MONTEREY, CA - Costco, one of the largest organic food sales retailers in the U.S., will offer an opportunity for certified organic farmers and growers to meet with its buyers at the inaugural Organic Grower Summit. The company will sponsor a half-day Meet the Farmer Event during the Monterey, CA, show, slated for December 13-14.

"Costco is committed to meeting directly with organic farmers, who are truly on the front lines of bringing top quality organic products to market,” said Heather Shavey, Costco’s Assistant Vice President.

Costco, which touts annual fresh produce sales of $4 billion, according to a press release, confirms its participation in the event just one week after all exhibit booths sold out.

As we previously reported, the debut summit is a joint production between California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and Organic Produce Network (OPN) to bring together organic growers, producers, and processors for two days of education, information, and networking opportunities with organic production supply chain and service providers.

“We appreciate the work OPN has done in putting together this unique opportunity to meet face to face with those responsible for actually growing organic products,” Shavey said. “Our buying team is looking forward to learning more about organic production, hearing about new product innovations, and building new supplier opportunities to meet the growing demand for organics for our shoppers."

Costco category buyers that certified organic farmers and grower representatives could meet to discuss their operations and products include:

• Organic Produce
• Organic Dairy
• Organic Meat
• Organic Grain

The event includes a series of educational sessions, keynote presentations, a variety of meal functions, and a sold out exhibitor area, featuring over 70 organic supplier and service providers.

"OGS is delighted Costco is coming to show their support of the certified organic farming community,” said Co-Founder of the Organic Produce Network Tonya Antle. “This is a great opportunity to have organic farmers get in front of Costco to tell their story as part of the inaugural OGS."

Those interested in making an appointment to meet with Costco, can register as an attendee at www.organicgrowersummit.com/registration and click on the "Meet with Costco" tab for further information.

Though exhibition booths for allied service suppliers are sold-out, companies interested in being added to the exhibitor wait list can contact [email protected].

Organic Grower Summit Organic Produce Network California Certified Organic Farmers