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Fresh Foods LLC to expand grocery options across the Republic
New food options to be on offer for the health and environmentally conscious consumer
Eshar, Odufaray
March 3, 5081


First Fresh Foods Co-Op opened in Eshar, more to follow across all 5 Districts

A new private food retailer, Fresh Foods LLC, has recently opened its first store in Eshar, Odufaray, and aims to revolutionize the food shopping experience.

"We are not trying to replace the food bank," said Fresh Food LLC CEO Cleo Jones, "but to offer a new way of getting good healthy and environmentally conscious. Our co-op design makes Members share owners in the store, giving them democratic control over the operation of our co-ops, to include what sorts of foods we stock, what kind of technology we use to get food to our customers, and how food is priced. Additionally, we want to make delivery a priority, so people can shop from home and have the food at their homes faster than they could have gotten it themselves."

The Co-op model, Jones explained, allows people to purchase memberships to the store. "These memberships are actually shares in the co-op and are used to capitalize and expand the store," said Jones. "Members then get perks that non-members do not get. For example: Members are eligible for free delivery, and specific discounts throughout the week on popular foods. We also encourage our members to grow fresh produce and provide it directly to their co-ops: having a dedicated buyer allows small farmers to price in some certainty into their growing plans." non-members will also be able to shop in the co-op, though online delivery will only be available to non-members at a fee, which, after a few deliveries will equal the cost of membership for the year. "Our goal is, of course to encourage all consumers to join the co-op."

Fresh Foods LLC says their co-operatives will always source their food as locally as possibly, turning the operation into a part time farmers' market. "Naturally, for more exotic foods, we will also source the globe: if consumers demand it, it is our job to find it and get it for them." Jones also noted that the store is committed to environmental and anti-cruelty standards for produce and meats. "We want to make the whole experience as clean as possible. We only use organically grown, if it is possible, and our meat options must be certified cruelty free. We care about the planet and want to put our money where our mouth is." Besides produce and meats, the store also sells cereals, grains, bulk dried goods and vegetarian and vegan foods. "We are also looking to selling hot food prepared in store, but this is still a matter for the future."

The store is also employing a new "Picking" model, where orders are received in a store, and several shoppers, each with responsibility for 3 or 4 aisles, fan out across the store. "We have acquired new technology that allows us to scan and sell the item as soon as we pick it, so it doesn't need to go through a check out lane," said Jones. "It is very exciting to see in operation." A demonstration showed that an order containing 37 different items in diverse areas of the store could be pulled in 4 minutes and loaded into a delivery van in 3 minutes, meaning the entire order was completed and on its way to a customer in less than 10 minutes.

"As the co-op expands, I imagine there will be whole armies of pickers, and we might even switch to a warehouse model for members, so that our shoppers are not competing with instore customers." Plans are in the works to open co-op branches in all major cities across the Republic. "Diversity in diet is the goal here," said Jones. "The Co-op gives Kalistanis more choices."