FOOD & DRINK

Organics at your doorstep

Greenling delivery service is reaching customers who prefer not to do store or market shopping.

By Meredith Hight
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Wednesday, April 16, 2008

On a Thursday morning, Megan Newhouse-Bailey unpacks the box that Greenling Organics, an organic food delivery service, has just brought to her doorstep. The box includes organic whole-wheat hamburger buns, celery, bananas, broccoli, carrots, garlic and Swiss chard. "The greens are amazing," she says, noting that the kale from the previous week's delivery stayed fresh for a full week.

For Newhouse-Bailey and her husband, signing up for Greenling's organic delivery service after their 6-month-old son Henry was born was a no-brainer. "I had no time to shop and I wanted good, organic produce," she says. "Between the cost of gas and not having to get the baby ready to go out, it's just a lot easier."

Greenling, founded by Mason Arnold in Austin nearly three years ago, delivers all-organic food to its nearly 1,000 customers, many of whom, like Newhouse-Bailey and her husband, have young children at home.

"Our biggest customer is busy families with kids who want fresh produce," Arnold says. Greenling's most popular "starter baskets" are the Local Box, which includes both produce and grocery items, and the Just Local Produce Box, each priced at $35. The contents of the box change each week, depending on what is in season and available. Though the company began by offering only produce, Greenling has since added dairy, meat, bread and other grocery items such as baby food and honey to its offerings. Customers also can make orders item by item.

Greenling makes about 500 deliveries each week, including to San Antonio, where the company recently expanded. The company also hopes to expand to Houston and Dallas in the next two years, as well as establish drop-off points in smaller towns such as Marble Falls.

In founding Greenling, Arnold says he was looking to do something that made a difference. "I did some research and I worked on different ideas, like green roofs and solar panels. And I started to learn more about the food system and organics, and it just made sense." Arnold also studied the business models of similar companies already operating on the West Coast. "I thought we should bring it to Austin."

Arnold founded Greenling with money from the sale of a "green" lawn care company he created. His background in studying chemical engineering at the University of Texas and working at an environmental consulting agency initially prompted the understanding of and interest in the presence of chemicals in the environment and food system. Arnold has since led an effort to start an organic advisory board for the Texas Department of Agriculture. He is under consideration to serve on the inaugural board, all while continuing to run Greenling.

"It's very much a customer-service-oriented business," he says of his company. "So many people want so many different things. Standardizing our operations and logistics has been key."

Much of that standardization has come from Greenling's approach to technology, including using open-source software. Last year, PC Magazine recognized Greenling's use of technology with a Small Medium Business Award, given to 10 companies each year.

The company also has worked to perfect its distribution system, occasionally backstopping with goods from a grocery store if it turns out that an expected shipment doesn't arrive. "We offer a 100 percent guarantee. If something goes wrong, we will go out and try to fix it," Arnold says. "We make mistakes, too. We say we are sorry and we try to make it right. When it comes to food, people are very passionate, though."

Arnold has not been able to fulfill all requests. One customer wanted pollen-free eggs and several have requested raw milk, which in Texas can only be sold by dairies.

Greenling works with about 15 to 20 different sources and suppliers each week, and nearly 50 sources throughout the year. Some items, such as pineapples and bananas, come from California or other states by necessity. Greenling generally tries to use local farms and products as much as possible. "Anything we can get locally, we do," Arnold says.

Marysol Valle runs Hands of the Earth, a small farm that sells to Greenling. "They have treated me well," she says. "They pay close to market prices, which is rare." Valle adds that as a local farmer she appreciates that her produce, which includes salad mix and sunflower sprouts, is always given priority over other vendors.

Rod Ardoin of Acadian Family Farm also appreciates Greenling's commitment to local farmers. "They are excellent to work with. When you work with locally grown produce, what's in peak this week is not the next," he says. "I sell anything I have fresh — romaine lettuce, tomatoes, sweet corn. It requires a lot of flexibility. The buyer has to have a lot more patience and energy."

Elizabeth Winslow, who formerly ran the prepared meal delivery service Dishalicious, recently became the buyer for Greenling and said the company wants to support all the local farmers. "We try to source as much product locally as possible. I usually go to the farmers' markets and look at the products, and we usually get a little bit from everyone."

Because Greenling buys from farms and vendors only what customers order, the waste of unsold products is kept to about 3 percent (because of, for example, a bruised tomato or a changed order) compared with grocery stores, which average 30 percent waste. "We know what we are going to sell, and we order just the right amount (and have) such fast turnaround," Arnold says. He acknowledges the service isn't for everyone. "If you live next door to a Whole Foods, then there is maybe not a significant value in our service."

For Shane Trayers, the service is ideal. "I love that the delivery is brought to my doorstep," she says. "And there seems to be a wider selection than what you find at a grocery store."

A Greenling customer for a little less than a year, she also appreciates discovering new fruits and vegetables. "Sometimes I get something where I really don't know what it is, and I have to look it up and look up recipes," she says. "I'm a Yankee. I never had sweet potatoes before."

