About Coastal Foodshed
Coastal Foodshed is a nonprofit local food hub rooted in the Southcoast of Massachusetts. We build the connections between more than 80 local farms and the residents, families, and institutions across the region who want access to fresh, locally grown food. Moving food from local farms to local tables.
Our Mission
Coastal Foodshed makes it easier for growers to sell, and consumers to buy, healthy, affordable, local foods.
How We Got Here
Coastal Foodshed was founded in 2017, growing out of grassroots work to strengthen food access in Greater New Bedford. We became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2018.
Since then, we have grown our farmer network from six to more than 80 farm partners, and directly and indirectly sold and distributed more than $3.75 million worth of local food to Southcoast residents.
Of that total, more than $925,000 has been purchased with SNAP and other public benefits, and more than $1.1 million has been distributed through the local food relief network at no cost to recipients.
We started Coastal Foodshed to fill a gap in our community. There was incredible food being grown by local farmers, but it wasn't always easy for people to find or access it. We wanted to help bridge that gap by connecting farmers with the community. Building a food hub wasn't a novel idea—we were just the ones crazy enough to take it on at the right time and build the infrastructure needed to move more local food into our communities.
What makes us most proud isn't what we built—it's what our community built alongside us. From farmers and food producers to staff, volunteers, partners, and customers, so many people have helped shape Coastal Foodshed into what it is today. While we may have started the organization, it has always been about creating something bigger than ourselves: a community resource that strengthens local farms, expands access to local food, and helps build a more resilient regional food system."
– Abby & Stephanie
What We Do
A food hub builds the supply chain that moves local food – supply chains that have been broken down over the decades as we have moved into a predominantly globalized food network. We source, buy, transport, and sell food grown by local farmers and produced by local food businesses, reaching customers across the Southcoast through retail, online, and direct delivery options. We do this on two fronts.
Supporting Local Farmers
Small and mid-sized farms often lack the resources to reach all the customers interested in their food. Coastal Foodshed serves as the supply chain link, buying from our network of farm partners at fair market rates and delivering that food to markets across Bristol and Plymouth counties. We help keep local farmland active, support local food businesses, and ensure that local dollars stay close to home.
Since opening, Coastal Foodshed has directly and indirectly sold and distributed more than $3 million worth of local food and continues growing every year.
2017
Coastal Foodshed founded - begins operating separate of Mass in Motion NB
2018
Coastal Foodshed received 501(c)(3) status; moves into first office space, 466 Brock Ave
2019
Purchased Mobile Farm Stand unit, operated 100+ stops, 3 summer farmers markets, and one winter farmers market, creating year-round access
2020
Pandemic started: implemented Virtual Market distributing to food pantries, added second location for cold storage at 38 Blackmer St.
2021
Started selling at farmers markets year-round; moved entire operations to Blackmer St. location
2022
Fully operating as a Food Hub; expanded fleet and purchased refrigerated van; won $697,000 LFPA grant from MDAR to purchase and distribute local foods through wholesale channels
2023
Won second LFPA award from MDAR for $750,00 to expand farm to food relief wholesale operations; signed long-term lease to move operations to Kilburn Mill; completed strategic Growth Plan
2024
Moved into Kilburn Mill Food Hub & opened Pop-Up Retail Shop
2025
Completed the historic LFPA Program, sourcing and purchasing just over $1 million worth of local food that was donated into the Southcoast's emergency food relief network
Connecting Communities to Local Food
We then sell local food into the community through several channels, providing year-round access to fresh, locally grown food for all Southcoast residents.
Additionally, in the Commonwealth, the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) provides SNAP customers with a dollar for dollar match (capped at $40/$60/$80) each month when they purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables from HIP-eligible vendors, including Coastal Foodshed. This program plays a critical role in increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables for our underserved neighbors, while also encouraging direct investment in our local farms. When grant funding allows, we also purchase local food and donate it to our partner food pantries.
When you purchase local food from, or donate to, Coastal Foodshed, you are supporting the local farm economy and increased food access for many of your neighbors.
2025 Impact by the Numbers
Indirectly and directly sold and distributed
$778,878
worth of local food across all market channels
Sold and distributed
4,720
bags of local food directly to SNAP customers through the HIP Delivery Program, reaching an average of 400 customers each month
Distributed
$239,199
worth of local food through the Farm to Food Relief Program in the final five months of the federal grant program
Sourced local food from
76
local farm partners
Hosted
61
cooking demonstrations and preservation workshops
Indirectly and directly sold
$248,935
worth of local food to customers using SNAP and other public benefits to purchase their food
Distributed
770
bags of local food to seniors, through partnerships with Coastline Elderly Services and Molina Healthcare
Our Programs Include:
The Foodshed
The Foodshed, our retail store at the Kilburn Mill in New Bedford, is open Tuesday through Friday from 9am to 5pm for in-person shopping. Order online from The Foodshed by Wednesday at 1pm for Friday delivery or pickup.
The New Bedford Farmers Market
The New Bedford Farmers Market runs year-round at Buttonwood Park in New Bedford, Saturdays from 10am-2pm November through May and Thursdays from 2pm-6pm June through October.
The HIP Delivery Program
The HIP Delivery Program brings bags of fresh local produce directly to SNAP customers on a monthly basis at more than 40 community partner sites across Greater New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, and Wareham.
The Farm to Food Relief Program
The Farm to Food Relief Program sources and distributes local food through the Southcoast's emergency food network when grant funding allows.
The Farm to Institution Program
The Farm to Institution Program connects local farms with schools, healthcare systems, and other institutions.
Learn to Love Local
Learn to Love Local offers cooking workshops that teach customers how to prepare and enjoy fresh, seasonal produce year-round.
Why It Matters
When you shop at Coastal Foodshed, you are directly investing in local farms, supporting a stronger, more resilient, and more equitable local food system. When farms sell through Coastal Foodshed, they are reaching families across the Southcoast who want fresh local food. That is the system we are building, and it gets stronger with every purchase, every partnership, and every new customer we reach.