Ooooby value boxes… what are they all about?

Ooooby – Out Of Our Own Backyards

Ooooby – Out of our own backyards. That is where it started and that is the core philosophy behind what we do. At Ooooby we look to source the best available, seasonal, local and organic produce that we can. We strive to support as many small scale farmers – working to have a positive impact on the food system.

Local, small scale… We all love this idea. Love the concept and what it stands for. Knowing that if we support businesses following these principals we are ourselves contributing to a better and alternative option for the production and consumption of food. Who doesn’t love the warm fuzzy feeling it gives us? It is great to be able to pat ourselves on the back for “doing the right thing”.

How resolute though are each one of us in our belief? When the going gets tough or the numbers wrack up at the till, do we believe enough to follow through with our ideals?

But price matters… on both sides of the till

The most common question then is “well why is it so expensive?” This is a very real and fair question to ask. Well there are a number of contributing factors and these factors change all the time.

Prices from growers vary drastically during the seasons, depending on the type of produce and stage of growth. Therefore the amount and type of produce that can be purchased by a family for a fixed sum of money per week, will thus also vary. This can therefore skew the perception of value for what is in your basket at the market. Understanding the seasonal changes and fluctuations can therefore better inform and guide your purchasing.

The little growers that Ooooby supports often do everything by hand and cannot compete with multimillion dollar farms with investors, boards of directors and the latest and greatest technology. You will no doubt have heard the term “economies of scale”. Well this is one of the biggest challenges for many of our partners. In following organic practices, but with limited budgets or no backing, they cannot drop prices to match “massed produced”. If they did they would not be able to survive.

Well, at Ooooby, we want them to survive!!

Price haggling is not our thing. We ask for fair pricing from our growers, but will never push our partners into a corner in order for them to do business with us. Does this mean that sometimes our products come with a higher price tag? Sure, but we are willing to defend this in line with our ethos of supporting a better food system.

We also pride ourselves in the fact that produce is mostly harvested 1-2 days before delivery. So you are unlikely to find fresher and there is virtually no waste because it is harvested to order.

So what’s the difference between the Ooooby boxes?

At Ooooby our range of Organic Mix Boxes are intended for those who want more variety, a few fancy things, and less repetition from week to week.

In contrast our Value Boxes are approx 50% the same. “Expensive” items are removed to focus on bargains of the week, maximizing calories. This means if something is cheap and plentiful, you’ll get lots of it… and only ever mid season. Never new season or late season when prices are higher. There will also be more options for “ugly” produce. Things that might otherwise be discarded as a result of blemishes or irregularities – give them a second chance is what we reckon! This also means that there may be more repetition in the value boxes from week to week. Including some consistent “staples” to take advantage of the seasons and pricing.

Win Win for all.

Please don’t misunderstand our viewpoint and stance with regards to supporting the growers. We are also here for you, our loyal Oooobies. Finding the best balance that we can is so important to us. We’ll always work hard to ensure you also get as much value as possible when using our service. Ultimately, we strive for a win win situation in all that we do. Aiming to play our part in bringing as much joy to everyone as we can. On both sides of the story.

We are all in this together. So thanks for your continued support. If you ever have any questions or would like to give us some insight into your experiences, or send some suggestions our way, please do.