Kavita Patel, the senior director of local programs and strategic partnerships at Whole Foods, searches for locally sourced products in Chester County for the company’s entire Mid-Atlantic region, writes Allison Steele for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Patel spends her days sampling various products, interviewing vendors, and visiting businesses to find delicious new and healthy foods for stores’ shelves.

One such vendor is Yellow Springs Farm in Chester Springs. Patel recently went to talk with owners Catherine and Al Renzi about their award-winning cheese made from goat milk.

“It’s great to get your eyes on how they’re making things,” said Patel. “You’re always looking for what’s next, what’s new.”

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Patel’s research determines which items will be sold in Whole Foods throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Kentucky. Being chosen can mean explosive growth for a business.

Vör of West Chester, for instance, produces chocolate candies with nut butter. It started as a hobby but is now a full-time job for the owner.

According to Patel, Pennsylvania has been an especially fertile ground for sourcing. The store in Exton that opened earlier this year sells products from more than 200 local producers.

Read more about foraging for locally sourced projects in the Philadelphia Inquirer here.

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