Members of the Red Lake Nation have gathered the wild berries and rice that grow abundantly throughout their land for countless generations. Thanks to the Tribe’s Red Lake Nation Foods enterprise, families are encouraged to continue this tradition today.

Red Lake Nation Foods buys by the pound chokecherries, highbush cranberries, hawthorns, wild grapes and other fruit gathered by Tribal members from late July to early September. Tribal members are careful to leave plenty of berries for the many animals that depend on this food through the winter.

Tribal members bring their produce to Red Lake Nation Foods’ warehouse in Redby, where the fruit is inspected and weighed. It is then turned into a number of Red Lake Nations Foods products including Wild Blueberry Jam, Wild Chokecherry Jelly, Highbush Cranberry Jelly, Wild Grape Jelly and Wild Plum Jelly. Syrups include Wild Chokecherry, Wild Blueberry, Real Maple, Wild Grape, Wild Plum and Highbush Cranberry. Red Lake Nation Foods also sells wild rice, batter mixes, teas and soup mixes made with all natural resources harvested in the Red Lake Nation.

Jams and jellies are made in the Tribe’s commercial kitchen at 4-directions Development Adaawe-wigamig Business Center that helps Tribal members pursue their small-business ideas. 4-directions Development also hosts the Gitigaanike farmers market where Red Lake Nation Foods and other products and produce made by Tribal members are sold throughout the year. The farmers market is an outreach of the Gitigaanike Food Initiative, a program that seeks to encourage healthy eating and food sovereignty.

Red Lake Nation Food products are sold at the Red Lake Nation Foods storefront at 15550 Chippewa Avenue in Redby, the Tribe’s Red Lake Trading Post and the gift shop at Seven Clans Casino Red Lake. Products are also sold in non-Tribal area stores such as Harmony Co-Op in Bemidji.

Red Lake Nation Foods products can also be ordered online at RedLakeNationFoods.com, and are shipped worldwide.

For more information about the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, visit www.redlakenation.org.