Spade & Barrow launches ‘wonky’ fruit and veg boxes for home delivery
Wholesale food business Spade & Barrow has launched a service that delivers ‘wonky’ fruit and vegetable boxes to consumers’ homes.
Spade & Barrow, founded by Katy Barfield who also founded food charity SecondBite, celebrates that fresh produce can be big, small, curly, wonky or straight. The new “naked n’ fresh” range expands Spade & Barrow’s offering into consumers’ home. Spade & Barrow launched 18 months ago, with a range of less-than-perfect produce bought from Australian farmers and sold to cafes, restaurants and catering companies for up to 40 per cent less than usual rates.
“People are wary of the wonky carrots, the dotty pears, the curly capsicums and the protruding lemons – and at Spade & Barrow we are here to liberate them from discrimination and celebrate their diversity,” said Ms Barfield. “We are issuing all of Australia with the challenge ‘How naked n’ fresh can you get?’ and while we want to have some fun, there is a very serious message behind it,” she said.
“Spade & Barrow has been operating for 18 months and until now, chefs are the only ones who have been having fun with our amazing and slightly unusual Nature’s Grade produce,” Ms Barfield said. “Now it is time that every kitchen starts to embrace food as nature intended that comes direct from our Aussie farmers – after all not every carrot can be a supermodel,” she said.
Partnership with Aussie Farmers Direct
Spade & Barrow said it was the first commercial organisation to put ‘ethical produce’ on the market on this scale and at this price. The Company is working with food delivery company Aussie Farmers Direct to get “naked n’ fresh” out into the market. The “naked n’ fresh” is exclusively available to all Aussie Farmers Direct customers at a price of $19.50 for 30 serves delivered to the door.
Aussie Farmers Direct said it was “proud to support naked n’ fresh” as Ms Barfield’s mission for Spade & Barrow “reflects their values and gives their customers the opportunity to choose ethical produce”.
“Every bag of naked n’ fresh produce will have an official Nature’s GradeTM stamp proving that, while it may look different, the produce inside is unbelievably fresh and tastes just as good at a great price,” said Katy.
Promoting “fair and equitable” food system
Ms Barfield said purchasing fruit and vegetables directly from farms was “all about a fair and equitable food system”.
“Our farmers are getting a fair price for their whole crop so we are helping them to stay on their land and reduce unnecessary waste,” Ms Barfield said.
Spade & Barrow said cafes, restaurants and catering companies in Melbourne and Geelong have already embraced the socially focussed model and philosophy of Spade & Barrow.
“Now we can offer all Australians next day delivery of over 100 lines of Nature’s GradeTM produce and the best part is that every order is supporting Australian farmers,” Ms Barfield said.
Other ‘wonky’ vegetable campaigns
Australian Food News reported in September 2014 that green grocer Harris Farm Markets had also launched a campaign designed to reduce the impact of food waste by relaxing the aesthetic standards to sell fruit and vegetables that might otherwise have been rejected because of a small blemish or imperfection.
The Harris Farm range, called ‘Imperfect Picks’, will initially include Packham pears, Navel oranges, Pink Lady apples, bananas, carrots, potatoes, swedes and zucchinis and will be available in-store and online at the Company’s website. Harris Farm Markets said the ‘Imperfect Picks’ will be up to 50 per cent cheaper than the more conventional looking fruit and vegetables.
