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Growing the local food system in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area
The Common Market Texas is a nonprofit regional food distributor based in Houston, working to connect communities with fresh, local food from sustainable family farms since 2018.
Since expanding delivery into North Texas in 2026, The Common Market Texas has connected farms to nearby schools, universities, and corporate cafeterias – creating reliable markets for producers and making it easier for institutions to serve fresh, local food.
These partnerships are already creating real opportunities. So far in 2026, The Common Market Texas has delivered more than 30,000 pounds of Texas products across the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Farms like Reeves Family Farm of Princeton, TX–located just outside of Dallas–are supplying fresh strawberries and tomatoes to nearby institutions. Committed to sustainability and regenerative farming, the Reeves family focuses on producing high-quality food while prioritizing environmental health and long-term land stewardship.
“By buying local, you’re helping the local economy, you’re helping local farms, you’re bringing awareness to what’s growing in our area, and ultimately opening windows for education.” — Aaron Reeves, Reeves Family Farm
Garland Independent School District
Garland ISD is a Texas Farm to School champion, winning the Texas Farm Fresh Cream of the Crop Award in 2026, and one of the few districts in the state to incorporate local sourcing requirements into its formal procurement process. By prioritizing purchases from nearby producers, they are intentionally directing resources toward small and mid-sized Texas farms.
This commitment has opened the door for The Common Market to supply fresh, local foods across the district, including hydroponic lettuce from Lone Star Lettuce Growers, oranges from Triple J Organics, and kale from Terra Preta Farm.
Garland ISD is helping set the standard for how school districts can use their purchasing power to strengthen regional food systems.
Bon Appétit at Corporate Cafeterias in Dallas
Bon Appétit Management Company at the campus of a popular rideshare app is helping demonstrate how corporate dining can play a meaningful role in supporting regional food systems.
By working with The Common Market, their team has been able to more easily source from local farms – streamlining what can often be a complex and time-intensive process.
“The Common Market has helped us greatly in connecting with a local supply chain. Many small farms near us aren’t able to consistently take on new customers at our scale, but having a one-stop shop makes it possible. Building those relationships on our own would be a cumbersome undertaking – this has been seamless and easy.” — Chef Jon Thompson, Bon Appétit Management, Dallas, TX.
Episcopal School of Dallas (SAGE Dining Services, Inc.)
Episcopal School of Dallas is one of the largest private schools in the region. Their SAGE dining team has demonstrated a strong commitment to sourcing local ingredients and integrating them into daily menus.
Through a scratch cooking operation, the team incorporates a wide variety of Texas-grown products each week, including yogurt from Armagh Creamery, beets from Terra Preta Farms, and apples from Top of Texas Farms.
Their consistent purchasing supports regional growers while also creating opportunities to connect students more directly to the food they’re eating.
Southern Methodist University (SMU) (Aramark)
Through weekly standing orders, Southern Methodist University is building a steady pipeline for local food procurement, with product flowing into both campus dining halls and athletics. Current purchases include staple items like rice and fresh fruit, along with yogurt supplied to athletic programs.
As campus demand grows, there is strong potential to expand both volume and variety—further strengthening connections between Texas farms and university dining.
This is just the beginning. As more North Texas institutions prioritize values-based, local food procurement, the opportunity continues to grow—creating consistent markets for farmers, increasing access to fresh food, and strengthening the regional food system.
Whether you’re a school district, university, healthcare provider, or corporate dining partner, you can play a role in building a stronger food system in North Texas.
Let’s build thriving food systems in North Texas, together. Learn more about working with The Common Market here.
The Common Market Texas is a nonprofit regional food distributor located in Houston, TX. Our mission is to connect communities with good food from sustainable family farms. We strive to improve food security, farm viability, and community and ecological health. We envision a nation composed of vibrant regional food systems - where interdependent urban and rural communities thrive through relationships that build the health and wealth of all people.
