Organics Delivered!
By Diane Selkirk
A plate of bruised apple slices was offered around
the playgroup. Every parent in the group could relate to the
story; the battered
apples were the result of a harried shopping trip that was spent
rescuing soft fruit from busy toddler hands. “Why not get
your organic produce delivered?” Kelly Maxwell, group member
and working mother of two asked.
The idea of having produce delivered strikes
many of us as convenient but decadent. While many families
squeeze the cost of organic
food into their budgets because it’s a priority, they don’t
even consider the idea of having food delivered to their home.
Maxwell explained that in her experience, delivery services are
not more expensive than the grocery store. “During some
seasons, I actually save money,” she says.
Each week, Maxwell’s service delivers a
box of mixed vegetables and fruit for a fixed price that ranges
between $25 and $55,
depending on the box size. For a family of three or four, a $35
box containing 15 different units is a good size. (A typical
unit is four apples, one head of lettuce or 1.5 lbs of potatoes.
)
Options, options, options
Different services provide various options. Some offer a weekly
rate for a set box size, while in others, you pay either by
the item or by the pound. Another option is to get a box that
reflects the best values that week. The contents remain a surprise
until you open the box, although many services allow you to
preview your boxes’ contents on-line and make substitutions.
Some services also provide a variety of grocery items at competitive
prices, saving the trip to the grocery store entirely.
While enjoying bruise-free fruit is one advantage
of delivery, Maxwell provides additional reasons to consider
home service. “The
delivery service means that no matter what else happens in our
week, we'll always have our basics and enough to make some meals
on hand. Plus they do the heavy lifting, take back our empty
bottles and the service and range of products available is fantastic.”
Benefits on all scales
While not everyone will enjoy having their groceries delivered,
there are additional social benefits from this type of service.
Benefits
to the environment. Produce arrives in a reusable
bin and is completely packaging-free. In many homes, this
translates
to five to eight fewer shopping bags and 15 to 20 fewer produce
bags each week. If these numbers were applied on a larger scale,
it could make a difference to our environment. Most families
can also cut out one car trip per week, saving money on gas and
protecting the air we breathe. In the case of Vancouver, BC-based
organics@home, the delivery truck is run on biodiesel,
a fuel made from recycled vegetable oil.
Benefits
to the community. Large grocery stores often need large
suppliers but a smaller delivery service is able to establish
links to small farms in our community that creates a healthier
economy and reduces transportation needs. They also support an
ethical market place. The food does not come from factory farms
and the farmers that grow it live without the ill effects of
pesticides and inadequate financial compensation.
Many of the delivery services are also positive
work places. Chris Michaels, managing director of organics@home
explains, “I
see organics@home playing a very important role in the community.
We donate a portion of our profits to various environmental organizations.
We also donate produce to various outreach programs each week.”
Benefits
for your family. “Many of our customers would
rather sit back and relax or spend time with their families rather
than waiting in long lineups at the grocery store,” Michaels
explains. “It’s easy to go online and place an order
for your groceries. The average customer spends between five
and 10 minutes on our web site placing their order, and it conveniently
arrives as early as the next day. When you know what your family
needs, you’re less likely to waste money on impulse items
that are strategically placed throughout the grocery store. Many
of our customers have reported that their overall monthly food
bill has decreased since using our service.”
Organic delivery services are available in many areas throughout
the United States and Canada. Most operate on a week-to-week
basis, so families can try out local services without a long-term
commitment.
United States
Washington
www.pioneerorganics.com
Oregon
organicstoyou.org
California
www.planetorganics.com
Texas
www.austinorganicdelivery.com
Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, NYC
and New York, West Virginia, Virginia and DC
www.doortodoororganics.com
Canada
BC
www.organicsathome.com
www.endlessharvest.com
Ontario
www.organicsdelivered.com
www.greenearthorganics.com
United Kingdom
www.abel-cole.co.uk
Australia
www.theorganicgrocer.com.au
Vietnam
www.organikvn.com
© Diane Selkirk
Diane Selkirk is a Vancouver, BC-based freelance writer and
at home mother to 4-yr-old Maia. Visit her web site at http://signett.com/~dselkirk/
