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Key people at Farmer Direct Organic.
Based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Farmer Direct Organic is a commercial supplier of certified organic and regenerative agricultural products, including legumes, grains, beans, lentils, and oats. The company operates a traceable supply chain network connecting over 60 organic farmers across North America to produce 14 retail SKUs and 15 private label SKUs. Its bulk ingredients and consumer packaged goods are currently distributed to more than 2,000 retail locations through major wholesale distribution partners like KeHE and UNFI. The organization also supplies traceable, single-origin ingredients directly to prominent food manufacturers and national grocery chains, such as Amy's Kitchen and Whole Foods. In May 2021, the business was officially acquired by the plant-based food company Above Food to expand its organic consumer packaged goods platform. Farmer Direct Organic was originally founded in 2018 by chief executive officer Jason Freeman.
Farmer Direct Organic (FDO) is a portfolio company and brand under Above Food that supplies regenerative organic certified grains, including rolled oats, lentils, beans, peas, and hemp hearts, fully traceable to family farms in the US, Canada, and Mexico. It serves retailers like Whole Foods Market and independent organic stores, solving the problem of opaque supply chains by providing 100% organic, pesticide-tested, GMO-free products grown via regenerative practices that ensure fair farmer pay and soil health.[1][3][5] With products in over 2,000 stores and leadership as the world's largest Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC™) grain supplier, FDO demonstrates strong growth through vertical integration and certifications like Plastic Neutral and Tested Clean.[1][4][6]
FDO traces its roots to 2002, when founder Jason Freeman, then running a small organic hempseed company, saw organic family farmers struggling with low profits due to poor price transparency in buyer meetings. He partnered with three Canadian family farms to form Farmer Direct Co-op, a farmer-owned entity focused on 100% organic grains, seeds, and legumes sold to manufacturers globally.[2][3][6]
By 2011, the co-op launched the "Fair Deal" brand—100% farmer-owned, organic, and domestic fair trade—gaining traction with Whole Foods, which carried bulk bins coast-to-coast starting in 2013. Evolving into FDO around 2018 as a separate brand (still sourcing from the co-op and 60+ farmers), it emphasized consumer-facing traceability, pesticide testing, and regenerative practices, becoming an Above Food brand and launching North America's first ROC™ oats.[1][2][3][4][6]
FDO rides the regenerative agriculture trend, capitalizing on consumer demand for transparent, planet-friendly food amid climate concerns and soil degradation. Its timing aligns with rising ROC™ adoption, as verified by the Regenerative Organic Association, positioning it against conventional organics lacking soil health focus.[1][4][6] Market forces like retailer commitments (e.g., Whole Foods) and vertical integration from seed-to-shelf favor FDO, influencing the ecosystem by partnering with farms for ROC™ transitions, proving higher farmer incomes, and setting standards for clean, traceable grains in a $50B+ organic market.[2][3][6]
FDO is poised to expand ROC™ staples into more private labels and international markets, leveraging Above Food's scale to transition additional acreage while maintaining farmer equity. Trends like corporate sustainability mandates and pesticide scrutiny will amplify its edge, potentially evolving it into a regenerative supply chain leader that redefines organic scalability. This builds on its co-op origins, proving family farms can thrive in transparent, high-integrity food systems.[1][4][6]
Key people at Farmer Direct Organic.
