Market Opportunities

FarmFit

Farm-Fit is a nationwide initiative crafted by The FruitGuys and Aramark to connect farmers from underrepresented communities with Aramark accounts interested in their produce. By backing these small farms, Aramark customers gain access to fresh, locally sourced fruits and vegetables and help foster more resilient and equitable regional supply chains.

Participating farmers can expect weekly standing orders for 4+ weeks, Net10 payment terms, as well as marketing, management, and communications support. There is no minimum volume requirement. Technical assistance for interested farmers is provided by The FruitGuys and their TA partners. Farms of all sizes are encouraged to apply!

Location: Institutional dining customers in the Chicago area

Looking for: Locally grown fruits and vegetables, honey

Requirements: 

• Farm must be located within 250 miles of Chicago
• Must be a 51%+ minority, woman, veteran, LGBTQ+, or disability-owned farm
• Ability to do direct delivery and be wholesale-ready
• Holds a certificate of insurance for $1 million
• Has GAP certification or a third-party food safety audit, or is willing to sign an MOU to commit to getting GAP-certified in one year

Contact: Complete the Farmer Interest Form on the website

NEW! Tulip Tree Gardens

Tulip Tree Gardens is an organic and regenerative farm and aggregator dedicated to connecting farmers with consumers through our diverse retail chains, wholesale opportunities, USDA contracts, and institutional buyers. Our mission is to bridge the gap between farmers and the market.

We are eager to collaborate with new local brands that align with our commitment to regenerative farming practices. If you have a branded product to share, we invite you to reach out to us. As fellow farmers, we understand the challenges of the industry and are passionate about fostering innovative solutions to revitalize family farms. 

Location: Beecher, Illinois (Northeast Illinois)

Looking for: Retail-ready produce and meat and producers capable of supplying case quantities for wholesale markets

Requirements: 

• Must use regenerative farming practices
• Interested producers should complete the Interest Form 

Contact: info@tuliptreegardens.com

NEW! Farm Family Foods

Farm Family Foods supports local farmers and feeds rural communities with an online food hub and storefront in Benson, Illinois. We prioritize sourcing food that meets our high standards for quality and sustainability, and work closely with farmers who share our commitment to ethical practices and environmental stewardship. Customers order online weekly, and products are distributed through pick-up locations throughout Central Illinois.

Location: Benson, Illinois (Central Illinois)

Looking for: Locally produced proteins, fresh produce, value-added foods, and shelf-stable products

Requirements: 

• Strong preference for produce grown without pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides
• Strong preference for pasture-raised proteins produced without hormones or antibiotics
• Deliver to Benson on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday mornings
• Preference for farmers located in Central Illinois

Contact: orders@farmfamilyfoods.com 

The Urban Canopy  

Founded in 2011, The Urban Canopy is pioneering the local food cycle to create a more sustainable and equitable food system in Chicago. We strive to make healthy produce accessible to all, reduce the miles fresh food travels, keep food waste out of landfills, and create and maintain local jobs. 

We deliver local food on a weekly basis to our 550+ CSA members on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Each box contains six different produce items as well as bread, eggs, mushrooms, and beverages. Smaller quantities of produce are also purchased to use as substitutes. 

Location: Chicago, Illinois (Pilsen)

Looking for: Produce for CSA boxes and value-added products for add-ons through online CSA store

Requirements: 

• Preference for farmers located within 150 miles of Chicago, or Illinois-based farmers who can deliver to the warehouse in Pilsen
• Deliver to the warehouse in Pilsen on Monday or Tuesday
• Provide crop quantities and pricing by Thursday or Friday morning for what you will have available the following week  

Contact: lucsa@theurbancanopy.org 

Dion's Chicago Dream

Rooted in the Englewood neighborhood, Dion’s Chicago Dream is a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to transforming lives through nutritional empowerment, leveraging food security as a catalyst for healthier communities and stronger futures. Through innovative, award-winning programs like Dream Vault and Dream Deliveries, a fresh and free produce box delivery service, we bridge the gap between access and equity. 

