Napa Couple Awarded Whole Foods Market Northern California’s 2017 Local Producer Grant

NAPA, CA — A Napa couple is among 15 other Bay Area entrepreneurs to earn a prestigious grant this year. La Saison LLC was selected as one of the winners of the annual Whole Foods Market Northern California’s 2017 Local Producer Grants. La Saison, which provides seasonal dishes for local wineries and private residences, also operates a storefront, Nappalachia, in Napa.

This Wednesday, 44 Whole Foods locations will donate 5 percent of all sales toward the local producer grants for La Saison and its fellow recipients.

“The Local Producer Grant program is an opportunity for Whole Foods Market to give back to small businesses that are working hard to make an impact in Northern California and Reno communities through their unique products and services” said Rob Twyman, regional president for Whole Foods Market in NorCal and Reno. “Local producers play a major role in what makes shopping at Whole Foods Market exciting, delicious, and truly reflective of the communities we serve. We are proud to continue supporting this program for the fourth consecutive year.”

La Saison owners Natalie and Jonathan Niksa say they plan to use the grant money to lock-in prices with the Northern California farmers who supply the non-GMO almonds that are then slow-roasted by La Saison with a popular blend of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, hickory smoked salt and herbes de provence.

"As a commodity, our almonds fluctuate in cost depending on the seasonal yield," Natalie said. "This grant will help us to lock in prices with our farmers this season so that our costs remain the same."

Working Solutions, a nonprofit microlender committed to helping Bay Area entrepreneurs realize their dreams of business ownership, distributes the money to the recipients.

“Working Solutions and Whole Foods Market are partnering for the fourth year in a row to support the
ecosystem of small businesses that drive our economy,” said Emily Gasner, Working Solutions CEO. “We’ve helped distribute over $600,000 in grant funds to nearly 100 local producers over the past three 5% Community Giving Days to help entrepreneurs make their dreams come true. We’re thrilled to complement our own mission of providing affordable microloans and free business consulting through this joint endeavor.”

Other Bay Area business recipients include:

• Garden Variety Cheeses: Royal Oaks, CA
• So Far Gluten Free Delicacies: San Ramon, CA
• Maison de Monaco: San Francisco, CA
• Hey Boo: Hayward, CA
• Tahoe Trail Bar: Reno, NV
• Blabbermouth Chocolates: Lincoln, CA
• Arise Gluten Free Bakery: Arcata, CA
• Crumb Hither Baking: Santa Rosa, CA
• New Family Farm: Sebastopol, CA
• Blue Egg Farm: Orinda, CA
• First Light Farm: Petaluma, CA
• Outlaw Soaps: Colfax, CA
• Soap Cauldron: Sebastopol, CA
• Ohana Organics: Eureka, CA

Photo: Rick Obst via Flickr Creative Commons