The Giant Company supports Pennsylvania farms, small food businesses

The Giant Company, the parent of the Giant and Martin’s retail stores, has unveiled the recipients of its emergency grant program.

Created through a partnership with Team Pennsylvania, the program originally allocated $250,000 to be distributed, but due to the response, the Carlisle, Pa.-based company doubled the amount of funding to $500,000.

In total, the company is awarding 110 grants to small businesses in Pennsylvania’s food supply chain that have been impacted by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 500 applications were received during the two-week application period, and recipients span the entire Commonwealth, as well as represent such areas of the food supply chain as dairy farms; beef, pork and poultry farms; processors; orchards; produce farms; apiaries; maple syrup producers; artisan cheesemakers; craft breweries; winemakers and cider producers; specialty yogurt, snack, sauce and condiment manufacturers; and coffee roasteries and confectioners.

“Reviewing more than 500 applications from small businesses across the Commonwealth confirmed what we knew in our hearts: that the pandemic is having a devastating impact on our small business community,” Nicholas Bertram, president of The Giant Company said. “We’re inspired by the strength and stories of these local businesses that, in many cases, have been serving our communities for generations. As a company focused on connecting families for a better future, doubling the funding to $500,000 was an easy decision because it meant we could provide more hope and help to these hard-working families and let them know that they are not alone.”

With grant amounts ranging from $2,500 to $15,000, 55% of those awarded are being given to PA Preferred companies and such special designations as LGBT-owned, veteran-owned, women-owned, minority-owned, USDA defined beginner rancher/farmer, USDA defined socially disadvantaged and limited resource farmers.

“Our team was honored to work together with Giant to truly make a difference for small businesses in the commonwealth as they answer the call to feed fellow Pennsylvanians,” Ryan Unger, president and CEO of Team Pennsylvania said. “Reading through the applications it is crystal clear that we all need to find ways to support these critical cogs in our agricultural supply chain. Their experiences will inform us as we work with our economic development and public sector partners to reopen and recover.”

Recipients of the grant included:

