Brought to you by Cascadian Farm Organic
Cascadian Farm Organic has always believed in the power that good, organic food can have on a community. But for the nearly 600,000 Tampa Bay-area residents who live with food insecurity, the stress of not knowing where their next few meals means they don’t always get to reap those same benefits.
To help spread their mission of bringing people together through food, Cascadian Farm Organic is partnering with Feeding Tampa Bay, a local nonprofit focused on bringing food to people in need throughout West Florida. Cascadian Farm has also teamed up with The Hyppo to create two limited-edition ice pops to raise money for Feeding Tampa Bay, with $2 (an equivalent of 20 meals) from each pop going to the organization. Feeding Tampa Bay volunteers got a taste of some of Cascadian Farm’s newest products at the nonprofit’s family night on October 11.
“We’re excited for Tampanians to get a real feel for our values and the spirit we’re trying to infuse into everything we do,” says Licia Borges, Cascadian Farm’s brand experience manager. “It’s all about crafting feel-good food, and there’s nothing more feel-good than a food that also does good for the community.”
“Feeding Tampa Bay is thrilled to have Cascadian Farm join us with their ‘good vibes’ approach to providing delicious and healthy ways to fuel bodies of all ages,” says Feeding Tampa Bay’s Shannon Hannon Oliviero. “We both believe access to healthy food choices is an open door to health and capability. Cascadian Farm’s array of flavors make eating healthier fun.”
Cascadian Farm Organic was founded by Gene Kahn in 1972 on a farm in Washington state’s Cascade Mountains. Kahn was a key figure in the development of the USDA’s organic label, and he focused his company on growing food that was good for both people and nature. The original Cascadian Farm home farm is still active, producing a commercial crop of blueberries but mostly crops for the local community and visitors. The farm is open to the general public during the fall and summer.
At the home farm, the company models and tests eco-friendly farming practices that protect and regenerate the land. For example, Cascadian Farm creates habitats to promote bees and other native pollinators, uses diverse cover crops to build and nourish the soil naturally, and tests new varieties of crops. Cascadian Farm has led the way in supporting farms that use these types of practices that regenerate the land and benefit their communities to create their 100% certified organic cereals, granolas, bars, frozen fruits and vegetables.
This fall, Cascadian Farm is bringing its mission of good food for all to the Tampa Bay area on its Good Vibes Food Truck. The street team will be making stops at Tampa events like the Livefor24 5K and Tampa Riverwalk Food + Art Festival and locations like Whole Foods and Sprouts to give locals a taste of the home farm. At the truck, guests can sample the new Organic Gluten-Free Honey Vanilla Crunch Cereal and Organic Fruit Infused Bars, plus Tampa Bay’s own MADE cold brew coffee and Natalie’s juices.
“If there is one city that shares our passion for food and their community, it’s Tampa,” Borges says. “We saw a great opportunity to have a positive impact locally through both community-driven events that are all about loving and enjoying what the city has to offer, and partnering with like-minded organizations like The Hyppo and Feeding Tampa Bay that are putting good vibes out into Tampa’s communities.”
“Plus, we love that Tampa has a real streak of local pride that spans across food and community,” she adds.
For the full list of places you can catch the Good Vibes Food Truck around Tampa, head to Cascadian Farm’s Facebook page.
