San Francisco-based Veritable Vegetable Inc. is one of the longest-running organic produce distributors in the United States. "We have operated since 1974, and we have always focused on organic fruits and vegetables," said Karen Salinger, co-owner of Veritable Vegetable.

Beginning in the early 1970s, VV, as Veritable Vegetable is commonly called, became part of a movement that sought to bring low-cost, nutritious food to neighborhood cooperatives and community storefronts. This collective, called the People's Food System, extended throughout the greater San Francisco Bay area, are provided a large-scale alternative to the existing corporate food system.

In the early days of the People's Food System, the unifying principle was "food for people, not for profit." These words still resonate for VV today. Though its business Co-owners of Veritable Vegetable; Mary Jane Evans, Karen Salinger (upper level) and Bu Nygrens. (Photo courtesy of Veritable Vegetable)has grown, it continues to operate with the greater community in mind, offering fair prices when buying, selling and hauling, and providing good wages, benefits and equipment to its staff.

The company's economic success has allowed it to contribute to projects and causes it believes in, and to translate its values into action.

Veritable Vegetables' product availability changes on a daily bases. It may offer over 600 options on one day, but the list fluctuates depending on the day of the week and the season.

"We sell a wide variety of certified organic fruits and vegetables, grains, dried beans, dairy, eggs, cheese, tofu, tortillas and fresh juice," said Ms. Salinger. "Though almost all of what we sell is organic, we also offer a small selection of transitional produce-food grown from farms that are in the process of transitioning to organic and conventionally grown, non-organic products. We offer a remarkable variety of fresh produce — from lettuce and Red Delicious apples to unique items like purple carrots, fingerling potatoes, heirloom apples and shelling beans."

The company works with close to 300 growers from throughout California and beyond, including the Southwest, Hawaii and Mexico. And it specializes in supporting small to mid-sized independent farms.

It provides full-service distribution of the highest quality organic fresh fruits and vegetables to over 500 customers, including independent and natural food grocers, cooperative markets, restaurants, schools and organizations focused on increasing food access in their communities.

"Our warehouses are located in San Francisco, but we distribute all over California, into parts of Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Southwestern Colorado," said Ms. Salinger. "We also ship to Hawaii, Boston and New York."

The company has 24 distinct routes, and its trucks are on the road seven days a week.

Ms. Salinger noted that the company's sales have steadily increased over the years, with a small plateau experience during the downturn in 2008.

The owners, Mary Jane Evans, Bu Nygrens and Ms. Salinger continually invest in the company's operations.

"We recently expanded our warehouse facilities by 6,000 square feet, in addition to the 36,000 square feet already being utilized in our operation," Ms. Salinger noted. "We also recently purchased 10 new hybrid tractors and two new trailers. These purchases take us closer to our goal of zero emissions by 2013.

"Another change that we are implementing is a reusable wrap and plastic pallet program to further reduce our environmental impact," she added.

Veritable Vegetable's customers are definitely changing their purchases to reflect customer interest in locally grown products.

"To support increasing concern to procure locally grown produce in the market, we supply information to our customers on the distance from the grower to our warehouse," said Ms. Salinger.