Northpine Foundation invested $500,000 in Fresh City Farms, a leading urban farming venture, to support the expansion of their sustainable food production and delivery services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Fresh City Farms was founded in 2011 with the aim to create a more nutritious, organic, fair for labour, and decentralized food system in the GTA. By supporting small and medium-sized farms and processors, Fresh City Farms helps to connect sustainable, organic producers and suppliers to mainstream consumers. They are the only Ontario retailer with a commissary kitchen focusing on organic and local sourcing, and they prioritize whole and unprocessed foods in their product development and curation.
“Social entrepreneurship is fundamentally about trying out new business models that generate better social and environmental outcomes than the status quo. Northpine’s support and faith in Fresh City’s path means the world to us and hopefully will better the world in the process,” said Ran Goel, CEO at Fresh City Farms.
Northpine Foundation’s investment will allow Fresh City Farms to continue their mission to reduce the carbon footprint of the food system by growing locally, optimizing processing, and using reusable packaging. With the investment, Fresh City Farms aims to increase their customer base, resulting in a reduction of a carbon footprint equivalent to more than 2,500 tons of CO2 per year.
“We are thrilled to support Fresh City Farms’ business model of local, organic, and plant-based food with a circular approach to packaging. We’re sure they will be successful in bringing sustainable food solutions to conscious communities,” said Namendra Anand, Impact Director – Climate & Nature at The Northpine Foundation. “With Fresh City Farms, Ran Goel has proved that a kinder and more just food system is possible by focusing on the impact on climate, environment, and community.”
Together, Fresh City Farms and Northpine Foundation are committed to leveraging urban farming to create a more sustainable, conscious food system for the GTA.
Learn more about Fresh City Farms here and see the Northpine Foundation’s investments in Climate here.