Boulder County Health seeks food market license compliance

BOULDER — The Boulder County Department of Health has asked the district court to restrain and enjoin a Boulder food market that bills itself as a farm-to-table food supplier.

The health department filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Stalk Market Distributions LLC, which operates from 9417 N. Foothills Highway. It alleges that the food company is operating without a license and has rebuffed four efforts to bring it into compliance with state and local health laws.

Stalk Market on its website says that it “is an operations and marketing service that helps businesses, campuses and food hubs procure and deliver local goods.”

It offers farm-fresh food delivered to homes or other businesses and will collect food scraps and bring them back to the farm to feed to the pigs. It bills itself as a conduit between farms and businesses or consumers. The health department alleged that the business also sells directly to consumers at its location.

The health department said in its lawsuit that the company started to apply for a license to operate in January 2023 but did not complete the process. It’s been operating since at least February, the department said. 

The health department attempted an inspection Feb. 10. It found “potentially hazardous foods” improperly stored, the lawsuit said.

“A representative … demanded the officials leave and referred them to a ‘no trespassing’ sign denying entry to ‘any officials from OSHA, any health authorities or any governmental officials who are here on any government business.’”

The health department issued four notices of violation. Some received responses, but Stalk Market did not indicate whether compliance was in the works. 

A call to Stalk Market was not returned prior to publication.

The lawsuit asked Boulder County District Court for a judgment against Stalk Market, an order restraining it from breaking public health laws, immediate compliance with those laws, and an award of court costs.

The case is Boulder County Public Health v. Stalk Market Distributions LLC, case number 23cv30678 filed Sept. 20, 2023, in Boulder County District Court.

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