On the front-end it may seem the same, but on the back-end we are focused on delivery route optimization to shorten the supply chain and algorithms for a much more tailored shopping experience.
I agree with you on the socializing part. We understand that there are some human interactions and behaviors that cannot be changed or would be nearly impossible to. We don’t aim to drive people away from attending farmers markets, but more so convenience for those not able to attend or who do not have markets nearby.
You brought up some great points and I really appreciate your point of view! Let me ask you this: When Amazon first started there were the same concerns of not being able to feel and see the product before buying; let alone, having it the same day you need it.
I know it is different with food, but what are some things that would make you- as we would consider our hard-side - to even consider trying?
There's a world of difference between buying produce and buying a more durable good. Produce has a short shelf life, and it is not uniform. When I'm selecting produce, I'm not only looking for it to be fresh (or sometimes even at a very specific ripeness point), but I'm also often looking for a specific size, or more rarely, but sometimes, for some other specific physical characteristic. I wouldn't trust a stranger to be able to tell which piece I want. Obviously, how true this is depends on the specific crop. Lettuce, for instance, is fairly interchangeable, and grains such as wheat are entirely interchangeable.
If I buy something sight unseen from Amazon, I can return it if it wasn't exactly what I wanted. With produce, even if I could actually return it, there's no way it's getting resold, so it's instant food waste. So I feel that it's inherently unreturnable. Also, it would mean that I'd likely have to make an unplanned trip to the store to buy a replacement, or do without, for the meal I was planning to use it in.
It all seems like a bunch of potential inconvenience and bother that can be easily avoided by just going to the market.
I don't want to sound negative about the idea despite all of this -- this is very specific to my own situation and location. Most of the world lives differently than I do (that's true of all of us.) I could see it working, at least in some markets. And there are food deserts that could be excellently served by something like this, especially if there's a delivery component.
I can’t express how much I really appreciate the feedback and your time for sharing! If I could get you a coffee, or a drink of your choice I would! Lol… thanks again!
Great question. We conduct site visits and only work with farmers that have a verifiable farm. If we cannot see a specific product being grown on their land, but they are selling it, then we don't source it unless we know who grew it.
That seems like a solid place to start, I’d still be wary about supply chain though, using honey as an example just having bee hives doesn’t mean the honey going in the post came from them.
This is an issue a lot of retailers have tbh, it’s why the scandal w/honey came to mind since it was in the press again recently.
Good luck though, it’s an interesting idea, we use our local farmers market occasionally and some of the stuff (ironically honey is a good example) is incredible.
