About BrightSide Produce…

BrightSide Produce was founded in June 2014 in Minneapolis, MN.

It began as a collaboration between the University of St. Thomas and Community Table Co-op to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to corner stores in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Today, BrightSide Produce Minneapolis services 16 stores in underserved communities.

BrightSide Produce launched in San Diego in June of 2017.

In 2016, Dr. Iana Castro, along with co-founder Rafael Castro, saw a future for BrightSide Produce at San Diego State University and started working with SDSU students to make BrightSide a reality. BrightSide Produce made its first produce deliveries to five stores in National City in June 2017 and has expanded by one store per month.

BrightSide Produce tackles food insecurity in San Diego.

In 2016, Dr. Iana Castro, along with co-founder Rafael Castro, saw a future for BrightSide Produce at San Diego State University and started working with SDSU students to make BrightSide a reality. BrightSide Produce made its first produce deliveries to five stores in National City in June 2017 and has expanded by one store per month.

BrightSide Produce distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to small food stores in underserved communities.

​BrightSide provides a service that increases the accessibility, availability, and affordability of fresh fruits and vegetables by serving as a produce distributor for food insecure customers in low-income communities and the university community.

BrightSide Produce is a self-sustaining, social venture.

The funding model for BrightSide relies on the proceeds from deliveries of produce on the SDSU campus to fund deliveries to BrightSide stores in underserved communities. By utilizing idle resources, employing university students and volunteers, and servicing multiple food insecure communities, BrightSide provides a sustainable, long-term solution for distribution that can be scalable to more communities as the venture grows.