What Fresh Approach does

Fresh Approach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2008 by the Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association, operating food access, nutrition education, and urban agriculture programs across the San Francisco Bay Area and, since 2024, statewide in California. Its core programs include two Mobile Farmers' Market trucks serving Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties; the East Palo Alto Community Farmers' Market; the Richmond Certified Farmers' Market; the trauma-informed VeggieRx Nutrition Program with prescription-style produce vouchers; the East Palo Alto Community Garden and Community Compost Hub; the Fruit & Veggie Savings incentive programs (Market Match, Fresh Checks, Market Cash); and the Community Ambassador Program providing paid workforce development. The organization merged with Collective Roots in 2018 and now employs more than 20 full-time staff plus 37+ Ambassadors and 380+ volunteers.

The business model is non-subsidy/non-fee in form but grant-and-donation dependent in substance. Revenue streams include individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and charitable contributions (501(c)(3), Tax ID 26-2438206); government grants from the USDA Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program administered via CDFA and CDSS, the California Nutrition Incentive Program, the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, and the CalAIM initiative; fee-for-service team-building activities at the community garden ($2,000-$5,000 tiered); and administered pass-through funding for the Farms Together program, which has channeled $51.99M to 833+ California farmers since 2023 and distributed 19,782,000 lbs of produce. Customers pay subsidized prices at mobile and fixed-site markets with a 50% discount for CalFresh/EBT, WIC, SSI/SSDI, Medi-Cal, and unemployment program participants.

There is no proprietary technology product; operations run on community engagement platforms, farmers' market management systems, and a nutrition education curriculum available in English and Spanish. Distribution is physical and event-driven through weekly markets, mobile truck stops, garden plots, and in-person classes and cooking demonstrations. Fresh Approach leads the California Mobile Farmers' Market Coalition, providing training and technical assistance to peer organizations statewide. Healthcare referral partnerships with Ravenswood Family Health Center and Peninsula Healthcare District channel CalAIM-eligible patients into VeggieRx under a Food as Medicine framework. The organization is governed independently with its own Board of Directors and Community Advisory Board, and has not raised private equity or venture capital.

Name

Fresh Approach

Legal name

Fresh Approach

Website

https://freshapproach.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Fresh Approach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2008 that operates mobile and fixed-site farmers' markets, the VeggieRx nutrition education program, community gardens, and the statewide Farms Together distribution initiative, serving low-income Bay Area residents, small California farmers, and healthcare-referred patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Food Access Services

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (445230)

akta.pro primary industry

Produce Markets & Greengrocers (CRAHAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC), Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB)

Keywords

• Food access programs
• Farmers market operations
• Nutrition education services
• Community urban gardening
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Concord

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Fresh Approach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (Tax ID: 26-2438206) that relies on individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and charitable contributions from supporters. The organization accepts checks, Donor-Advised Fund grants, and stock transfers.
2. Government Grants and Program Funding: Funded by USDA Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Program administered through California Department of Social Services and California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Nutrition Incentive Program, Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, and CalAIM program partnerships with healthcare systems.
3. Team Building Service Fees: Fee-for-service team building activities at the community garden, with tiered pricing: $2,000 for up to 15 participants, $3,000 for up to 20 participants, and $5,000 for up to 40 participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fresh Approach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates Mobile Farmers' Market trucks, traditional certified farmers' markets, a trauma-informed VeggieRx nutrition education program with cooking demonstrations, a community garden, a community compost hub, and the statewide Farms Together produce distribution network. The organization delivers affordable fresh produce with 50% discounts and incentive matching to CalFresh/EBT, WIC, SSI/SSDI, Medi-Cal, and unemployment program participants across the San Francisco Bay Area.

