Mandela Produce Distribution

Mandela Produce Distribution, a program of Mandela Partners, began as Earth Produce almost a decade ago. We started with a mission to support local, limited-resource farmers of color while increasing access to fresh, sustainable, and healthy fruits and vegetables in West Oakland. We distributed produce in corner stores, grocery stores, community produce stands, and through community partnerships. In 2016, we changed our name to Mandela Produce Distribution (MPD), but our purpose remained the same: to build a better local food system that supported both our farmers and our consumerseaters.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the MPD team?s experience and roots in our community enabled us to pivot our operations and respond to an unprecedented need for fresh, healthy, and safely accessible produce, while offering a reliable sales channel for farmers who were navigating extreme economic uncertainty.

Since our beginning, we?ve distributed more than two million pounds of produce! Today, our team continues to serve as West Oakland?s food hub, connecting farmers to customers. We source produce from a network of BIPOC farmers practicing sustainable agriculture within 150 miles of West Oakland. Beyond our buying relationship, we offer our farmers low-cost loans, grants, technical support, and support during emergencies. In addition to our wholesale offerings, our team operates several different food access programs, including our Community Supported Agriculture Box program, our Produce Distribution Partnerships, and our Community Produce Stands.