Wholesome Wave programs and efforts benefit underserved communities and farmers in a way that creates lasting change. Wholesome Wave achieves success through partnership-based programs that serve food deserts of historically excluded urban and rural communities.
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History of a Friendship

In 1999 Michael Batterberry, founder and editor-in-chief of Food Arts magazine introduced an award-winning Chef committed to a healthier, organic, and sustainable food movement to a senior Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). A long-term friendship was forged from that introduction developing into a shared dedication to making locally and sustainably grown foods available to all.

Between 2001 and 2002, Michel Nischan and Gus Schumacher began discussing the idea that some kind of incentive should become the key for increasing participation in a local sustainable food system. Gus, Michael and Michel began exploring the possibility of a nonprofit organization that would reinforce creative market based innovations and lead to a scalable local/regional food system, accessible to all.

Gus, Michael and Michel founded Wholesome Wave with support from Paul Newman, Michel’s partner at the recently opened Dressing Room restaurant; Nell Newman, the driving force behind Newman’s Own Organics; Betsy and Jesse Fink, founders of Priceline.com and owners of Millstone Farm; and Michael Batterberry, to create a privately funded, incentive based food assistance program. Founded upon the notion that providing incentives would create a domino effect to positively impact neighborhoods served, Wholesome Wave aims to support more sustainable farming methods and help decrease health care costs by providing affordable local fresh fruits and vegetables to families. These efforts serve to create true economic stimulus as these dollars re-multiply within the communities in which they are spent. Thus, the Double Value Coupon Program was born.