Certified B Corporation status now backs Coast of Maine Organic Products, the Portland, Maine-based maker of OMRI-listed organic soils, fertilizers, and mulches — a milestone that carries direct relevance for operators and retailers sourcing regeneratively produced growing inputs. The certification, awarded by B Lab U.S. & Canada, requires companies to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and legal accountability.
Why It Matters
For the food and hospitality supply chain, B Corp certification increasingly functions as a procurement signal. Restaurant groups, hotel properties, and foodservice distributors that have committed to sustainable sourcing now have a third-party-verified credential to point to when selecting soil amendment and growing-media suppliers. Coast of Maine's product line is already OMRI-listed — a separate organic-compliance certification specific to farming and gardening — meaning operators running on-site herb gardens, rooftop growing programs, or farm-to-table supply partnerships have a doubly vetted option. The brand's marine-ingredient formulas, rooted in New England coastal traditions and locally sourced materials, also align with the provenance transparency that today's chefs and procurement teams increasingly demand. Our food industry sustainability coverage has documented this shift toward verified sourcing credentials across the supply chain.
Community Programs
Beyond certification, Coast of Maine runs structured community programs that intersect with the hospitality sector's own corporate social responsibility goals. Its Growing Good Program partners with local retailers to donate organic soils and amendments to schools, community gardens, and nonprofit organizations nationwide — an initiative that resonates with restaurant brands building community-engagement portfolios. The company also invests in youth agricultural education, aiming to develop the next generation of growers. Max Hayes, Growth Manager at B Lab U.S. & Canada, noted that Coast of Maine is "helping advance one of today's most important environmental priorities: soil health" through its dedication to organic soils, fertilizers, and mulches for gardeners and growers.
Gabrielle Sott, Product Development and Sustainability Manager at Coast of Maine, framed the certification in operational terms: "This certification keeps us accountable and pushes us to keep raising the bar, ensuring every decision we make feeds both the soil and our community for the long haul."
Soil health has moved from a niche agronomic concern to a mainstream foodservice talking point, driven by consumer interest in regenerative agriculture and the growing number of restaurant and hospitality brands embedding sustainability commitments into their supply chain requirements. Founded in 1996, Coast of Maine has built its formulas around regenerative practices from the outset, and the B Corp credential now gives those practices a standardized, auditable framework. For restaurant and hospitality operators tracking regenerative sourcing options, the certification offers a clearer due-diligence pathway when evaluating growing-input suppliers. Food & Beverage Magazine has similarly tracked the acceleration of sustainability certifications across food and beverage brands as operators seek verifiable ESG alignment in their vendor relationships.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