Our program is expanding, and we are looking for local growers to supply our ~4,300 weekly produce boxes, likely starting this fall or winter. While the weekly number may seem daunting, you do not need to provide 4,000 units on a weekly basis. We will work with growers to incorporate different volumes and aggregate produce together to fulfill deliveries. 

Location: Chicago, Illinois (Englewood)

Looking for: Produce

Requirements: 

• Preference for farmers located in Cook County or located within 100 miles of Chicago
• Preference for farmers who meet at least one of the following socially disadvantaged criteria:
  • BIPOC-owned
  • Woman-owned
  • Beginning farmer (< 10 years)
  • LGBTQIA farmer
  • Farmer with disability
  • Veteran farmer
  • Immigrant farmer
• Interested farmers must complete the Vendor Interest Form

Contact: moreno@dionschicagodream.com

Valley Fresh Harvest

Valley Fresh Harvest is an online farmers market that works with over 60 different farm families across Central Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. We offer all farm products, including meats, eggs, cheese, produce, milk, grains, and some value-added items. 

We offer a delivery service and multiple pickup locations around the area for our customers. Customer orders are due every Monday morning by 8 AM, for delivery and pickup on Wednesday afternoons. 

Location: Ladd, Illinois (North-central Illinois)

Looking for: Produce and value-added products

Requirements: 

• Products must be certified organic or use organic practices
• Meats must be pasture-raised, and if grain-finished, using non-GMO or organic grain
• Must be able to deliver to Ladd, Illinois

Contact: Valleyfreshharvest1@gmail.com

Kakadoodle

Kakadoodle is an online farmers market and home delivery service based outside Chicago in Matteson, Illinois. We partner with over 30 local farms and producers to offer pasture-raised meat, seasonal produce, and pantry staples. Our mission is to make real food radically more convenient for modern consumers—while supporting regenerative farmers with consistent and fair market access. 

Location: Matteson, Illinois (south suburbs of Chicago)

Looking for: 

• Pasture-raised meats (beef, chicken, and pork)
• Produce (in-season, regeneratively grown)
• Shelf-stable products (e.g. pasta, jams, broth, sauces, pickled items, etc.)

Requirements: 

• Must be certified organic or use organic/regenerative practices
• Meats must be pasture-raised; grain-finished animals must be fed non-GMO or organic grain
• Shelf-stable products must be free of synthetic preservatives or artificial ingredients
• Delivery to Matteson, IL is required

Contact: marikate@kakadoodle.com

The Common Market Great Lakes

The Common Market is a nonprofit regional food distributor on a mission to connect urban communities with local food from sustainable family farms. We do this by selling fresh food to institutions, creating a supply chain for local farmers and ranchers, and providing avenues for values-aligned wholesale food procurement. 

The Common Market Great Lakes provides local pick-ups, accepts deliveries, and coordinates third-party logistics as needed. 

Location: Bedford Park, Illinois (southwest suburbs of Chicago)

Looking for: Locally produced meats, poultry, grains, dairy, produce, and specialty products

Requirements: 

• Must be located in Illinois
• Produce growers must hold or be working towards a GAP certification
• Must use sustainable growing methods and non-GMO seeds, rootstocks, and cultivars
• Meat must be processed at a USDA-inspected and certified facility
• No use of growth hormones or sub-therapeutic antibiotics for livestock
• Interested producers must complete the New Producer Interest Form

Contact: jamie@thecommonmarket.org

The Farms of Illinois

At The Farms of Illinois, we are a passionate collective of regenerative farmers dedicated to providing our local community with access to the highest quality food. We aim to nurture and nourish our neighbors by offering sustainable and trustworthy local foods with the convenience of home delivery or wholesale. Our commitment is not just about farming; it's about feeding our community with the best nature has to offer.

