Collaborative for Fresh Produce
The Collaborative for Fresh Produce (CFP) works directly with growers to source fresh produce that would otherwise be rejected by retailers and often goes to waste.
CFP is one of seven Regional Produce Collaboratives (RPC) supported by Feeding America, the nation’s network of food banks.
CFP obtains the produce at a low or zero cost and manages the logistics of getting it to food banks, “breaking bulk” into shipments that are the right size and mix for each individual community.
Vision
For everyone to have access to the fresh produce needed to support a healthy lifestyle.
Mission
To source and distribute surplus produce to those in need through partnerships with growers and Feeding America food banks.
The CFP Team
- Josh Montemayor, Executive Director, 956-457-8989, joshm@cfproduce.org
- Daniel Elizondo, Produce Sourcer, 956-569-4872, dannye@cfproduce.org
- Angela Gonzalez, Senior Accountant, 956-373-8911
- Sandy Vasquez, Sourcing Manager, 210-723-2447
- Jason Grumble, Member Services Administrator, 956-638-6847
Board of Directors
- Celia Cole, Feeding Texas
- Eric Shelby, Arkansas Foodbank
- Dante Galeazzi, Texas International Produce Association
- Jeff Kanterman, NFI Industries
- Andy Knowlton, Feeding America
- Libby Saenz, Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley
- Maurice Wilson II, North Texas Food Bank
- Rhonda Sanders, Volunteer
History
Jan Pruitt, the late CEO of the North Texas Food Bank and former chair of the board of Feeding America, had a vision – for food banks to collaborate on sourcing produce. Jan knew that one food bank alone could not significantly change the system, but that a collaboration of food banks and farmers working together could.
In 2015, the North Texas Food Bank and Lyda Hill Philanthropies partnered to assess the opportunity for a sustainable business model enabling Texas food banks to access imperfect and surplus produce that would have otherwise been wasted. Lyda Hill Philanthropies generously funded a feasibility study and pilot program through Feeding Texas.
A successful two-year pilot highlighted proof of the concept for a sustainable produce-sharing model.
In 2018, with the generous support of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, and Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Feeding Texas formed the Collaborative for Fresh Produce as an independent non-profit organization to source produce on behalf of food banks in Texas and across the country.
Today, CFP serves 30 food banks, partners with over 100 growers and ships more than 60 million pounds annually to food banks.
Contact
- For growers / shippers: Josh Montemayor, 956-457-8989, joshm@cfproduce.org
- For billing questions: Angela Gonzalez, Senior Accountant, 956-373-8911
Our Partners
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