Five Rivers Cooperative grows local produce while training new and beginning farmers in central West Virginia. Launched with its first crop of heirloom tomatoes and Swiss chard in June 2021, the cooperative supplies food to area businesses, schools, and the Mountaineer Food Bank. Its Nicholas and Webster county initiative uses intensive, resource-conscious farming to make small-scale agriculture and farm-related employment more viable.
Healthy Kids IncHealthy Kids Inc. began in 2010 with a goal of helping families eat healthier meals and has grown into a West Virginia social enterprise rooted in local agriculture. From central kitchens in Morgantown and Huntington, its chefs prepare from-scratch meals for community partners while working with West Virginia farmers to build a stronger regional food system.BRIDGEPORT, WV
Multitude FoodsBorn during the COVID-19 school shutdowns, West Virginia-based Multitude Foods packages USDA-compliant boxed meals for students and seniors across the state. Founded by Russell Bailey and his daughter Kayla Bailey, the company draws on more than 30 years of food-service experience and uses almost exclusively West Virginia-made and distributed products. Its shelf-stable meal boxes reach school districts and 40 senior centers, while its discreet backpack program helps students facing food insecurity.BUCKHANNON, WV
Way Fruit FarmSixth-generation family-owned Way Fruit Farm has been part of Centre County’s agricultural community since 1826, growing from an orchard planted with a wedding gift of 1,000 apple trees in 1872. Today, Jason and Megan Coopey run the Halfmoon Valley farm, whose harvest reaches neighbors through its farm store and café while its seasonal events keep the property a gathering place. The family also operates A Way To Help, a nonprofit supporting local children and families facing small, unexpected hardships.STATE COLLEGE, PA
ZeromileFounded in 2025 in Allegheny County, Zeromile is building a worker-owned cooperative kitchen and market that puts food-production resources and decision-making in the hands of workers and small producers. Its dual-cooperative model pairs a buyers club for reduced-cost local food with shared production space, while connecting farms, cooks, and fermenters through community food programs and collaborative projects. Zeromile’s broader aim is a replicable, community-rooted food system centered on food access, economic sovereignty, and mutual aid.PITTSBURGH, PA