As 2013 comes to a close, it is becoming quite clear that "local", "sustainable" and "organic" are not merely fads, but the trends that will shape the immediate future of the food industry. With demand for fresh food items growing, an opportunity is created for someone to fill the void. Enter San Francisco based start up GoodEggs.com, which seeks to "grow and sustain local food systems worldwide" by providing an easy link between consumers and local farmers and food makers. The website allows consumers to purchase fruits, vegetables and prepared foods that are locally grown and made in their area.
As of this writing, the service is in full swing in the San Francisco bar area, covering the city, East Bay, Peninsula and some parts of the coast. Additionally, pilot programs are beginning in New York, Los Angeles and New Orleans. There are a lot of benefits of buying local, as GoodEggs explains on their website, including stimulating the local economy. The best part for consumers is that the food they receive is more fresh, as it didn't need to travel on a truck or boat from another state or overseas. Orders are done through the Good Eggs website, where all goods are listed with details about the farm, farmers or "artisan food makers" that produced them. Customers can either then pick up their goods at select locations in their respective area, or if can have their goods delivered to their home if they are within the distribution area. Food can be dropped off at your door, and perishables are packed in insulated sleeves with reusable ice packs.
For consumers (and maybe even restauranteurs) in one of the covered regions, GoodEggs.com looks like a great opportunity to easily purchase local, high quality foods. There are limitations that may not expel grocery stores from your life just yet, such as availability of goods. Since everything is grown and made locally, customers are limited to what can be grown in their area at a given time of year (no quinces in April in Los Angeles, we assume). If you have been looking for a way to minimize your dependence on large food corporations, GoodEggs.com looks to be a good way to get started.
Source:
GoodEggs
Tablebases.com
