For decades, most American egg producers have kept their hens inside, claiming outdoor access isn’t feasible at scale. Two companies behind an emerging “pasture-raised” standard say they’ve figured out how to sell millions of eggs with the barn doors open. 

Most of us can spot a company’s mission statement from a mile away. They communicate the values of a company. We’ve seen mission statements emblazoned on the walls of our workplaces, the products we buy and the websites we visit. When a mission goes beyond just a statement, is executed upon and embedded across a company’s operations, it becomes a key force in value creation.

Vital Farms works with over 90 independent, family-owned farms across the United States from Georgia to California. They work closely with each and every farmer to ensure they have the greatest chance at success, promoting a business model that is not only about scale, but also about sustainability and support.

While it’s well-documented that industrial egg farming is a controversial business (cue Food Inc), and there are a slew of egg purveyors who are rushing to do better with USDA organic options, there’s still a lot of murkiness around how laying hens are actually treated, and the conditions in which they are raised.

In 2006, Michael Cox, a chicken farmer in northwest Arkansas, faced a choice that many farmers do: Grow or die. His family had been raising chickens for three generations, first for agriculture behemoth Cargill and then for themselves. Even with 800,000 laying hens, Cox was not big enough to compete: “If you’re growing or dying,” he said, “we were planning our funeral."

Chevy Chase, Maryland – September 19, 2014 — Arborview Capital announced today that it has completed an investment in Vital Farms Inc., the leading national provider of sustainable pasture-raised eggs and poultry to grocery and food service customers.