# Frontier Co-op

> Frontier Co-op is a member-owned Iowa cooperative that sources, processes, markets and sells culinary herbs, spices, teas, botanicals, baking flavors and aromatherapy products through Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia. It serves both households and wholesale members, using organic certification, supplier relationships, traceability programs and community investment to make a globally complex botanical supply chain more dependable and accountable.

- **Founded:** 1976
- **Headquarters:** Norway, United States
- **Team size:** Approximately 530 employees according to the supplied company record
- **Products:** Frontier Co-op culinary and wellness products, Simply Organic, Aura Cacia, Wholesale membership, Regenerative Organic Certified spices
- **Notable:** Added organic products in the 1970s and became an early major advocate for organic herbs and spices., Introduced what its history describes as the first Fair Trade Certified spices in the United States during the 2000s., Aura Cacia’s Positive Change Project surpassed $1 million in grants in 2022.

## Products & services

- **Frontier Co-op culinary and wellness products** — Bulk and packaged spices, seasonings, culinary herbs, teas, baking ingredients, wellness herbs and personal-care botanicals sold direct and through retail and wholesale channels.
- **Simply Organic** — An all-organic line of spices, seasonings, baking flavors and meal solutions positioned for mainstream and natural retail.
- **Aura Cacia** — Essential oils, aromatherapy blends and botanical personal-care products sourced with an emphasis on purity and botanical expertise.
- **Wholesale membership** — A business purchasing channel for retailers, buying clubs, food-service users, manufacturers and other qualified wholesale customers, connected to cooperative membership.
- **Regenerative Organic Certified spices** — A bottled spice range certified against standards covering soil health, animal welfare where applicable and social fairness; national retail distribution began in 2024.
- **Well Earth** — An impact-sourcing program that supports supplier resilience, business capacity and community projects in sourcing regions.

## Achievements

- Added organic products in the 1970s and became an early major advocate for organic herbs and spices.
- Introduced what its history describes as the first Fair Trade Certified spices in the United States during the 2000s.
- Aura Cacia’s Positive Change Project surpassed $1 million in grants in 2022.
- Won two 2023 Progressive Grocer Impact Awards for ethical sourcing/supply-chain transparency and workforce development/employee support.
- CEO Tony Bedard was inducted into the Cooperative Development Foundation’s Cooperative Hall of Fame in 2024.
- Received a Bronze Anthem Award in 2024 for the Breaking Down Barriers to Employment initiative.
- Launched nationally distributed Regenerative Organic Certified bottled spices in 2024.
- Simply Organic’s Giving Fund surpassed $1 million in grants addressing food insecurity in 2025.
- Received Best Place for Working Parents recognition for its childcare program in 2025 and 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2025-01** — Simply Organic announced that its Giving Fund had surpassed $1 million in grants dedicated to fighting food insecurity.
- **2024-07** — Frontier Co-op announced its first nationally distributed Regenerative Organic Certified bottled spices, with initial store availability planned for October 2024.
- **2024-02** — The Breaking Down Barriers to Employment initiative received a Bronze Anthem Award.
- **2024-01** — CEO Tony Bedard was inducted into the Cooperative Development Foundation’s Cooperative Hall of Fame.
- **2023-11** — Frontier Co-op won two Progressive Grocer Impact Awards for supply-chain and workforce commitments.

## Links

- Website: https://www.frontiercoop.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frontier-co-op
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/FrontierCoop
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FrontierCoop
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontiercoop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontiercoop

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/frontier-co-op
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13