Frequently asked questions
Who are we and why are we doing this?
Using the best ingredients always gets the best results.
Too often fruit and vegetables have been sprayed with so many different chemicals, are thrown away because they don't look 'perfect' or are shipped from locations that you can barely find on a map.
Why go to the Supermarket and buy fruit and vegetables that barely have any taste, have been covered in who knows what and come from somewhere you have never heard of?
Within 50km of Parkdale you're able to get real fruit. It tastes absolutely amazing (you won't believe how much taste real fruit actually has!), it supports our local community and it's better for you.
We want to make this successful to allow local communities to thrive, eat the best food and enjoy their lives for as long as they can.
What impact does Parkigrocer have on helping make our community more sustainable?
Let’s look at how we package first.
Boxes: We now use reusable foldable crates. These allow us to have zero waste. Once they are end of life (thousands of use later) they are then able to be recycled. Plus, they are made in Melbourne.
If you get strawberries, for example, we have taken packaging from supermarkets that were scheduled for landfill and instead repurpose it for ourselves.
We support growers that are either organic, or in the process of being certified organic. Thus ensuring that only natural products are used.
We use growers that are within ~50kms of Parkdale. This means we aid our local farmers by keeping them sustainable. We reuse all packaging and request no plastics are used unless to be repurposed and saved from landfill.
We minimise the distance we travel for both pickup and deliveries and always ensure we use the most optimised route.
What should I do with my empty box?
After you have emptied the contents of your box, please fold the crate flat and lave in the same spot it was delivered. We will then take it when we deliver your brand new box.
We will also reuse any additional items originally included in your box (such as rubber bands, berry cups, egg cartons etc). Please pop them in the box and we will take them with us.
We are aiming for zero waste and can only do that with your help.
What's in the box?
Everything in the boxes is seasonal and while we have a little wiggle room for personal preferences, our ability to keep things affordable & sustainable depends on our willingness to eat local and in season produce.
A regular day for us starts by going to pick up the produce from the growers in the morning, packing the goodies into recycled boxes around lunch, and by the arvo we are on our way to drop it off, or ready for you to pick it up. Farm to families / paddock to plate in a day :)
Please note; not everything is the box is 'certified' organic (usually about 90%), but what isn't comes from small scale farms (no sprays or waxes), and small market gardens. We do preference organic and bio-dynamic where possible, but we also favour supporting & helping grow our local food-bowl over shipping in produce from further away. Low food-kms and local farmers = fresher and more sustainable eating for us & the planet.
It's also worth mentioning, we are not robots, 🤖 or a big corporation. That means we are working very hard to learn your names, and your eating habits so we can accommodate and impress you. This also means we are not perfect, and are learning (a lot!) as we go. Feedback is always appreciated, and respect and gratitude is admired.
Why don't the fruit and vegetables look perfect?
No two people have the same shape, colour or size and neither does fruit and vegetables. We take the tastiest organic fruit and vegetables and give them to you to enjoy. No need to judge a book by its cover, or a banana by its skin.
It tastes amazing. That the main thing.
Why does my INSERT FRUIT OR VEGETABLE HERE have dirt on it?
Believe it or not, the same day you got your organic box it was pulled directly from the dirt! We don't clean your fruit and vegetables before they get to you - so you get them exactly as nature intended.
Natural soil from the earth keeps root vegetables 'wrapped' as nature intended and last longer..