Fresh, naturally grown and locally sourced organic foods, brought to your doorstep every week, year round, with no delivery charge or commitment. Green Porch, a new food initiative that has expanded to London, is helping Londoner’s and businesses source local and organic easier than ever.
While it is about ease, it’s also about the growing trend towards supporting local and choosing healthier, organic options. In recent years, the food and beverage industry has witnessed an unprecedented wave of interest in and demand for organic and locally sourced ingredients, from the foods we eat to the beers we drink. In London, this has fuelled the start-up and growth of local companies and co-operatives. Green Porch is one of those co-ops that launched just over six months ago and has already expanded across Southwestern Ontario and beyond, to cities including Barrie, Brantford, Stoney Creek, Oakville, Toronto, Peterborough, Mississauga, Sarnia, and many more.
Fresh from the Co-op
Part of the Ontario Organic Grocery Delivery Co-Operative initiative, local owners launched Green Porch across Ontario, first in the Windsor and surrounding area. 100% community owned, the overall mission, branding, and services of Green Porch remains consistent across cities, while the initiative is managed by different representatives within each region that work with local farmers to deliver the organic goods.
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These local representatives are health advocates. The London Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) spoke with one of London’s local representatives, Lee Snider, who also owns and operates a personal training studio in downtown London called Real Training of London. Since long before completing his Bachelor’s Diploma at Fanshawe College for Fitness Promotion and starting his business in 2011, Snider has always been a local influence for health and wellness. When Snider learned about Green Porch and how it was quickly becoming influential across Southwestern Ontario, he advocated for a London presence.
“People are becoming more aware of not only the benefits of organic foods and avoiding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), but also the effects of chemicals in regular farming. I think for the average person to eat their fruits and vegetables regularly can be tough because you need to go get it fresh, sometimes multiple times a week, and many people don’t have the time so you end up having quick meals. With a weekly delivery like this, it can help to have those healthy foods on hand” says Snider.
He also emphasizes the value of Green Porch choosing organic over regular produce, for the improvement in taste, its sustainability, higher nutritional content, and eco-friendliness. While the amount of organically farmed land is on an incline, it’s still a small sliver of produce sales, which Snider would like to see more of.
Fresh finds
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From custom-made to pre-selected boxes, Green Porch offers hundreds of items to choose from. The contents vary depending on the season, the size of box you order, and what you customize it to – whether it be all fruits, all vegetables, or a mix. All boxes are completely customizable once the local representative has confirmed what is available from their farmers. The boxes range in cost from $30.99 to $60.99 and are delivered mid-week.
What’s unique about Green Porch is that they not only service individual orders, but businesses too. From the business side of things, health and wellness programs can benefit both the employees and employer as it enhances productivity, creates a close-knit corporate culture, and promotes a healthy workforce. Similar to the individual boxes, a company would order boxes for each of its employees, which would be delivered to the office or their homes.
Green Porch offers a few options for corporate wellness packages.
Get greens to your porch
Green Porch is looking to get more workplaces on-board with their corporate wellness options to set the example of health and wellness within the London community. There are many ways you can connect with Green Porch to learn more:
- Visit their website to start getting greens delivered to your porch
- Check out their Facebook page and Instagram to see what’s in the box each week, and more
- Contact local London rep Lee Snider for more information by email or phone (226-777-6050)
A food movement in London
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In London, the food and beverage processing sector has grown to over 60 companies employing more than 6,000 people in industries such as baked goods, meat products, frozen desserts, spices, honey, alcoholic beverages, and more. Convenient access to raw materials and major markets have historically been one of the leading reasons for attracting agri-food companies to London. From startups to established food and beverage producers, London companies are finding success in the agricultural heartland of Southwestern Ontario and are poised to harvest rich rewards.
