Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: New way of marketing produce using the Web & bartering & delivery

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Ava Devenport" <essenheal AT iname.com>
  • To: market-farming
  • Subject: Re: New way of marketing produce using the Web & bartering & delivery
  • Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 11:36:46


On 06/12/00, ""Hook Family" <guldann AT ix.netcom.com>" wrote:
> -----------------------------------------------------
> > Saw this on CBS a few minutes ago:
> > http://www.planetorganics.com/
> > Planet Organics
> Interesting web page, but they do not state what their delivery area is are
> they local or a chain? There is also no mention of where the food comes
> from anonymous, albeit organic, food. Beth

Dear Beth:

I took a gander at the site also and noticed the same regarding location.
I clicked on 'Contact' and the address is stated there, they are in CA.

Just a few years ago, I had found just such a delivery system here in IN.
An organic farmer from the outlying Chicago (approx. 150 miles from us)area
had begun a delivery program and we signed up. Tony used to deliver
bi-weekly to my office (Thursday), an average of 35 lbs of various
fruit/veg, you got what he had. He then added produce from other area
farmers (organic) within his area. After a few months dairy was available
then his wife, Deb, started a co-op of dried herbs/fruit/veg, personal care
products, etc. By the end of a year, they had added fresh squeezed juices
(it was done in the am before he loaded the truck), organic
beef,pork,chicken and fish, pre-washed/cut/packaged soup bags (all the
ingredients were there including spices, just throw it in a pot and turn on
the heat), then they added smaller bags of just fruits/just veg/or a combo
for those that had smaller needs or preferences. They put out a catalogue
so that you could add any additional items you wanted to your box or bag
and you had to call them the Monday prior to delivery if you had any
additions/deletions from your 'standing' order. All the product was
labelled or had a sticker on it stating it was certified and where it came
from.

Payment arrangements consisted of: you received a bill in your order, you
could pay on delivery, mail a check, but if they didn't receive payment
within 3 days, they billed your credit card directly. When you signed up
for the initial delivery, they had a contract that you signed and
faxed/mailed back to them and they took your credit card info over the
phone. Tony said once they put the credit card arrangement into place,
they never got stiffed again.

When my patients began to notice that I was having boxes of fresh fruit/veg
delivered to my office, many of them signed up also. I had Tony drop all
of the orders at my office and my patients picked them up there. It became
such a large delivery area for Tony that he incorporated local help. In
our area, 2 women had an empty garage, Tony would drop all the orders there
and they loaded their van and made the deliveries in a 35 mile radius.
They received 10% commission on all the orders they delivered, plus they
signed up additional people in their delivery areas. It got to be quite a
large business for all concerned, and lucrative. I think I still have some
of the information around here somewhere regarding the contract, prices and
a very nice explanation of "WHY ORGANIC FOODS ARE BETTER", I can look for
it and send the info off to you if you're interested. They charged no tax,
because it was a food item, on personal care products there was no tax
because it was out-of-state, I'm not sure how he handled his deliveries in
Illinois, unless he just didn't do delivery there, but he did charge a
nominal delivery fee of $3.50 to cover mileage, etc.

Blessings,
Ava




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page