ASHEVILLE, NC / AGILITYPR.NEWS / March 24, 2022 /

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Mother Earth Food’s CEO Janelle Tatum Receives 

Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 “Woman Executive of the Year” Award

Asheville, NC (March 2022) -- Mother Earth Food’s CEO Janelle Tatum was recently awarded Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 WomanUP “Woman Executive of the Year.” The WomanUp Awards and Celebration recognizes women in the Asheville community going above and beyond with outstanding work. Tatum has served as CEO of Mother Earth Food since 2019. Through her vibrant personality and passion for local food, Janelle inspires the Mother Earth Food team to shine in their roles and responsibilities while continually growing the company to its next level. 

"I am humbled and honored to receive this award. Women supporting women is imperative for success in the business world and in the world at large,” says Tatum. “By encouraging and empowering each other in our endeavors, we remember that together we are powerful forces of changeWe appreciate and honor that March is Women’s History Month, especially since we create history every day at Mother Earth Food with the strength of women participating in leading, managing and ideation of the company.”

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for convenient, local food increased exponentially – resulting in 450% growth for Mother Earth Food. With over 3,000 new customers on the waitlist, the company stepped into action to provide more customers with local food delivered to their doorsteps and created viable income options for many affected local vendors. Janelle led the team as they skillfully put new systems in place, restructured operations, added team members and increased delivery routes from seven to 21.  

Janelle has also been at the helm as the company just reached a significant milestone with the award of a $750K grant for the ‘Mother Earth Food Hub Expansion Project’ from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Promotion Program. The project will increase capacity in the Mother Earth Food warehouse and support a robust marketing plan educating the public about the importance of local food. As the project unfolds under Janelle’s leadership, Mother Earth Food expects to double sales to retail customers through the home delivery service, implement a wholesale buying option, and increase the number of farmers and local producers who sell their products through Mother Earth Food.

Mother Earth Food is a family-owned grocery delivery service featuring local organic food from farmers and food artisans from Asheville and across Western North Carolina. Delivering to Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, customers may choose from over 1,000 items - including organic and sustainably grown vegetables, meats, eggs, dairy, baked goods, prepared meals, wellness items, beer & mead, and pantry items. Mother Earth Food believes supporting locally raised and produced foods helps the community move towards a more sustainable future. For more information, visit www.motherearthfood.com.

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