Founded only four years ago, Kitsap Fresh was created to improve farmers’ access to markets and consumers’ access to local and healthy food. Since then, the co-op has grown to more than 40 producers that list their weekly harvest online for customers to custom-order a box for pickup at one of ten distribution locations.

As demand increased, producers were struggling to handle the order volume in the small space donated by one of the distribution locations. Having a dedicated warehouse space would allow the co-op to manage the growing weekly orders and store value-add products that had to be kept cold.

Traditional finance isn’t available for a co-op that had only recently become self-sustaining. Laura Ryser, Director of WSU’s Kitsap Extension Office, knew of Craft3’s interest in supporting local food systems and connected Erin Smith, Kitsap Fresh Market Manager, with our business lender Erika Lindholm, who covers the Olympic Peninsula.

Erika worked with Erin to put together a loan that would provide the co-op with the necessary working capital to secure dedicated warehouse space – with room to grow!