Local

Local at Oryana

The term “local” has become a trendy phrase that many businesses are scrambling to cash in on. But for Oryana, sourcing products locally has been a part of our philosophy since our inception. And true to our word, we now provide an outlet for over 150 local farmers and producers. From chocolate to brooms to cleaning products, our corner of Michigan boasts a huge variety of specialty food and other types of locally made or grown items that our store supports.

As a mission-driven organization, we have Ends Policies, or goals in place, which guide our decision-making as a co-op, one End of which is localism. This End states, “Because of Oryana, our community has an accessible and healthy marketplace for goods produced locally that have a positive environmental and social impact.”

Our purchasing policy, which is a true reflection of what we stand for, emphasizes ‘local’ to a great extent. Our store, first and foremost, seeks local, certified organic products. And if a non-certified local vendor wants to sell their product in our store, we ask that the business meet our high standards, which includes raising or processing in accordance with organic practices.

Last year Oryana spent $1,233,014 on local products alone, an impressive figure when you compare overall sales to, say, the year 1992, when Oryana hit the $1 million sales mark for the first time.

We have some truly remarkable relationships with local vendors, one of whom, for years, depended solely on sales at Oryana for its income. Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery began making and selling their signature brick oven baked, naturally leavened bread at our store beginning in 1993, and they have never looked back.

Jim Moses and Linda Grigg of Forest Garden Organic Farm started their certified operation in 1989 and have been supplying Oryana with gourmet salad greens, shitake mushrooms, and many other delights for all these years. We are grateful to vendors like Forest Garden Farm and Pleasanton Bakery and all the other local producers who provide us with products of exceptional quality and make our store the premier retailer for local product. If you want ‘local’, Oryana is the place to shop.

Read more about some of our local farmers and vendors.

Here is a partial list of our local vendors:
 

Wests Windy Acres Farm
Ware Farm
Meadowlark Farm
Providence Farm
Indira
Shetler’s
So Good
Tandem Ciders
Northern Naturals
Providence Farm
Sweeter Song Farm
Old Mission Multigrain Bakery
Moonworks soaps
Jonali Farm
Lil Terror hot sauce
Land of Goshen farm
Higher Grounds coffee
Food for Thought
Fishcreek Soapworks
Leelanau Cheese
Light of Day Tea