Urban Agriculture Cooperative

What Urban Agriculture Cooperative does

Urban Agriculture Cooperative (UAC) is a Newark, New Jersey-based nonprofit food hub founded in 2017 that aggregates produce from 35+ New Jersey growers and distributes it to underserved urban communities through institutional and community channels. Its operational hub is the Harvest Farm-to-Community Center, opened in 2024 in the historic Hahne's Building and co-created with RWJBarnabas Health; the facility combines an aggregation and distribution warehouse, commercial kitchen for value-added production, and classroom/training spaces that anchor youth workforce development programs. The organization runs a coordinated suite of food access programs including Farm-to-Family Boxes (MEND Boxes funded by LFPA federal dollars, KidsFit Family Boxes for RWJBarnabas Health schools, Caresparc senior/family shares), CSA subscriptions in partnership with Greater Newark Conservancy, wholesale B2B brokerage to community partners, and inclusive farmers market support for low-to-moderate income populations in Newark.

Name

Urban Agriculture Cooperative

Legal name

Urban Agriculture Cooperative

Website

https://urbanagriculturecooperative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Urban Agriculture Cooperative is a Newark, New Jersey-based nonprofit food hub that aggregates produce from 35+ New Jersey growers and distributes it to underserved urban families through institutional partners, community organizations, CSA subscriptions, and subsidized box programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Hub and Local Food Distribution Services

NAICS

Farm Product Warehousing and Storage (493130)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fresh Produce Packhouses (Fruits & Vegetables) (AFAOAGAA)

Keywords

• Food hub aggregation
• Local food distribution
• Farm-to-family boxes
• CSA subscription boxes
• Urban agriculture cooperative

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Food Product Sales: UAC generates revenue through purchasing produce from NJ farmers and reselling to community organizations, institutions, and through CSA subscription programs. The organization acts as a food hub, coordinating logistics and adding value through aggregation, packing, and distribution services.
2. Donations and Grants: As a social enterprise and non-profit organization, UAC receives donations from individuals and organizations. The website mentions a donation platform and emphasizes that every dollar generates approximately $3 in economic activity in New Jersey.
3. Federal and State Funding: UAC participates in government food assistance programs including LFPA federal dollars administered through Community Food Bank of NJ, supporting subsidized produce distribution to families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Urban Agriculture Cooperative (UAC) operates a food hub that aggregates produce from a network of 35+ New Jersey growers and distributes it through CSA subscriptions, Farm-to-Family Box delivery programs, wholesale B2B brokerage, and inclusive farmers markets. The organization coordinates logistics, packing, and last-mile delivery from its Harvest: An RWJBarnabas Health Farm-to-Community Center warehouse in Downtown Newark, and also runs paid youth workforce apprenticeship programs in food systems, agriculture, and logistics.

Product overview

Urban Agriculture Cooperative is a practitioner-led organization offering a coordinated suite of food system services rather than a single unified product. The core offerings center on a food aggregation and distribution system (Harvest Farm-to-Community Center), multiple farm-to-family box programs (MEND Boxes, KidsFit Family Boxes, CSA Partnership, Caresparc shares), wholesale brokerage, inclusive farmers markets, and youth workforce development. Services are interconnected: Harvest serves as the physical hub for packing and distributing boxes sourced from the network of 35+ NJ growers, while youth apprentices support daily operations. The Food as Medicine pilot and Teaching & Consulting extend the model into healthcare and education sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Harvest: A shared facility co-created with RWJBarnabas Health, located in the historic Hahne's Building in Downtown Newark, serving as UAC's aggregation and distribution warehouse with commercial kitchen and training spaces.

