DURHAM, NC - Under the guidance of Sandi Kronick, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Happy Dirt has grown into a major East Coast organic supplier. But the company has never lost sight of its founding vision: helping farmers.
“Historically and presently, farmers in this country have been overpromised and underdelivered,” Sandi says. “It was really important to me not to mess this up for them.”
She’s referring to the difficult decision that many North Carolina tobacco farmers had to make in the wake of the 2004 Tobacco Buyout: be at the mercy of the markets, or try their hand at another crop.
Fresh out of college and eager to help, Sandi arrived in North Carolina in the early 2000s and immediately dove into her mission to support farmers in growing organic produce. Through market research, she discovered that most organic products on grocery shelves were shipped from the West Coast or further; an opportunity to answer the need for local organic produce was knocking, and Sandi was not about to ignore it. Selecting key crops such as sweet potatoes and kales and other greens, she began working with local farmers to determine which items fit into their rotations.
“We’re incredibly invested in our farmers’ abilities to succeed in what works well for them,” Sandi tells me. “For us to achieve our vision and our mission, we want to make our farmers more sustainable, so they see a future in farming. Not just for them, but for the next generation.”
Happy Dirt grew steadily. The farmers who started with five acres of organic produce expanded their acreage, and the production curve rose so much that North Carolina is now among the top 10 states for organic produce production.
Such growth presented a new opportunity: the possibility of working with organic farmers across state lines to create a year-round program.
Happy Dirt rebranded from Eastern Carolina Organics in 2019 to reflect the company’s revamped business model.
“We are very happy to prioritize our North Carolina partners in season, but it’s really important for the stability of the industry to offer a year-round program of most crops,” Sandi explains. “And building an East Coast supply chain is an incredibly thrilling thing to do.”
The rebrand also forced the company to engage with the reality of organics as it stands today.
“Every shopper should feel good about being able to support local farms, not guilted into it. They should feel excited about eating well. That’s a big part of our brand,” Sandi says. “From the local independents that we support to the national chains that we partner with, our ability to help them deliver the marketing message to their shoppers is critical.”
With its unique farmer-owner model, dedication to uplifting organics, and approachable branding, Happy Dirt is a company ready to tackle the future.
“We have so much more of an impact to make,” Sandi promises.