Location: Jacksonville, Illinois (West-central Illinois)

Looking for: Produce or shelf-stable products

Requirements: 

• Produce must be cultivated using chemical-free and regenerative practices
• Preference for farmers located in Central Illinois 

Contact: info@thefarmsil.com

Senior and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program

The Illinois Department of Human Services is looking for farmers who sell their own locally grown produce at roadside stands and farmers’ markets. They are looking specifically in under-represented areas like Logan, Jefferson, and Kankakee counties. The Farmers’ Market Nutrition program provides fresh fruits, vegetables, cut herbs, and local honey (for seniors only) to eligible WIC and Senior participants who receive benefit coupons from the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program to buy produce from contracted vendors at farmers' markets in approved counties.

Location: Jefferson, Logan, Kankakee (and 34 other IL counties)

Looking for: Farmers who sell their own locally grown produce at farmers’ markets and roadside stands in participating counties.

Requirements: 

• Must sell majority of their own locally grown produce at farmers markets or roadside stands in active counties  
• Must be contracted with and trained by IDHS prior to accepting FMNP benefits
   

Contact: DHS.FMNP@illinois.gov

Local Food for Schools

Like IL-EATS, this USDA program provides Illinois schools funding to buy local, minimally processed foods from Illinois farmers. Prices are negotiated directly with each school, and payment is typically faster than standard federal programs. 

Location: Statewide

Looking for: Minimally processed fruits, vegetables, grain products such as pasta and rice, meats, beans or legumes, and dairy products

Tips for getting involved:

1. Find a school near you. Start local. Do you have personal connections to a school or daycare? Otherwise, use the Farm to School Network Toolkit to expand your search.
2. Focus on self-operated schools rather than those that use a food service management company.
3. Create a list of the product types and quantities you will have available each month. Be prepared to share your growing practices, liability insurance, and food safety measures.
4. Most schools use a cycle menu that rotates every 5 weeks. Research the school’s menu to see if there are ways to plug in your products. Do they have a salad bar? Do they serve ground beef?
5. Remember that many schools are not equipped to do scratch cooking but may have basics like knives and cutting boards. When talking with food service staff, it can be helpful to learn more about what types of equipment a school has to help determine what products might be the best fit.

Contact: localfoods@isbe.net

Want to learn how to find schools, start conversations with foodservice directors, build relationships, and more? 

Explore the Illinois Farm to School Toolkit

Farm to Food Bank 

The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program creates a "secondary market" for Illinois farmers by purchasing surplus, seconds, and market-grade products and reimbursing them for Picking and Pack-Out (PPO). The foods are distributed through Feeding America food banks and community partners (e.g., food pantries) in the state's emergency food system. 

The program buys fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs to boost access to nutritious, culturally appropriate, and locally sourced foods,  support the food system, and prevent food waste in Illinois.

"Seconds" are cosmetically imperfect, smaller,  out-of-spec (i.e., #2's), or over-/under-ripe of what a farmer's "primary" customers (consumers, wholesalers, retailers, processors, etc.) may desire. The Farm to Food Bank program reduces food waste by providing a win-win outlet for these items, which are sold at reduced prices negotiated between farmers and food banks.

Location: Statewide

Looking for: Fruits, vegetables, dairy, eggs, meat, and poultry

Requirements: 

• Illinois-grown, raised, produced, or processed foods
• Have excess surplus, seconds, or market-grade quality product to offer

Contact: Feeding Illinois or any of the Feeding Illinois Food Banks   

Sign up for Farm to Food Bank

People's Resource Center

People's Resource Center (PRC) responds to basic human needs, promotes dignity and justice, and creates a future of hope and opportunity for over 26,000 DuPage County residents each year. With a team of over 2,300 volunteers, we offer nutritious food and other necessities like clothes and rent assistance for people facing tough times.  We also connect people with resources—education and tutoring, jobs, technology, art, a caring community—to create a future of hope and opportunity for all. 

PRC would like to buy or pick up donated produce to serve the growing population of neighbors visiting their food pantries. They accept delivery or can provide pickup.

Location: We have three pantry locations in Wheaton, Westmont, and West Chicago, Illinois

Looking for: Fruits and vegetables

Requirements: 

• Farmers must be within 30-40 miles of DuPage County   

Contact: afrank@peoplesrc.org