Started in 1974 by Edwin and Jane Sobiech, Green Valley Onion Co. grows and supplies onions from a 250-acre farm in New York’s Black Dirt Region, with custom packing for East Coast supermarkets. Now marking more than 50 years in business, the company is a second-generation operation with Edwin Jr. managing the business and his children Brennan and Olivia helping carry it forward. Its packaging warehouse runs largely on electricity from 780 rooftop solar panels and has recently added an automated line for customized consumer mesh sacks.
Tierra FarmBorn from a diversified organic vegetable farm in New York’s Finger Lakes, Tierra Farm has manufactured and distributed certified-organic dried fruits, nuts and other foods since its dried-fruit and nut business began in 1999. Located south of Albany, the company still maintains its original farm and makes its products in small, hand-crafted batches, from roasting and blending to chocolate work and coffee roasting. Tierra Farm’s environmental focus is unusually tangible: more than 100 products use plastic-free, home-compostable packaging, while its facility generates over 70% of its electricity from solar power.VALATIE, NY
Michael Cutler CompanyFounded in 2005 to focus on onions, Michael Cutler Company is a vertically integrated grower, packer and distributor of fresh produce serving receivers throughout North America. The Peckville-based company grew from a produce-trading family whose roots reach back to 1926, and now maintains year-round onion programs alongside broader fruit and vegetable operations. Its food-safety program includes independent supply-chain audits, shipment traceability and Food Safe-certified company-owned facilities.OLYPHANT, PA
CY Farms, LLCStarted as a 25-cow dairy in 1951, CY Farms has grown into a multigenerational, family-owned agricultural operation in western New York producing field crops and vegetables across 6,500 acres. Craig and Christian Yunker run the farm with five managers and a staff of 35, continuing a pattern of diversification that now includes a sister sod business with 300 acres in production. The farm rotates traditional grains and forage with onions, peas and other vegetables while testing new crops and practices.ELBA, NY
Pero Family Farms Food Company, LLCFounded by Sicilian immigrant Peter Pero in 1908, Pero Family Farms grows and prepares fresh vegetables for grocery shelves across the country. Still family-owned and operated as the fifth generation enters the business, the Delray Beach company farms more than 35,000 acres from Florida to New York and is especially known for its snipped green beans and mini sweet peppers. Its integrated operation includes organic farming, fresh-cut processing and a fleet of more than 60 trucks, helping deliver vegetables year-round.BRANT, NY