Benefits to selling on Food Hub

• Reach: Expand your customer base across Whidbey Island effortlessly.

• Convenience: Enjoy a single weekly pick sheet and drop-off point, where Food Hub employees aggregate, pack, and distribute orders for you.

• User-friendly: Easily manage your products and inventory, set your prices, and showcase your business information to customers through an intuitive online interface.

• Flexibility: Take advantage of built-in market access; sell your products on the online marketplace whenever you're ready. If you need a break, simply skip a week and return to the same customer base the following week.

• Support: Join us in efforts to expand local agriculture markets, boost demand for local food, and contribute to a healthier, more resilient community.

How it works:

• Each week producers post available products and specify the dollar amount they want to receive for each item.

• Consumers will see a price that includes an 18-25% uplift applied to the amount the producer chooses. The producer receives the price they list, and the mark-up will cover the bare bones of software costs, credit card processing fees, staff, and gas.

• We currently offer retail sales direct to customers and wholesale sales to markets and restaurants. All customers can order between Friday - Tuesday each week, with business deliveries on Thursdays and retail pick-up on Fridays.

• A pick list is generated on Tuesday evenings for producers to fulfill orders. Your products should be packaged, labeled, and ready for the customer as coordinated with the Market Manager.

• On Thursdays, producers deliver products to the WIGC Warehouse, Mutiny Bay Blues Farmstand or Ebey Road Farm by 9-10AM, or at a time coordinated with the Market Manager. Baked goods, flowers, and fresh-daily products can be delivered on Friday mornings.

• After all products are aggregated at the WIGC Warehouse, each order is hand packed and then delivered to 4 customer pick-up sites on the island for distribution.

Ready to join? Follow the steps below to get started.

Steps to Sell on the WIGC Food Hub

STEP 1 Read the The WIGC Food Hub Manual  and the WIGC Membership Guide to learn about our mission, goals, and program rules.

STEP 2  See our Local Food Marketplace website to get an idea of what customers read and how they shop: https://whidbeyislandgrown.localfoodmarketplace.com/

STEP 3 Click APPLICATION and provide basic background information, or contact Shannon at foodhub@whidbeyislandgrown.com.

STEP 4 The Market Manager will reach out to you with any further questions before presenting your application to the board for review and approval.

STEP 5  Once approved, You will receive an email from the Market Manager to set up a time to get trained in using the LFM marketplace. Training over Zoom takes approximately 45 minutes.

STEP 6  Provide the documents listed below to the Market Manager.

STEP 7 Start Selling!

Required documents for producers:

• Copy of your Business License

• Liability Insurance ($1,000,000/$2,000,000) with Whidbey Island Grown Cooperative named as Certificate Holder

• Any other relevant permits and/or licenses such as egg license, organic certification, etc.

• Print, sign, and return a W-9 form for the current year

• Provide a Direct Deposit Form

• Signed Sellers Commitment Form  

• Logo and two farm pictures emailed to Food Hub Manager at: foodhub@whidbeyislandgrown.com