Last updated on February 23rd, 2024 at 10:03 am
The ShopRite of Chester is partnering with Three Meadows Farm and the Somerset Hills Learning Institute, a private nonprofit program that offers a broad spectrum of services and education to children, adolescents and young adults with autism, to bring the farm’s Paradise Salad to store shelves.
Paradise Salad is the first product sustainably grown, harvested and packed by the young adult students at Three Meadows Farm. In addition, the ShopRite of Chester is the first retail location to carry the product.
The store’s produce buyer worked with Three Meadows Farm to help bring the local product to market, with the goal of helping the farm further expand its offerings. Somerset Hills Learning Institute acquired the farm in 2016, and it functions as both a learning site for students and job site for adults.
Grown at the farm’s hydroponic greenhouse in Bedminster, Paradise Salad features a blend of lettuce, sorrel, radish microgreens and nasturtium.
“We love nothing more than working with local farms to bring the freshest produce possible to the community of Chester,” said Perry Blatt, director of e-commerce and business development for Village Super Market Inc., the family-owned business that owns and operates the ShopRite of Chester in New Jersey.
“And our relationship with Three Meadows Farm is more than just another business partnership – it is about elevating the work of an incredible organization that is providing life-changing opportunities to young adults with autism. Every Paradise Salad sold at the ShopRite of Chester supports that mission, and we could not be prouder to feature this product on our shelves.”
Career training is a key part of the curriculum at Somerset Hills Learning Institute, which offers specialized programs to increase employment opportunities for adults with autism. At Three Meadows Farm, students are given the opportunity to experience a multitude of job readiness skills including farming, gardening and greenhouse cultivation.
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