• Allegheny Yogurt, Mohnton
• Anderson Family Farm, Tionesta
• Asher’s Chocolate Co., Souderton
• Bakery 52/Longos, Hazleton
• Bear Mountain Orchard, Aspers
• Bella Lucia, Altoona
• Bella Mushroom, Landenberg
• The Black Urban Gardeners & Farmers of Pittsburgh Co-op, Pittsburgh
• Braund Valley Farms, Troy
• Bream Orchards, Orrtanna
• Brenckle’s Organic Farm and Greenhouse, Zelienople
• Brian Campbell Farms, Berwick
• Brookmere Winery, Belleville
• Brown’s Orchards & Farm Market, Loganville
• Brubaker Farms, Mount Joy
• Bumbleberry Farms, Somerset
• Caputo Brother’s Creamery, Spring Grove
• Central Penn Distilling, Inc. DBA Mason Dixon Distillery, Gettysburg
• Cherry Valley Organics, Burgettstown
• Clair D. Thompson & Sons, Jersey Shore
• Clear Spring Farm, Easton
• Copley’s Fresh Start Farm, Waterford
• Crust Vegan Bakery, Philadelphia
• Danikacatering LLC DBA Danika’s, Dover
• Dawg Gone Bees, Hanover
• David W. Pool – Fantasyland Holsteins, Robesonia
• DnD Farm LLC, Philadelphia
• Dries Orchards, Paxinos
• Duda’s Farm, Brownsville
• Epic Pickles, Dallastown
• Eric Dersch, DBA Dersch Farms, Springboro
• Excelsior Farm, Schnecksville
• Fallen Aspen Farm, Volant
• Farmer Fred’s, Towanda
• Fiddle Creek Dairy, Quarryville
• First Light Project, Philadelphia
• Founders Market & Co., Lancaster
• Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor
• French Street Farms, Erie
• Fruit Hollow Farms, Biglerville
• Funk Brewing Company, Emmaus
• Garretson Orchards, Inc., Aspers
• God’s Country Creamery, Ulysses
• Grand Illusion Hard Cider, Carlisle
• Guilside Farm, Chambersburg
• Gypsy Hill, Wyalusing
• Hackenberg Apiaries, Lewisburg
• Harrisburg Dairies, Harrisburg
• Haven Farmstead, Tripoli
• Hollabaugh Bros., Biglerville
• Hughes Farm, La Jose
• Huntingdon Farm, Alexandria
• Isabelle’s Kitchen, Harleysville
• J&M Farms, Windber
• Josie Porter Farm, Stroudsburg
• Jubilee Hilltop, Roaring Spring
• Kasanicky Farm, Leechburg
• Keswick Creamery at Carrock Farm, Newburg
• Kurt Weiss Greenhouse, Mt. Carmel
• Lancaster Hummus Co., Lancaster
• McMullen Cattle, Ashville
• Mellow Mink Brewing, Mechanicsburg
• Mickey’s Wholesale Pizza, York
• MicroValley Farms, Hellertown
• Miller Charm Farm, Tamaqua
• Mystic Meadows, Ulster
• The Nesting Box, Kempton
• One Village Coffee, Souderton
• Pardoe’s Perky Peanuts, Montandon
• Paulus Mt. Airy Orchard, Mechanicsburg
• Penn Dairy, Winfield
• Pennvale Farm, Columbia Cross Roads
• Philly Pretzel Factory, State College
• Pineybrook, Markleton
• R&S Flinchbaugh, Hellam
• Rettland Farms, Gettysburg
• Riverside Brewing, (DBA Howles Maple Farm), Cambridge Springs
• Roy Adams & Son, Sunbury
• Roy Pitz Brewing Company, Chambersburg
• RTZN Brands/Righteous Felon Craft Jerky, West Chester
• Saylor’s Dairy Farm, Wellsville
• SBK dba Small Batch Kitchen, Harleysville
• Sechrist Farms, Canton
• Shawmut Valley Holsteins, Smethport
• Short Hill Farm, Westfield
• Simply Ghee, Lancaster
• SkyBlu Farms, Felton
• Sleeper Hill Farm, Warren Center
• Slick Dairy Farm, Edinburg
• Snowcrest Farm, Milan
• Snyders Beef & Blueberries, Centerville
• SOD Family Farm, Coudersport
• Someday Farms, Salisbury
• Star Super Bakery, Emigsville
• Stello Foods, Inc., Punxsutawney
• Strong Roots Organic Farm, Woodward
• Sturges Orchard, Fombell
• Susquehanna Mills, Muncy
• Sweet Mama’s Mambo Sauce Jen Heasley’s Cooking With the Pros, York
• Tait Farm Foods INC, Centre Hall
• Taylor-Pride Farm, Lawrenceville
• Terranetti’s Italian Bakery, Mechanicsburg
• Three Springs Fruit Farm, Aspers
• TorchBearer Sauces, Mechanicsburg
• Tucker Hess Dairy Farm, Middlebury Center
• Way-Har Farm Market, Bernville
• Weavers Orchard, Morgantown
• Weaver’s Way, Philadelphia
• The Winery at Wynridge, Dallastown
• Worth the Wait Farm, Stevens

“We have been in business since 1887 and we are a 5th generation family run business. We've been through the Great Depression, floods and fire but this is by far the worst in modern memory because not only does it affect us but it affects ALL of our customers — no one is left out,” Karen Thompson, Clair D. Thompson's and Son's in Jersey Shore, Pa. and one of the grant recipients. “It has been very stressful, and this grant has helped to alleviate some of that pressure. We are extremely grateful and appreciate The Giant Company for this grant that we shall use to continue our employees’ insurance benefits during the time they are forced off work, to help with expenses to continue additional sanitation and to upgrade our facility to meet this new market demand for individual packaging.”