Schnucks Redefines Local Produce with ‘Hyper Local’ Sourcing
December 3, 2025 | 3 min to read
Schnucks expands “Farmer’s Market” concept, building on Local Produce Partnership
ST. LOUIS – Schnuck Markets, Inc. in partnership with Foodshed.io, is expanding a farm direct to store concept – increasing the number and types of farms their customers experience, all with the goal of increasing flavor and freshness.
This pilot program began in fall 2024 with one farm supplying multiple Schnucks locations across the St. Louis metropolitan region. Following its success, Schnucks has expanded the program in 2025 to include additional farmers and more store locations.
“This program is a natural next step in our mission to strengthen our local food economy and provide our customers with the freshest possible products,” said Michael Tipton, VP of Produce & Floral, Schnucks. “By working with “hyper-local” farms located just miles from our stores, we’re able to reduce transportation time and deliver produce to our shelves just hours after it’s been harvested from the fields.”
Ozark Forest Mushroom – the original farm partner in this program – has played a key role in its success. Operating in the heart of St. Louis in the city’s Fox Park neighborhood, the farm specializes in a line of gourmet mushrooms and now supplies more than thirteen Schnucks locations each week, year-round. Their proximity to Schnucks stores enables the farm to handle last-minute orders and efficient delivery.
“Throughout our tenure, we’ve been connected with smaller family-owned farms that were meeting food safety compliance, producing high-quality fruits and vegetables, but just couldn’t meet the volume commitments necessary to make a delivery to a distribution center worthwhile,” said Dan Beckmann, CEO at Foodshed.io. “This program solves a gap in the local food supply chain, matching growers with Schnucks store locations that match their volume capabilities.”
This year, Schnucks expanded their “Hyper Local” program to their Evansville, Indiana market, offering a variety of local produce items, including sweet corn from Family Tradition Farm, blackberries from Stoll’s Greenhouse and green bell peppers from Mayse Farm Market.
“We’ve been serving the Evansville market for nearly 50 years,” said Stephen Rennels, division manager, Schnucks. “It was our pleasure to connect our customers to farms they know and love – and expect to expand further as the next summer approaches.”
Schnucks and Foodshed.io have been partnering to improve access to local produce for over six seasons – working on innovations ranging from “Fresh Produce Now” alerts to building systems that make farm direct to store possible and affordable to their loyal customers.
About Foodshed.io
Foodshed is a logistics and marketing platform that helps major retailers source produce from local, independent farms in a way that protects quality and safety for consumers. Their innovative app works in partnership with some of the best retailers and institutions of our country to bring the best and freshest produce to market from local farms. Based in Livingston, Mont. with significant operations in St. Louis, Mo., Foodshed.io is majority female owned & operated.
About Schnucks
Founded in St. Louis in 1939, Schnuck Markets, Inc. is a third and fourth generation, family-owned grocery retailer committed to nourishing people’s lives. Schnucks operates 113 stores, serving customers in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana and employs more than 11,000 teammates. According to Forbes’ 2024 rankings, Schnucks is the 203rd largest privately-owned company in the United States and the 13th largest privately-owned grocer. Schnucks is committed to helping communities thrive, and as a champion for reducing hunger, the company annually donates more than $15 million in food to pantries that help those in need.
Schnucks is part of 1939 Group, Inc., which is owned by the family that founded Schnuck Markets, Inc., and named after the year they opened the first Schnucks store. Other members of the family of companies include Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers, Inc.