Locally Grown: Connecticut

See profiles of our Local Faves:
Massachusetts | Connecticut | Rhode Island | Maine | New England

Our Commitment to Local

For over twenty-five years, Whole Foods Market has supported local vendors, producers and farmers because we know that foods created close to home are fresh, naturally nutritious and delicious. We are committed to creating partnerships with our neighbors and communities.

To help identify local vendors, we have our own foragers whose job its is to stock our shelves with local products including crispy breads baked in Massachusetts, sweet heirloom tomatoes grown in Maine, delicious raspberry jam from Rhode Island or fresh pesto from Connecticut. Every day, you can walk into our stores and choose from a wide selection of New England products.

Definition of Local

Whole Foods Market works to identify food grown, raised or created close to our stores that meet our quality standards. In general, we are committed to providing as many superior artisanal products from Connecticut and New England as possible.

Some of Our Locals

• Ironwood Farms

  Canton

  A small family farm, producing premium eggs from free-range chickens with access to artesian waters.

• Aleia's Gluten Free Bakery

  Old Saybrook

  Hand-made cookies, macaroons, croutons and breads combining old-fashioned quality with international style.

• Liuzzi Cheeses

  North Haven

  The Liuzzi family brought their knowledge of Italian style cheese making to New England, resulting in fresh local mozzarella, ricotta, Caccioricotta and Caciocavallo.

• Griffin Farmstead

  East Granby

  Creamy goat's milk cheese and butter from Allen and Becky Clark who have over 20 years combined experience in veterinary medicine and dairy farming.

• Tokeneke Fine Foods

  Black Rock

  Flavorful nuts, hors d'oeuvres, shortbreads and specialty cookies for delighting your guests.

• Old Maids Farm

  South Glastonbury

  A family owned organic farm featuring fresh tomato and basil pasta sauce made with heirloom and vintage variety tomatoes.

• The Farmer's Cow

  Lebanon

  A group of Connecticut family-owned dairy farms make up the Farmer's Cow and they work together to produce fresh milk and tasty lemonade mixes.

• Rose's Berry Farm

  South Glastonbury

  Picked at the peak of ripeness, Rose's blueberries, and pears make a great filling for a homemade pie. Try a slice with a glass of Rose's fresh apple cider.

• Thomas Hooker Brewery

  Bloomfield

  Thomas Hooker makes beer the way it's meant to be made: hand-crafted from the finest malts, and hops. They believe that local products create local pride, and tastes best because it's fresh from the source.

Some Local Legends

• Bear Pond Pestos

  Glastonbury

  Pecorino Romano cheese from sheep's milk and an extra virgin olive oil blended with herbs, rare oreganos, lemon verbena, garden sorrel and heirloom Egyptian onion make up these flavor packed pestos from Glastonbury. Bear Pond Farm began as Sweet Pea Organics, a small, certified organic family farm offering heirloom vegetables. Their farm-made pestos were "discovered" by The New York Times and now Bear Pond offers a variety of flavors including Premium Basil, Rich Cilantro and Robust Arugula. Enjoy the sun-drenched taste of summer year-round.

• Sheldon Farm

  Eastford

  Sheldon Farm has been in the business of growing herbs and vegetables longer than we have been a country. Started in 1628 as a family farm, it has remained a family farm ever since. Mark Sheldon, a descendant of the original founders carries on the tradition by bringing farm fresh herbs such as chives, dill, mint, sage, wheat grass and chervil from his farm to your table.

Local in the Kitchen

Roasted Pesto Potatoes

Feeds a crowd. Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl, toss together 1.5 lbs red potatoes (cut into 1” chunks) and 3/4 cup Bear Pond Farm Premium Basil or Onion-Garlic Pesto. Spread potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake, checking often, until crispy and golden. Serve hot.

Smoked Salmon Crostini

• 24 thin rounds of bread, cut on the diagonal from a baguette
• extra virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped local dill
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 8 ounces pre-sliced smoked salmon
• 2–3 tablespoons capers
• Fresh local dill sprigs for garnish
• lemon wedges to garnish platter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush the bread on one side with olive oil and place oil side up, on a baking sheet. Bake 8–10 minutes until just crisp and golden. Do not over toast. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, blend cream cheese, dill, onion and black pepper. Place in a pastry bag with a large tip or use a small spoon to place a dollop on the center of each toast. Cut salmon slices in half or thirds and fold a bite-sized slice over each toast. Garnish with capers and fresh dill sprigs. Place on a large platter with lemon wedges.

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