Powered by People: Our 2025 Impact Report

At the heart of The Produce Box is a simple but powerful belief: local food systems are sustained by local people.

In 2025, farmers, food hubs, and nonprofit food access partners across North Carolina faced mounting challenges. Federal funding cuts to local food purchasing programs, government shutdowns, and SNAP delays created real uncertainty for families already navigating tight budgets.

And yet—this community continued to show up.

Thanks to the collective effort of our farmers, members, employees, and partners, The Produce Box remained a steady bridge between local food and local households, even in a shifting landscape.

By the Numbers: Our 2025 Impact

Because of this community, in 2025:

We supported 63 local farmers and 57 North Carolina artisan vendors
We packed 29,391 Produce Boxes for 19 nonprofit organizations, totaling 363,000 pounds of fresh food
We delivered 19,158 local peaches to members' homes
We provided 12,127 dozen Latta’s eggs food access partners feeding food-insecure families
80% of everything sold was grown or produced in North Carolina
And The Produce Box celebrated 17+ years in business, having channeled millions of dollars directly to NC producers since 2007.

These are just a few of the statistics that paint a powerful picture of the interconnected work our business gets to help sustain. Each of these numbers represents real people in our community: farmers earning fair income, families accessing nourishing food, and local jobs sustained across our region.

Fresh produce and eggs became lifelines for food-insecure families during periods of uncertainty, reminding us that local food systems are not abstract ideas. They are living networks of care.

The People Behind the Box

What you don’t often see are the humans who bring each delivery to life. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, our packing team arrives before sunrise, carefully hand-packing each box with pride and intention. From there, your order is passed to a Neighborhood Ambassador—your neighbor—who delivers it rain or shine.

Their dedication, teamwork, and joy are the heartbeat of this operation. This is deeply human work, and we are endlessly grateful for the people who make it possible (including you!)

Our team member Laura packing up Breakroom Boxes for one of our local businesses, providing healthy snacking for employees all week long!

Farmer Earl Brooks from Community Greens on delivery day with a van full of organically grown spring mix, spinach, arugula, and carrots

Our team's family-syle Thanksgiving brunch

Why Your Choice to Eat Local Matters

When you place an order with The Produce Box, you’re doing far more than buying groceries for your household.

You are:

Sustaining local farmers
Supporting local jobs
Feeding neighbors
Helping hold together a food system powered by people

Your decision to eat local ripples outward, strengthening communities across North Carolina when it matters most.

With Gratitude

This impact report is ultimately a thank-you: to our farmers, our nonprofit partners, our employees, our Neighborhood Ambassadors, and to you, our members.

We are proud of what we’ve grown together, and deeply grateful to continue this work alongside such a committed community.

Thank you for choosing local, especially when it matters most!