diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 86b7ae8..e1c7206 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 *.dll
 *.so
 *.dylib
+cmd/api/api
 
 # Test binary, built with `go test -c`
 *.test
diff --git a/cmd/api/api b/cmd/api/api
deleted file mode 100755
index 7db40a0..0000000
Binary files a/cmd/api/api and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/cmd/api/env.go b/cmd/api/env.go
index 5842222..632dfab 100644
--- a/cmd/api/env.go
+++ b/cmd/api/env.go
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 type config struct {
-	Env      string `default:"dev"`
-	APIPort  int    `default:3000`
-	LogLevel string `default:"debug"`
+	Env         string `default:"dev"`
+	APIPort     int    `default:3000`
+	LogLevel    string `default:"debug"`
+	DMLInitFile string
 }
 
 func load() (cfg config, err error) {
diff --git a/cmd/api/example.env b/cmd/api/example.env
index 7cc55c0..da6a513 100644
--- a/cmd/api/example.env
+++ b/cmd/api/example.env
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 ENV: dev
 APIPORT: 3000
 LOGLEVEL: debug
+DMLINITFILE: defaultproduce.json
diff --git a/cmd/api/main.go b/cmd/api/main.go
index 5c729c3..86fec89 100644
--- a/cmd/api/main.go
+++ b/cmd/api/main.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	produceSvc := produce.NewService(db.From("produce"))
+	initProduce(produceSvc)
 
 	server := http.NewServer(cfg.APIPort, logger, cfg.Env, produceSvc)
 
@@ -70,3 +73,31 @@ func main() {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func initProduce(produceSvc http.ProduceService) {
+	if cfg.DMLInitFile == "" {
+		logger.Info("no init file provided, database will be empty")
+		return
+	}
+
+	f, err := os.Open(cfg.DMLInitFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Fatalf("could not open file: %s", cfg.DMLInitFile)
+	}
+
+	b, err := ioutil.ReadAll(f)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Fatalf("could not read file: %s", cfg.DMLInitFile)
+	}
+
+	var items []produce.Item
+	err = json.Unmarshal(b, &items)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Fatalf("could not unmarshal items: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = produceSvc.Add(items)
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Fatal("failed to add items to produce service")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/defaultproduce.json b/defaultproduce.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8cdbc9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/defaultproduce.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[
+	{"code":"A12T-4GH7-QPL9-3N4M","name":"Lettuce","price":{"amount":346,"currency":"USD"}},
+	{"code":"E5T6-9UI3-TH15-QR88","name":"Peach","price":{"amount":299,"currency":"USD"}},
+	{"code":"YRT6-72AS-K736-L4AR","name":"Green Pepper","price":{"amount":79,"currency":"USD"}},
+	{"code":"TQ4C-VV6T-75ZX-1RMR","name":"Gala Apple","price":{"amount":359,"currency":"USD"}}
+]
diff --git a/pkg/ramdb/ram.go b/pkg/ramdb/ram.go
index ec7c064..6cbf8de 100644
--- a/pkg/ramdb/ram.go
+++ b/pkg/ramdb/ram.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package ramdb
 
+import "sync"
+
 type database struct {
 	tables map[string]*table
 }
@@ -28,7 +30,9 @@ func (db *database) CreateTable(tablename string, indexOnColumns ...string) erro
 	}
 
 	tbl := &table{
-		exists: true,
+		exists:  true,
+		mutex:   &sync.Mutex{},
+		indexes: make(map[string]*index),
 	}
 
 	for _, onColumn := range indexOnColumns {