Farmer and entrepreneur Roberto Meza wants to change the way Coloradans access food.
Meza is the co-founder and CEO of Hearty Provisions, a Denver-based supplier of locally-grown food working with school districts, restaurants, and other institutions.
CBS
Meza has a vision to bring nutritious, healthy food to all communities.
At the food hub on Yuma Street, where Hearty Provisions shares infrastructure, team members prepare to deliver fresh produce to school districts across the Front Range.
“The whole warehouse is about 15,000 square feet,” said Meza while providing a tour. “All of this really is focused on getting good food to students.”
Traceability of its products is key to the mission of Hearty Provisions.
Meza says knowing where everything comes from fortifies the supply chain.
“Our customers, our schools, food service companies, chefs and restaurants know what they’re getting, who grew it and how it was grown,” Meza said.
Emerald Gardens Microgreens 
He became aware of the impact of food quality when he experienced health issues as a graduate student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
“I want to see a food system that takes care of communities, has their best interest in mind, whether they’re on the producer side or the customer side,” said Meza.
He and his business partner, David Demerling, bought 35 acres of land in Bennett, Colorado. There’s now a greenhouse there growing micro-greens.
Meza envisions using the land to train young farmer entrepreneurs.
“With the help of the Ag and Food Lab, we’re preparing them for the business administration, elements of running a farm, as well as the technical opportunities, and now market access through the food hub,” said Meza.
Roberto Meza 
Meza is gradually building a food system he hopes will heal communities – like it healed him – a system that he says values care, compassion, equity, and resilience.
He hopes that by next spring, young farmers will begin to get hands-on training at the farm in Bennett, in order to grow food sustainably and build farm businesses.
To learn more about Hearty Provisions, visit https://heartyprovisions.com/
Meza participates in the Colorado Proud Rooted in Tradition program.
This Oct. 5 at 4 p.m., CBS Colorado will broadcast the Elevating Latino Voices special, looking at the heritage and impact of Latinos in Colorado. The special will stream Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. You can watch on your connected TV, through the CBS News app, or on your favorite streaming service.