For Trayers, signing up for Greenling was part of a transition toward eating more vegetarian meals. Previously, she had not sought out organic foods while shopping. "I was eating a lot of frozen food. Now, I am cooking a lot more, which is good," she says. Though the service is more expensive than grocery shopping, Trayers says, the cost is not unreasonable and she plans to continue using the service. "It's so nice to not have to go to the store as much. I love it."

Although most customers are residential, Greenling has some business clients, including nearly 20 offices and several schools. "If there is one item that people buy organic and not conventional, it is milk — especially for kids," Arnold says. "Most schools can't afford to do this, but the ones that can are all about it."

St. Martin's Lutheran School is one of those. Patricia Bauer-Slate is in charge of the lunch program and orders gallons of milk from Greenling. "If you are going to do organic, milk is the most important thing to do," she says, adding that there's no waste, because they are pouring individual glasses instead of handing out cartons. Bauer-Slate also orders eggs from Greenling to make fresh breakfast tacos.

Though all grocery products must be organic in order for Greenling to sell them, it takes more than the organic label for Greenling to stock an item.

"We research the company and their organic standards," Arnold says, to ensure that the company is adhering to the highest standards. The U.S. Department of Agriculture certifies farms and products as organic. According to the agency's Web site, the USDA does not claim "organically produced foods are any safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced foods." However, interest in buying organic and locally grown and produced foods is growing.

For many of Greenling's customers, the benefit is not just the organic nature of the product, but also the convenience. Susan Wise continues to shop at grocery stores and farmers markets, but she appreciates the biweekly delivery of grocery items and organic milk, priced comparably to that of other sources.

"It's just very convenient," she says. "For the same price, and not having to haul gallons of milk home, just every little bit helps."

Wise has also ordered some of the grocery items, including tortillas, McGovern's Organics chicken pot pie and Chomp cookies. Among the other grocery offerings are Green and Black's chocolate bars, tamales, canned beans, peanut butter and Annie's canned and boxed pastas.

But produce remains the core of Greenling's business. Newhouse-Bailey continues to shop elsewhere for groceries and at farmers markets in the spring and summer.

Though sometimes Greenling delivers fruits or vegetables that she would not necessarily pick out at the store, she likes knowing that it is organic. "Normally at the store, I might get conventional produce. But with Greenling, it's just automatic. Though it is more expensive, it's just easier to eat organic, and you are paying for the convenience."

And though her infant son Henry might not know the difference yet, he is eating his organic bananas and liking it.

Greenling's most popular packages

Local Box or Just Local Produce Box — $34.99 each. (Local Box includes produce as well as grocery items such as honey, chocolate or tamales. Recent produce included green cabbage, grapefruit, broccoli, bok choy, collard greens, radish, Brussels sprouts, baby spinach or baby arugula, assorted salad mix, cilantro, assorted microgreens and sunflower sprouts.) www.greenling.com

Selected grocery items from Greenling

Betsy Ross Grass Fed Angus Ground Beef — $6.99 per pound for the packets or $7.99 per pound for the patties

Margarita's Tortilla Factory Organic Whole Wheat Tortillas — $1.49 per bag (10 tortillas)

Grandma's Hummus by Mediterranean Chef — $5.50 per 9-ounce container

Eden Organic Black Beans — $1.99 per 15-ounce can

Local eggs from White Egret Farms — $4.99 per dozen

Muir Glen Organic Diced Tomatoes — $2.09 per 14.5-ounce can

Rudi's Whole Grain Wheat English Muffins — $3.59 each (six muffins)

Other food/grocery delivery services

Austin Grocer

Delivers grocery items as diverse as dry goods, produce and toothpaste for a base delivery fee of $9.95 for orders that total $75 or more. www.austingrocer.com

Whole Foods Concierge Service

Delivers groceries and/or prepared meals to your home or office for a flat fee of $8 (more depending on service area) and with a minimum of two hours' notice. www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/lamar/concierge.html

Johnson's Backyard Farm

Supplies 300 subscribers. The farm grows more than 65 fruits, vegetables and herbs, as well as pecans. Delivers to eight drop-off points across Austin. Does not deliver other grocery items or products, only produce. www.johnsonsbackyardgarden.com

Tecolote Farm

A certified organic farm with 165 members. Delivers produce in the Central Austin area only. Currently has a waiting list for new members. E-mail tecolotefarm@juno.com

Millberg Farm

A certified organic farm. Delivers produce in the Kyle area. E-mail millbergfarm@austin.rr.com

Hairston Creek Farm

Located in Burnet and certified organic. Delivers to pick-up points across Austin. Offers produce as well as fresh eggs and pesto. E-mail info@hairstoncreekfarm.com

Green Gate Farms

Though most customers pick up their produce directly from the farm, Green Gate also makes some deliveries in the central Austin area. New subscribers interested in joining should e-mail greengatefarms@gmail.com to reserve a place now for summer or fall subscriptions. www.greengatefarms.net