Feeding the Future: Azure Standard's Quiet Wellness Revolution

The Oregon-based company Expands Organic Food Access Across America

Over the past year, the burgeoning focus on America’s health (or lack thereof) has made it clear to many of us that the food we put into our bodies has a big—if not the biggest—impact on our health. Some ‭people are just coming around to the idea of food as medicine, but one company has been ‬‭leading the healthy food revolution for decades.‬

‭Azure Standard‬‭ was founded by David Stelzer in the‬‭ late 1980s after years of selling grain from‬

‭his family farm in Dufur, Oregon, at the foothills of Mt. Hood. While the organic food distributor‬ has been expanding exponentially over the past couple of years, it’s still one of the best kept secrets in the rapidly expanding health‬ and wellness market.‬

Azure maintains‬‭ strict standards‬‭, curating and vetting‬‭ hundreds of suppliers to guarantee that all‬

‭products, including their own private label, meet their requirements. They demand full‬

transparency from vendors and require supplement vendors to sign a non-GMO verification letter‬, if they are not already certified. All organic products are third-party tested to ensure they are‬ GMO-free. Additionally, none of their products contain artificial dyes, flavors, preservatives or‬ sweeteners, fluoride, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), or artificial nitrates. ‬

‭ The company serves over thirty-five-hundred locations—distributing everything from‬‭ dairy‬

‭ products‬‭ to‬‭ glass cleaner‬‭,‬‭ cod liver oil‬‭ to‬‭ grass‬‭ fed meats‬‭—through a monthly drop ship model.‬

‭ With over 3,600 drop locations, this makes healthy, safe, and nutritious products available to‬

‭ almost everyone across the country, no matter where they live.‬

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Azure increases access to healthy foods and offers a potential solution to those living in food‬

‭deserts. In Stelzer's own words: “Azure‬ Standard was started because we saw a need for a new way of delivering food and ultimately we‬ wanted to share our values for clean, organic food with families that had no access to healthy‬ food.”‬

With a little planning, Azure customers can pay as much for organic products as they would for‬‭ conventional food at their local grocery store due to a wide array of bulk purchasing options. In‬ addition, customers save money on expensive individual shipping charges by distributing fuel and‬ transportation costs among all members of an individual drop.‬

‭

The unique business model also builds community and a shared sense of responsibility among‬

‭members, who simultaneously value food independence and integrity. Members are asked to‬‭ arrive ten to fifteen minutes early to greet the delivery truck and help facilitate the unloading‬

process. As Pete Strayer, Azure’s Chief Marketing Officer explained: “We feel like we’re just‬‭ scratching the surface when it comes to families joining this movement towards better health‬

‭through healthy, clean eating and encouraging a resurgence of the idea of community along the‬

‭way.”‬ ‭ 

Many living in areas that are in desperate need of improved access to more nutrient dense food may have never heard of‬‭ Azure or even thought about the benefits of an organic whole food diet, but the possibility exists. Companies like Azure are uniquely positioned to fill the gap between desolate areas and‬ ‭healthier food options. They even have drop locations in Alaska and Hawaii. 

‭ 

While there is much pressure on the federal government to instill reforms across our health and‬

‭agricultural agencies, Azure demonstrates that the power to create positive change will always‬

‭rely on innovative and ethical industries committed to creating solutions that provide value.‬ Several technology companies are also building solutions to help consumers sort the wheat from‬ the chaff when it comes to deciphering food ingredients and healthy products.

Somewhat predictive in terms of cultural tipping points, the technology industry is taking notice and beginning to build platforms centered on healthy eating. A recent popular‬ article in the‬‭ Wall Street Journal‬ highlighted an‬‭ app called‬‭ Yuka‬‭ that allows consumers to scan‬ barcodes,‬‭ scoring products based on nutritional quality,‬‭ additives, and organic status.‬‭ The app‬ ‭Seed Oil Scout‬‭ helps users “dine fearlessly" by connecting‬‭ them to restaurants that avoid seed‬ ‭oils in their dishes.‬

‭

If there’s anything we’ve learned from the MAHA movement, it’s that no matter what side of the‬

‭aisle people sit, a shared concern over the health and flourishing of our families can help reverse‬

‭the trend of chronic disease in this country. “When the health of a family unit suffers, the nation‬

‭suffers,” said Stelzer. “In a very real sense, the farmer is the guardian of the nation’s health.‬

‭Azure is taking this idea one step further and making healthful shopping available and affordable‬

‭ to everyone.”‬

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Palomino County is proud to be partnering with Azure Standard to bring our readers best-in-class information about the state of America's health. As part of our ongoing partnership, Azure Standard is offering a special promotion through December 31, 2025. First-time customers will‬ ‭receive 15% off their initial order with the code‬‭ PALOMINO15 at checkout. To qualify, customers‬ ‭must create an online Azure account and place a minimum order of $100 or more in products, which will be shipped to a drop location of their choice. The promo code must be entered at checkout.‬ Go to AzureStandard.com to shop and redeem.

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About the Author

Jennifer Galardi is a senior policy analyst for the Restoring American Wellness initiative at the Heritage Foundation. Her writing has appeared in the Epoch Times, American Spectator, Federalist, Washington Examiner, New York Sun, and First Things. Prior to her career in health policy, Jennifer was one of the most trusted voices in the health and wellness space working with companies such as Equinox, Nike, Microsoft, and NBC Universal. She enjoys being outside as much as possible hiking, biking, and visiting local wineries and breweries in her little slice of heaven in rural Virginia. She has a dream of being a bona fide homesteader one day,  but will more likely ensure she remains on really good terms with neighboring farms.