Wholesome Wave

James Beard award winning chef and restaurateur, Michel Nischan, founded Wholesome Wave in 2007, with Gus Schumacher, former Undersecretary of Agriculture for Food & Foreign Services, as Founding Board Chair, and the late Michael Batterberry, Founder of Food Arts Magazine, as Founding Board Member. In 2008, Wholesome Wave piloted the Double Value Coupon Program at 12 markets in three states. As this program evolved, it outgrew any single iteration, spreading nationally. Today, it has transformed into a network of nutrition incentive programs, known today as the National Nutrition Incentive Network. Since 2008, the organization has launched numerous initiatives, including the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program and Healthy Food Commerce Initiative. In collaboration with more than 80 community based partners, Wholesome Wave’s programs have expanded to 33 states and DC and are implemented at more than 500 farmers markets, dozens of community health care centers, hospitals and food hubs throughout the country. Vision: Affordable, healthy, local food for all. Mission: Wholesome Wave inspires underserved consumers to make healthier food choices by increasing affordable access to fresh, local and regional food. What we Believe. At Wholesome Wave, we believe that everyone should be able to put the same, healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables on their table and provide that for their families. Our team believes that we can use food as a very powerful, binding, changing force. Food, as a single subject, has an incredible impact on environmental, social, economic and human health. We see an undeniable truth, that if we fix food, we are going to see improved health, stronger local and regional economies, and more income for small and mid-sized farm businesses.