other buyer that buys whole cases at the same volume.
Long term, we will be exploring with local growers, processors and manufacturers, how to develop new locally grown and produced goods to be available for local buyers to replace goods currently being imported.
Vendors
Our vendor list changes, but some of our current suppliers include:
Country Life Natural Foods
Natural Way Mills
Tierra Farm
Mountain Rose Herbs
Wilderness Family Naturals
SnoPac
Organic Valley
Kickapoo Coffee
Go Macro
Pasture Pride
Lonesome Stone Milling
Maple Valley Cooperative
Fizzeology
WiscoPop
and many more local producers and farmers.