Modern Farmer: New Demand for Local Corn
Modern Farmer highlights Vermont Tortilla Company in “New Demand for Local Corn Rises in the Northeast”
Building a product around regional ingredients has been important to April Moulaert, co-owner of Vermont Tortilla Company, which she launched in 2016. Since then, she’s relied on Mark Wrisley to supply her with 40 to 52 tons of organic, yellow dent corn each year. But she’s also been working with UVM's Heather Darby to find other varieties as one way to stand out, given there are many tortilla companies settling in the northeast. Moulaert hopes to some day ramp up production and the number of farmers with whom she’s able to partner.
Wrisley, meanwhile, is happy to continue to grow his Blue River Organics corn for Vermont Tortilla Company and a handful of local distilleries. He says he’s also willing to experiment with other varieties, such as heirlooms, if the opportunity presents itself. While Wrisley finds it encouraging that companies are jumping at the chance to support producers in their region, he hopes it’s a permanent shift—one that continues to grow and cement itself as more than just a trend.
