Producers

Grow Your Business

Membership in Dakota Fresh takes the work of sales, marketing, delivery, and invoicing off your plate so you can focus on production!

  • Easily list your products for sale through our online marketplace. You may list wholesale, retail, or both! Inventory management is a breeze, and you’ll only need to harvest what you’ve sold.

  • Our skilled sales team will promote your products to new and long-standing customers, and our careful delivery staff will ensure your products get to their destination.

  • Our e-commerce system and finance team take care of invoicing, collections, and paying producers for sales each month; you will get one check a month from Dakota Fresh for all your sales rather than waiting for individual invoices to come through.

  • You’ll be part of a group of other new and experienced producers who share the goal of promoting healthy, sustainably-grown, local food to our region.

How Does It Work?

Each week, list your currently available products on the website.

  • You will be notified as soon as orders take place, and at the close of the order period you will receive a pick ticket showing you what was ordered.

  • On delivery day, you will take your product to a local cooler, and our staff will ensure that it is delivered to customers.

  • You get paid each month for your collective sales. That’s it!

Membership Process

Our food hub is structured as a producer-owned LLC with all members retaining equal ownership. Becoming a producer with Dakota Fresh requires:

  • A signed operating agreement and unanimous vote of the membership.

  • A monetary investment and annual fee. Dakota Fresh also receives a percentage of each sale.

  • Attendance at our annual meeting in January and at least one other quarterly meeting.

  • Adherence to our membership criteria which includes sustainable food production practices such as using non-GMO feed and seeds and no chemical pesticides.

  • A farm visit by our manager or a board member.

  • Completion of farm food safety training in the first three years of membership and development of a farm food safety plan in the first five years of membership.

Contact us to request a copy of our operating agreement for more details. Once you’ve signed on as a member, our manager will help you set up an account, and you’re ready to start selling!

  • “Dakota Fresh has been an asset to us for all of our McKennan locations. Because of Dakota Fresh, we are able to offer our patients and guests a local & sustainable option, without any hindering to our foodservice staff. It is extremely convenient to order fresh product at the beginning of the week, and have it delivered at the end of the week. We get daily remarks from our customers telling us how much they love the local components to our food service department! Thank you Dakota Fresh for helping us provide the best quality services to our patients and guests!”


    –Nicholas Skajewski, Avera Executive Chef, Avera Hospital

  • “Dakota Fresh has given me the opportunity to work with others who also believe in the value of sustainable growing practices & community based food systems.”


    –Lisa Smith, DF treasurer, Prairie's Past

  • “There is nothing like knowing where your ingredients are coming from. My customers love that they are enjoying locally sourced food and helping their local farms at the same time. I love the service and the convenience of ordering and delivering. It made my life easier.”

    –Sanaa Abourezk, Owner / Chef, Sanaa's Gourmet Mediterranean

  • “Vanguard Hospitality has been a big supporter of Dakota Fresh for years. Whenever possible, we buy their fresh, local products for use in our three upscale restaurants in Sioux Falls, SD. We have been thrilled to watch their ability to meet our demand rise as the company has grown through the years. At Vanguard, we believe in the social movement of local food and supporting small businesses and small farmers, but we also support Dakota Fresh because of the excellent quality of their produce -- a difference our customers can taste.”

    - Tim Meagher, Vanguard Restaurants

  • “My favorite aspects of Dakota Fresh is the huge product range and that I can order from home. I'm hardly ever around on Saturdays to attend the farmers market, so it's great having the convenience of online ordering without sacrificing diversity or local produce! I also like that I can get local products all year around.”

    - Abby Vlaminck, Customer

Interested in Learning More?

Submit your information and we will reach out to you with more information on becoming a producer!