Microgreens and lettuces grow floating on water at Profound Microfarms in Lucas, started by Jeff Bednar and wife Lee.
Kathy Tran
Profound Foods was founded by husband and wife Jeff and Lee Bednar, farmers themselves, in 2018. Late last week, they announced they've acquired a 13,000-square-foot space that was previously a restaurant in Fairview, just south of McKinney.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Profound Foods served as an aggregator of farm-fresh produce for local restaurants such as Bullion, Lucia, Revolver Taco Lounge, José, Knife and many more. When restaurants were forced to shutter in March, the Bednars quickly transitioned the business to include an online retail store for home cooks and delivery to specific ZIP codes. They also set up shop in the parking lot of Community Beer Co. once a week, where customers pick up website orders and meal kits packed with local goods.
This new venue will allow them to significantly increase their overall production and operation. With increased refrigeration capacity and storage, they'll be able to distribute more produce. And they plan to expand their meal kit program with the new large kitchen.
"We'll even have some extra room we can loan/rent to our vendors so they can expand or even lower prices as the cost of production will go down," according to a release.
Profound Foods will also use the front-of-house space for pop-up dinners, events, yoga, parties or whatever else comes up. They’re hoping to kick things off with a “Meat the Farmer” event in early October.
Bednar’s goal with his foray into these different channels of distribution was twofold: keep the farmers he works with — and his own farm — operational and give consumers a healthy, local food option.
The online store includes local vendors such as A Bar N Ranch, Along Came Tamale, Chisholm Trail Grass-Fed Beef, Chubby Dog Farm, Lost Ruby Ranch, Misty Moon Farms; almost three dozen in all.
Profound Foods will begin the move into the new space this week, and online ordering options will be slightly limited as they transition. Otherwise, follow them on their website, Facebook or Instagram for updates.
