Project Grant 23OMDGDC0024

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service awarded a $4,421,110 Organic Market Development Grant (CFDA 10.188) to LS Wholesale LLC on January 30, 2024. The grant will enable LS Wholesale to expand the domestic certified organic chickpea market by increasing aggregation, processing, and distribution of its consumer-packaged hummus line while simultaneously growing consumer demand through enhanced sales and marketing efforts. Specifically, the funding will allow LS Wholesale to achieve SQF certification, invest in manufacturing improvements, and implement a shopper, trade, and field marketing program. This will enable LS Wholesale to leverage increased market demand and create a direct market for 10 domestic chickpea farmers, purchasing 800,000 pounds of chickpeas annually across 2,000 production acres. The grant project will run through January 29, 2027.