Product overview

Fresh Approach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2008 that operates a portfolio of food access and nutrition education programs across the San Francisco Bay Area and California. The organization's core offerings include Mobile Farmers' Markets (operating in Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties), traditional farmers' markets (East Palo Alto Community Farmers' Market and Richmond Certified Farmers' Market), and the VeggieRx Nutrition Program. Supporting programs include the East Palo Alto Community Garden, Community Compost Hub, Fruit & Veggie Savings Programs with incentive matching, the Community Ambassador Program for workforce development, Farms Together for statewide food distribution, and the California Mobile Farmers' Market Coalition. The organization provides 50% discounts and incentive programs for CalFresh/EBT, WIC, Medi-Cal, and other government assistance program participants to increase access to locally-grown produce. Fresh Approach was founded by the Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association and merged with Collective Roots in 2018.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mobile Farmers' Markets A fleet of mobile market trucks that bring fresh, locally-grown produce directly to underserved neighborhoods in Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, offering a 50% discount to CalFresh/EBT, WIC, SSI/SSDI, Medi-Cal, and unemployment program participants.
• East Palo Alto Community Farmers' Market A weekly farmers' market held at Bloomhouse in East Palo Alto, providing affordable access to locally-grown produce while supporting small family farms and connecting community members with nutrition assistance programs including CalFresh/EBT, Market Match, and WIC.
• Richmond Certified Farmers' Market A year-round certified farmers' market at Richmond Civic Center Plaza distributing Market Match incentives and providing access to fresh produce for the Richmond community.
• VeggieRx Nutrition Program A trauma-informed nutrition education program offering 12-week classes in English and Spanish, cooking demonstrations at farmers' markets, and VeggieRx vouchers that participants can redeem for fresh produce at participating Bay Area farmers' markets.
• East Palo Alto Community Garden An urban farming space at 230 Demeter St in East Palo Alto offering community members hands-on experience with growing their own food through monthly workshops, volunteer workdays, and access to garden beds, a seed lending library, and tool lending library.
• Community Compost Hub A food scrap composting program with collection sites in San Mateo County that transforms food waste into nutrient-rich soil amendment, reducing landfill waste while supporting local food growing efforts. Free for registered East Palo Alto and San Mateo County residents.
• Fruit & Veggie Savings Programs Incentive programs including Market Match, Fresh Checks, and Market Cash that expand purchasing power for low-income community members, matching benefits or providing discounts on fresh produce at farmers' markets.
• Community Ambassador Program A workforce development initiative offering paid part-time positions to community members aged 18+ to support food access operations, with professional training opportunities in nutrition education, urban agriculture, and community outreach.
• Farms Together A statewide initiative coordinating the collection of fresh produce from small family farmers for distribution to food-insecure California families through food banks, while creating new sales channels for farmers.
• Procurement with Purpose A statewide initiative providing technical assistance to small food hubs and family farms to access institutional markets like schools and hospitals, building long-term food system resilience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19,782,000 lbs of produce distributed to food-insecure families through Farms Together program
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, founding/core, minor and legacy/merged.

