Meet Our Farmers
eat local
We are proud to source approximately 25% of the food in our dining halls from North Carolina farms and businesses! We partner with produce distributors and food hubs like Freshpoint, 4P Foods, and Farmer Foodshare to offer local produce, dairy, meat, and seafood our Tarheel family.
Read below to learn about some of our local partners that we source from throughout the year:
First Hand Foods
We purchase breakfast sausages, brisket, and ground beef from First Hand Foods, a women-owned local meat hub that sources from a network of Animal Welfare Approved farms in North Carolina.
Click here for more info!
Coastal Plains Produce
We buy hydroponic lettuce from Coastal Plains Produce, run by fourth-generation farmer Jedd Koehn and his family in Grifton, NC. Their bibb and fancy blend lettuce is a regular staple of our salad bars!
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Apple Wedge Packers
When in season, we source apples and cider from Apple Wedge, a sixth generation family-owned apple production business located in Hendersonville.
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Burch Farms
We source kale, collards, and other produce from Burch Farm. Founded in 1950, the Burch family uses sustainable and organic growing practices to produce cabbage, greens, melons, peppers, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash.
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Manhattan Bakery
We source bread and other baked goods from Manhattan Bakery, a family-owned and operated wholesale bakery in Morrisville. Opened in 1991, they work to raise the standard for baked goods by providing high-quality ingredients and handmade products to customers, and working closely with suppliers.
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Larry's Coffee
We serve exclusively Larry’s Coffee in our dining halls! Their founder, Larry Larson, combines coffee excellence with a belief that business can be a force for good. A certified B-Corporation, they partner with small-farm cooperatives from 16 countries across the globe to source 100% Organic, Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Kosher coffee.
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Blue Ridge Apiaries
We source honey from Blue Ridge Apiaries, run by fourth generation beekeeper Ryan Higgs and his wife Launi. They extract and bottle all products in house, including honey, beeswax, and bee pollen.
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Scott Farms
We buy sweet potatoes from Scott Farms, a sixth-generation farm run by the Scott family in the coastal region of Lucama, NC.
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JW Johnson
We source cucumbers, bell peppers, eggplants, and squash from JW Johnson, a family run distribution center located in Canton, NC. JW Johnson works with about 20 small farms, all within a 30 minute radius of Canton, NC.
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Hines Family Farm
We purchase squash, zucchini, and other produce from Hines Family Farm, owned by fourth generation farmer (and former FBI Special Agent) Donald Hines in Jacksonville, NC. The operation was founded by Donald’s great-grandfather over 100 years ago, and now produces beans, broccoli, eggplant, green peppers, squash, zucchini, and tomatoes.
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Solar Farms
We source organic tofu from Solar Farms in Columbia, SC. Solar Farms utilizes hydroponics to grow their soy beans.
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Lewis Farm
We source strawberries and blueberries from Lewis Farm, a 3rd generation family farm located in Rocky Point, NC.