Local Producer Loan Program

Whole Foods Market's Local Producer Loan Program (LPLP) provides up to $10 million in low-interest loans to small, local producers. Why? Because we believe in supporting local farmers and producers. We want to make it easier for them to grow their businesses and bring more local products to market. That’s good for us and it’s good for you.

Loans range from $1,000 to $100,000 and can be for things like purchasing more animals, investing in new equipment or converting to organic production. We minimize the fees, interest rates and paperwork that can often get in the way of a small local farm or business taking the next step to expand its operations.

Check out the stories of our current loan recipients. From ranchers and beekeepers to ice cream makers and bakers, they all have wonderfully unique experiences to share. And if you are a local producer yourself, check out the information provided here about applying for a loan to help your business.

Featured Loan Recipient

Via Elisa
Atlanta, Georgia

Via Elisa is an all-natural, high-quality, authentic Italian-style pasta made from organic flour, free range eggs, and imported cheeses. Elisa Gambino trained in Italy with a pasta maker and uses those methods for her production. Her pastas have been reviewed in a number of regional publications, and she has even been filmed for the Food Network's Road Tasted, in which she showed James and Bobby Deen about making fresh pasta.

Elisa has been producing Via Elisa Fresh Pasta since 2002. In that time she has expanded to a product line of ravioli, tortelloni, gnocchi, cannelloni, cut pasta, pasta sauces, and seasoned butters. She will be using the loan to purchase an oxygen analyzer and pasta cutting machine, which will help her expand her business even more.

Watch Elisa make authentic Italian-style pasta.

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