• California Association of Food Banks (CAFB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023CAFB co-developed Farms Together initiative with Fresh Approach and Community Alliance with Family Farmers. CAFB handles administrative components of grant deliverables for the LFPA-funded program, coordinating produce distribution from 833+ farmers to food-insecure families across California through 39+ receiving organizations.
• Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023CAFF co-developed Farms Together initiative alongside Fresh Approach and CAFB. CAFF supports farmers with compliance and permitting with county and state agriculture and health departments, while Fresh Approach manages vendor relationships and application processes.
• California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)coreOthers · 1 January 2023CDFA administers the USDA Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Program funding for Farms Together initiative, which coordinates purchase and distribution of produce from small and mid-scale family farmers to California families in need.
• California Department of Social Services (CDSS)coreOthers · 1 January 2023CDSS administers the USDA Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Program funding for Farms Together initiative, providing financial support for purchasing produce from California farmers and distributing to communities through food banks and community organizations.
• Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association (PCFMA)founding/coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008PCFMA founded Fresh Approach in 2008 to help connect communities to fresh produce at farmers' markets. PCFMA Executive Director Allen Moy serves on Fresh Approach's Board of Directors. Fresh Approach operates farmers' markets in coordination with PCFMA, including the San Mateo Farmers' Market where Compost Hub collections occur on Saturdays.
• Ecology Center (Market Match)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarket Match is a program of the Ecology Center, California's healthy food incentive program that matches CalFresh/EBT benefits at farmers' markets. Market Match is funded by CDFA through California Nutrition Incentive Program and USDA through Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program. Fresh Approach offers Market Match at all its markets and Mobile Farmers' Markets.
• Ravenswood Family Health CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare clinic partner for VeggieRx Nutrition Program referrals. Ravenswood patients qualify for Fresh Checks and Market Cash matching programs at the East Palo Alto Community Farmers' Market. Partnership aligns with CalAIM program and Food as Medicine philosophy.
• California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM)coreOthersStatewide Medi-Cal initiative that Fresh Approach's VeggieRx Nutrition Program aligns with, providing holistic nutrition education and practical support through clinic referral programs. Fresh Approach partners with clinics to provide vouchers for fresh produce at local farmers' markets.
• Plastic Free FutureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit organization that runs a Reuse Incentive Program at the East Palo Alto Community Farmers' Market. Partnership engages the mostly Latinx EPA community with fresh produce and builds collaborative community programs.
• Collective Rootslegacy/mergedStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective Roots, founded in 2000, merged with Fresh Approach in 2018 to deepen impact in East Palo Alto. Collective Roots founded the East Palo Alto Community Farmers' Market in 2007. As of June 2025, Fresh Approach relocated the community garden to new site at 230 Demeter St.
• California Mobile Farmers' Market Coalition (CMFMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState network of non-profit organizations operating or planning mobile farmers' market programs. Coalition members include Agricultural Institute of Marin (Rollin' Root), Butte County Local Food Network, Center for Land-Based Learning, Fresh Approach, and Route One. Fresh Approach leads coalition and provides training, technical assistance, consulting services, and evaluation for beginning mobile market programs statewide.
• Peninsula Healthcare DistrictminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare district supporting VeggieRx Nutrition Classes participants through referrals. Partnership brings nutrition education to community members focused on preventative care.
• Athena HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare technology company that partnered with Fresh Approach to bring fresh produce to community health centers serving patients with chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension, often complicated by poor nutrition.

Scale indicators24 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wholesome Wave: National non-profit pioneering produce prescription (VeggieRx) programs and doubling SNAP benefits at farmers' markets. Operates similar nutrition incentive and Food as Medicine models as Fresh Approach's VeggieRx and Fruit & Veggie Savings programs.
• Agricultural Institute of Marin: Bay Area non-profit operating farmers' markets and the Rollin' Root mobile farmers' market. Coalition partner in the California Mobile Farmers' Market Coalition alongside Fresh Approach, serving overlapping low-income communities.
• Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association (PCFMA): Founding partner of Fresh Approach; operates farmers' markets throughout the Bay Area. PCFMA Executive Director Allen Moy serves on Fresh Approach's Board, and the organizations coordinate farmers' market operations including the San Mateo Farmers' Market.
• Fair Food Network: National non-profit operating Double Up Food Bucks produce incentive programs at farmers' markets. Comparable model to Fresh Approach's Market Match and Fresh Checks programs that double CalFresh/EBT purchasing power for fresh produce.
• Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF): Co-developer of the Farms Together initiative alongside Fresh Approach and CAFB. CAFF supports farmers with compliance and permitting, while Fresh Approach manages vendor relationships for the statewide LFPA-funded program.
• Center for Land-Based Learning: California non-profit operating mobile farmers' markets and agriculture education programs. Member of the California Mobile Farmers' Market Coalition coordinated by Fresh Approach.
• California Association of Food Banks (CAFB): Statewide food bank network and Farms Together co-developer. CAFB handles administrative components of grant deliverables for the LFPA program, coordinating distribution of produce from 833+ farmers to 39+ receiving organizations.
• Ecology Center: Berkeley-based non-profit operating the statewide Market Match healthy food incentive program. Fresh Approach offers Market Match at all its farmers' markets, making this a critical upstream partner for produce affordability programs.

Regional players

• Butte County Local Food Network: Northern California non-profit operating mobile farmers' market and food access programs. Member of the California Mobile Farmers' Market Coalition coordinated by Fresh Approach.
• Route One: California-based mobile farmers' market operator and coalition member. Operates in a different California region than Fresh Approach but shares the mobile farmers' market service delivery model and coalition affiliation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fresh-approach-bay-area

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fresh Approach