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Real Pickles

Northeast Grown, 100% organic, fermented & raw pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, kvass, and hot sauce

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Home / Our Story

Our Story

Real Pickles is a worker co-operative working to change the food system by making pickles!  It all started when Dan Rosenberg began making traditional pickles in 1999 after attending a workshop at a Northeast Organic Farming Association conference. Excited about the benefits of locally grown food, he started pickling cabbage, turnips, greens, and other vegetables as a way to eat locally throughout the winter. Dan also got inspired by the work of Dr. Weston A. Price, a researcher who traveled the world in the 1920s and 30s studying the diets of indigenous peoples and who found that those eating traditional diets enjoyed a high level of health completely unknown in industrialized societies.

Dan quickly became devoted to the craft of traditional pickling and, two years later, decided to go into business.  The idea was to create a small company focused on building a better food system.  As one of a tiny handful of businesses producing raw, fermented vegetables, Real Pickles would offer an important and nourishing food that was largely missing from the food system. This new business would also be committed to local/regional food and organic agriculture.  Real Pickles would buy its vegetables only from Northeast organic farms and sell its products only within the Northeast.

Real Pickles launched in 2001, purchasing 1,000 pounds of certified organic pickling cucumbers from Chamutka Farm, and successfully selling its inaugural batches of Organic Dill Pickles to a couple dozen local stores. The following season, Real Pickles began operating out of the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center in Greenfield, a business incubator kitchen created to boost the local agricultural economy by providing a venue for making value-added foods with local farm ingredients.  At the Food Processing Center, Dan – soon joined by Addie Rose Holland – was able to steadily grow the business, adding products like Organic Sauerkraut and Organic Ginger Carrots, and expanding sales to stores in the Boston area and then elsewhere around the region.

By 2009, Real Pickles had outgrown the incubator kitchen, and we were ready to make the leap to our own home.  We purchased a century-old industrial building in Greenfield, MA and transformed it into a solar-powered, energy-efficient, organic pickling facility.  The move allowed us to expand significantly, tripling our purchases from local farms in the years following.  We look forward to staying here for many years to come.

Meanwhile, we’ve demonstrated that there is a real and growing demand for raw, fermented vegetables and that a business as deeply committed to social responsibility as ours can work!  In 2013, we turned to preserving our social mission for the long term and – following a successful community investment campaign – took the exciting step of transitioning Real Pickles to a worker co-operative.  We are proud to join the ranks of other co-operatives that are supporting local ownership, workplace democracy, and contributing to the co-operative economy!

Read more about Real Pickles

Our Mission
Our Farmers
Our Co-operative
Our Facility

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Fermented foods make delicious, nutrient-rich snac Fermented foods make delicious, nutrient-rich snacks and bring a little vibrant color to these cold January days! Make a quick and easy treat by adding a healthy serving of your favorite Real Pickles ferment to avocado and your favorite toasted bread.
Garnish with sprouts, radish and sesame seeds like these beauties, or finish as you wish! #realpickles #packedwithamission #lactofermentation #avocadotoast #superbowlsnacks #organic #raw #pickles #kraut #recipeideas 

Photo by @clarebarboza
Bread by @riseabove_413
On the shortest and darkest day of the year, may y On the shortest and darkest day of the year, may you be cozy and warm with ferments aplenty, and may the light of the Winter Solstice shine on you! 

#wintersolstice #RealPickles #ferments #organic #kraut #sauerkraut #northeastgrown #fermentedandraw
Still looking for that perfect gift? How about som Still looking for that perfect gift?
How about something that supports regional organic farms, creates meaningful jobs in our community, and is super delicious?! Consider a few jars of Real Pickles ferments or a super cozy organic cotton tee! Check out the store locator on our website to find the Northeast store closest to you, or order a 4 jar sampler, some colorful merch, or a Real Pickles gift certificate on our webstore!
Link in profile. 

#RealPickles #PackedWithAMission
#FermentedAndRaw #organic #giftgiving #shoplocal #supportregionalfarms
It’s carrot day at Real Pickles and we’re havi It’s carrot day at Real Pickles and we’re having lots of fun processing these gorgeous, vibrant carrots from Brookford Farm! Such beauties! 
#organic #northeastgrown #carrots #ferments  @brookfordfarm
Looking for a new way to enjoy your favorite Real Looking for a new way to enjoy your favorite Real Pickles ferments? Check out this colorful, mouth watering post by @hawthorncleansebuds - 
and tag us with your recipe ideas! 

Posted @withrepost • 
Let the RAINBOW ROLLING begin 🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈💫😋👏

Check the goodness at last nights RR station: 

arugula, baked tofu, rice noodles with lemon and hemp seeds, sautéed lions mane/ cremini and caramelized onions, turmeric japanese sweet potatoes, cilantro, sesame seeds, avos, calendula flowers, lemon and chocolate mint. 

Fermented loves ginger carrots, red kraut and kimchi @realpickles 

Tahini lemon maple dressing 
Peanut soy honey allium dipping

#RealPickles #organic #fermentedandraw
Real Pickles is seeking a well-qualified individua Real Pickles is seeking a well-qualified individual to join our team as a Sales Representative. We are looking for someone with a strong interest in organic food, Real Pickles’ mission and a desire to explore worker-ownership in our co-op. See details on how to apply and full job description at realpickles.com/jobs - link in bio! 

#RealPickles #coopjobs #organic #sales #werehiring

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311 Wells St
Greenfield, MA 01301
(413) 774-2600
info@realpickles.com

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