High Desert Foods in Dolores was one of the Rocky Mountain region's first companies to become designated as a low-profit limited liability corporation, or L3C, another new business model that allows for the operating efficiencies of a profit-driven company but with reduced regulation and simplified IRS rules (similar to nonprofits). The “hybrid-model social enterprise” structure allows businesses to maximize profits but recognizes and encourages more formal community partnerships, aimed at social responsibility and community giving.
High Desert Foods makes and sells local food and baked goods, as well as owns and operates Froodles dried fruit products and Telluride Gift Baskets. The company was featured in this article, which also gives some context on the L3C model. The article states that until now, for-profit and nonprofit models have often been "uneasy bedfellows" and operating toward fairly distinct returns. Now, they are enthusiastic about the benefits of this new model and how it could change conventional thinking: for company owner Bill Manning, it means his business can partner with schools and local government in nutrition education and sustainable food systems, and he believes it's a model "for the times."
High Desert highlights their efforts in sustainable farming (vs. typical 'agribusiness'), "shelf-stable" products, and community relationships. They've been featured in DailyCandy and in local and regional news since about 2004. They are clearly small, and to be honest, the website could use updating, but their company is a good example of what could be the next era of hybrid models, if L3C legislation is passed in other states (currently only in Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming). High Desert currently ships to probably 100 retail outlets nationwide, including Whole Foods in the midwest and Village Market in San Francisco's Ferry Building.
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