Products and services

• Farm-to-Family Boxes Curated seasonal boxes sourced from New Jersey farms, sold to community organizations to distribute to families they serve.
• CSA Box Subscription Biweekly Community Supported Agriculture subscription boxes available in three sizes, offered in collaboration with Greater Newark Conservancy, filled with fresh seasonal produce from GNC's greenhouse and other local farmers in UAC's network for pickup at 32 Prince Street, Newark, NJ.
• Harvest: An RWJBarnabas Health Farm-to-Community Center A first-of-its-kind food hub co-created by RWJBarnabas Health and UAC in the historic Hahne's Building in Downtown Newark, featuring an aggregation and distribution warehouse, teaching kitchen, classroom spaces, and a commercial kitchen for value-added production and training.
• Wholesale Brokerage (B2B) Wholesale business-to-business brokerage connecting 30 rural and urban NJ farms to small and mid-level business and non-profit partners through UAC's food hub and distribution networks.
• Inclusive Farmers Markets Strategic farmers market support and vending opportunities for community partners serving low-to-moderate income populations in Newark, with staff trained to accept SNAP, WIC, and Senior Vouchers.
• Youth Workforce & Career Pathways Paid training program for Newark youth including CTE apprenticeships for high school students, Summer Youth Employment Program roles, and college internships in logistics, packing, culinary production, and market operations.
• Land Design and Development Physical infrastructure and development projects for ecological food growing including hydroponic and soil-based food growing, greenhouses, gardens, and landscaping, delivered in partnership with Greater Newark Conservancy.
• Teaching & Consulting Guest lectures and consulting on food system topics covering markets, composting, marketing, design, and small ag business topics for college, graduate courses, high school groups, webinars, and university research projects.
• MEND Boxes Fresh seasonal farm boxes delivered biweekly to home participants via partner Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity NJ (MEND NJ), funded by LFPA federal dollars administered through Community Food Bank of NJ.
• KidsFit Family Boxes Seasonal farm boxes packed and delivered for families with school-aged children, integrated with RWJBarnabas Health's KidsFit wellness curriculum in partnership with the Healthy Food in Newark Schools Coalition.
• Food as Medicine A pilot program developed with Rutgers REACH and Ethos Farms that integrates food systems and urban healthcare, delivering community-based lifestyle medicine through farmers markets, urban gardens, and teaching kitchens.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000+ families impacted by farm-to-family boxes; 1500+ families impacted by wholesale and farm market support; 30+ farms connected to community distribution
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RWJBarnabas HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-created Harvest: A Farm-to-Community Center in Newark's historic Hahne's Building. RWJBH provides community teaching kitchen, classroom spaces, and supports the commercial kitchen membership program. This partnership demonstrates what becomes possible when a health system and food-system organization operate side-by-side to strengthen local farms and support families.
• Greater Newark ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSA Box partnership offering biweekly produce boxes sourced from GNC greenhouse and other local farmers in UAC's network. GNC provides pickup location at 32 Prince Street, Newark. UAC also provides designated access to Harvest commercial kitchen for urban growers. GNC is a key pathway for urban growers to access UAC's market network.
• Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity NJ (MEND NJ)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFresh seasonal farm boxes (MEND Boxes) delivered to selected home participants via bi-weekly delivery cycles. Funded by LFPA federal dollars administered through Community Food Bank of NJ. Program has grown to serve over 200 families.
• Community Food Bank of NJ (CFBNJ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdministers LFPA federal dollars that fund the MEND NJ farm box delivery program, enabling subsidized produce distribution to families in need.
• Healthy Food in Newark Schools CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with RWJBarnabas Health KidsFit curriculum to pack and deliver seasonal farm boxes for families with school-aged children. Program has grown from 225 families (2022-2023) to 1000 families (2024-2025).
• Rutgers REACHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood as Medicine pilot program integrating food systems and urban healthcare through community-based lifestyle medicine at farmers markets, urban gardens, and teaching kitchens. Collaboration with Ethos Farms.
• Ethos FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Rutgers REACH Food as Medicine pilot program, contributing to the integration of food systems and urban healthcare delivery.
• Caresparc Community ConnectionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides farm-to-family shares for senior and family programming including the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Initiative, and wholesale support for the Sustainable Health and Wellness Village Festival.
• New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative (NJFDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAC is a co-founding member of NJFDC, participating in state, county, and local policy efforts pertaining to healthy food systems and environmental conservation. Interest areas include inclusive farmers markets, investments in small farmers, farm-to-institution support, and land conservation.
• AmazonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon drivers provide last-mile delivery support for MEND Box program, enabling home delivery of fresh farm boxes to program participants.
• Newark Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Newark Public Schools and Essex County Vo Tech for CTE apprenticeship programs serving high school students. Youth apprentices support daily operations at Harvest.
• Essex County Vo TechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in paid apprentice programs for high school students, aligned with CTE standards and real-world workforce needs.
• East Orange CityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic farmer's market support and occasional vending opportunities focused on SNAP, WIC, and Senior Vouchers redemption for low-to-moderate income populations.
• Newark Beth IsraelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFarmer's market support and food access programming as part of inclusive farmer's market network.
• Clinton Hill Community ActionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFarmer's market support for community food access serving low-to-moderate income populations.
• La Casa De Don PedrominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFarmer's market support and food access partnership.
• AudibleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFarmer's market and food access partnership as part of community support initiatives.
• Rutgers-NewarkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuest lectures by Mr. Panasci on food system topics for college and graduate courses; collaboration on university research projects including the Price Institute Rutgers-Newark Healing Garden.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Misfits Market: DTC online grocer specializing in imperfect and surplus produce boxes shipped direct to consumers nationwide. Overlaps with UAC's CSA box and seconds-acceptance model but operates at for-profit, national scale.
• Imperfect Foods: DTC subscription service for imperfect and surplus grocery items including produce, with a stated food-waste mission. Comparable product framing around seconds and surplus produce, but commercial and national in scope.

Direct peers

• Red Tomato: Northeast-based nonprofit food distributor that aggregates and distributes produce from regional farms to retailers, schools, and food access programs. Comparable cooperative-style aggregation model serving similar institutional and community customers.
• Farm Fresh Rhode Island: Rhode Island-based nonprofit running farmers markets, farm-to-school, and food hub programs that connect local growers with community and institutional buyers. Comparable nonprofit aggregation-plus-market-support model to UAC.
• The Common Market: Nonprofit regional food hub operating across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast that aggregates from local farms and distributes to institutions, schools, and underserved communities. Closely comparable mission, aggregation model, and customer base to UAC.
• Wholesome Wave: National nonprofit that doubles SNAP/WIC produce purchases through incentive programs and partnerships with farmers markets and food hubs. Comparable focus on inclusive market access, nutrition incentives, and farm-to-community distribution.
• Local Food Hub: Charlottesville, VA-based nonprofit food hub aggregating from Virginia farms and distributing to schools, hospitals, and food access programs. Closely matched operational model and institutional customer mix to UAC.

Regional players

• Baldor Specialty Foods: Northeast wholesale produce distributor serving restaurants, retailers, and institutional buyers with fresh produce from regional farms. Comparable wholesale brokerage function though operating as a for-profit incumbent.

Broad incumbents

• FreshDirect: Established DTC online grocer serving the Northeast including parts of New Jersey with fresh produce and full grocery assortment. Comparable direct delivery model but operates at massive scale across a broader category.

Others

• Community FoodBank of New Jersey: Statewide food bank that administers LFPA federal funding supporting UAC's MEND Box program. Operates as an adjacent community food access organization serving the same end-beneficiary population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urbanagcoop
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanagcoop
• Facebookfacebook.com/urbanagcoop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Urban Agriculture Cooperative